Save The River statement concerning BP's Cape Vincent Wind Project
April 19th, 2013 | Posted by Lee
Given
our mission, we are keenly aware of the need to find and implement effective
solutions to a changing climate and support efforts to shift energy production
to renewable, appropriately scaled and sited sources. Because of
this, we have viewed the proliferation of commercial, industrial wind projects
and the increasing number of turbines within each project proposed to be
located in the upper St. Lawrence River region with concern.
Consistent
with our mission of protecting the environmental integrity of the St. Lawrence
River and the species, human and animal, that depend on it, we are adamantly
opposed to the CVWP Project moving to the application phase under Article 10
until a comprehensive, cumulative assessment of bird and bat mortality is
conducted which includes all projects which have been proposed in the River
region. This assessment should be bi-national and coordinated among the several
federal, state and provincial governments that have the authority, jurisdiction
and agencies with requisite expertise to conduct such an assessment. Allowing
pre-construction studies (supplemented by totally useless post-construction
studies) undertaken piecemeal and by project proponents is a woefully
inadequate way to address the issues alluded to in CVWP’s own documents.
Save
The River believes that the people of Cape Vincent, the River region and New
York State deserve and should demand new, comprehensive, cumulative studies of
potental bird and bat mortality in order to better determine the true nature of
the potential threat to this critical flyway.
A few weeks ago a person who calls themselves Start a Business in Cape Vincent claimed that the people in Albany thought all the Cape Vincent public officials were crazy nut jobs. Yesterday's posting of comments by state and regional agencies proved the Start a Business guy to be wrong as other state and local agencies agreed to every issue brought forth by the due diligent Cape public officials. Your town of Cape Vincent should be proud of your public officials and their defense of the Thousand Islands. Our town of Clayton should be embarrassed. There is time for them to get with the program and I am sure that Cape Vincent will be more than gracious in sharing their hundreds of thousand of hours of work with Article X.
ReplyDeleteThe Thousand Islands is no place for turbine blight.
Bless the CV blogs. This whole Article ten situation is far too complicated for the Watertown Times and other local news to handle. Other than the TI Sun doing a good job too we would know nothing without you and JLL. Much more will be coming out of Clayton now. Watch for it.
ReplyDeleteJLL and Pandora's have been absolutely essential to this struggle. Back when some thought wind was a slam dunk that we could not resist , the blog authors were not deterred and kept the people informed throughout. Public service can take many forms.
ReplyDeleteI think this post was about the Save the River comments,not the blogs.
ReplyDeleteit's refreshing to hear STR finally take a more defined and stronger position, on the impact of wind turbines on the total environment of the river,not just the water quality.
Kudos to Lee Willibanks,and the board of directors.
My recollection is that several years ago a group of Cape citizens met with STR to get the ball rolling on the severe dangers of wind. STR was dealing with caution because of the political aspects and pressure. Darrell Aubertine had Willbanks under employment and Darrell named our region NY's Energy Valley and his goal was to turn the whole area into a massive industrial zone with a thousand windmills. The Thousand Islands is far more important than politics and Mr. Willbanks is the right person to put up a good fight to protect the Thousand Islands. I hope his recent comments will give the river and islands the courage to step up and just say no to Aubertine, New York State and British Petroleum. Our beuatiful town of Clayton will be hit hard by a Cape project.
ReplyDelete