By Pamela McDowell, Staff Writer
Cape Vincent
– Emotions are mixed following the announcement February 26 that
British Petroleum is ending its long reign of uncertainty in Cape
Vincent, and abandoning its plans for a wind project that would have
included up to 124 turbines measuring nearly 500 feet high.
After about a decade of starts and stops, and deep divisions forming in
the town due to the proposal of industrial wind, BP wind energy
announced that, as of March 31, it will end the leases with property owners.
The industrial giant confirmed its intention in an email, stating that
the company will terminate its position in the Cape Vincent Wind Farm,
withdraw from the New York State Article 10 permitting process, and wind
down all of its contracts and agreements for the project. The company
had attempted to sell its interest in Cape Vincent Wind Farm but failed
to do so.
The recent news caused a sigh of relief for some and a gasp from other residents of the town.
Pick up your copy of the Thousand Islands Sun at Cape Dairy or Aubrey's market to continue reading this extensive review of Cape's past wind history.
8 comments:
One of the problems CV can now look ahead to is the water district accounting. Both the village and the town have some major problems. The village has some real problems with collections. The Mayor has to do something about uncollected water fees that are in the tens of thousands for one property alone.
I feel bad for some of the landowners who really need money, but have no sympathy for all those who are well off to start with.
They're just plain greedy people!
When a 72 year old farmer says he lost his retirement when BP pulled up stakes and will now have to continue working, suggests he never had a retirement plan in place as a 62 year old before wind came to town.
Sorry, but I cannot feel sorry for him. He apparently never cared about or planned for his retirement before wind so why should we care now?
Every farmer knows there are risks attached to every aspect of farming and industrial wind was considered a high risk venture by developers themselves.
10:37 I'm sure we all have empathy for anyone who does not have the resources for a comfortable retirement.
This ,in no way, implies we should any empathy whatsoever for someone who planned their retirement at the expense of neighbors and the general welfare of their community at large.
Doesn't matter if they are a 72 year old farmer, insurance salesman, or ex-state senator.
Instead of wasting money on the expensive hobby of flying, perhaps his wife could sacrifice a little and help him out. I know my wife and I help each other by being more careful. It is not my job to sacrifice the value of my home so some guy who did not plan well can have a windfall.
I just came across this quote by Cape Vincent's Gary King in a national publication.
“What does this mean? It means the end of a 10-year battle,” said wind power proponent Gary King. “We lost. We felt it was the best thing for the town, but apparently majority rules.”
Apparently? How old is this man, and how many years of living in a democracy did it take for him to figure out that "majority rules"?
I think the 72 yr. old farmer will survive. His wife receives a big schoolteacher pension and they both get their monthly SS payments don't they? I guess they'll get by without wind.
He only continues to farm as a hobby anyway, He wouldn't quit if he was a millionaire!
The end of wind is a major plus for the town. Relatives of mine had a $2 million contract on property until the buyer discovered the wind project. The deal fell through. Wind was the enemy of property values in the town--even for those who don't pay for shoreline footage. The lease holders should thank their lucky stars since BP never intended to honor the leases. They don't run wind farms--they take advantage of the state and federal tax breaks fortunately expired) to build them and then run for the hills--selling the turbines to a new corporation, which will promptly go bankrupt--dissolving all leases. Then, the property owners--with turbines already on their property will be offered $.05 to $.10 cents on the dollar for new leases. This is their business plan--they have used it before--and they fully intended to screw every lease holder in Cape Vincent. The people who had these leases should read them--they are in for a very rude surprise.
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