Vermont Lawmakers want to ban industrial wind energy

Sen. John Rodgers, D-Essex-Orleans, introduced S.210 on the first day of the session earlier this month. Rep. Vicki Strong, R-Irasburg, introduced H.598 on Wednesday.

The bills would ban any wind energy project with a capacity of 500 kilowatts or more – like existing projects in Sheffield and Georgia Mountain – though small individual turbines would still be allowed. Strong and Rodgers cited the impact on the environment as well as the preservation of Vermont’s scenic resources as their motivations for pushing for an industrial wind ban. 

Continue reading via this link to National Windwatch.org

Wolfe Island ~Township mayor 'dumbfounded' by police turbine fees

 Aerial shot of Wolfe Island

MARYSVILLE — Recent changes to how the Ontario Provincial Police bill municipalities for service could have a major impact on rural townships that are home to wind turbines.

More than six years after the turbines on Wolfe Island became operational, Frontenac Islands Township council was surprised in December when it received a bill for policing from the Leeds County OPP. Continue reading via this link to the Whig.com

Judges will hold pre-application conference Thursday in Barker for Lighthouse Wind

BARKER – Three administrative law judges will meet with Apex Clean Energy and stakeholders in the Lighthouse Wind project on Thursday to discuss many issues with the proposed project. Continue reading via this link to OrleansHub.com

Yates joins Somerset in officially opposing wind power project

YATES – The town officially went on record last week against a major wind power project, and opponents are getting ready to divvy up the developer’s money to fight the project.

Apex Clean Energy, based in Charlottesville, Va., is seeking to construct as many as 70 wind turbines in the Orleans County town, as well as in the neighboring Town of Somerset in Niagara County, both of which border Lake Ontario. Continue reading via this link to the Buffalo News

Somerset introduces new wind power law

on January 14, 2016 - 7:49 PM

SOMERSET – Somerset Town Supervisor Daniel M. Engert’s proposed new law regulating wind power developments would require companies to pay property owners reimbursements if their property values fall because of the proximity of wind turbines.

It also would require a company to pay for a baseline health study of town residents before the turbines go up, and limits the areas in which turbines could be built.

Apex Clean Energy, which is planning a large wind development in Somerset and the neighboring Town of Yates, complained Thursday that the new law would be a sudden and unexpected change in the rules. Link here to continue via this link to the Buffalo news

Alexandria Workers Workers Confront Town Over Asbestos

Some Alexandria highway workers confronted town leaders Wednesday night about what they say were hazardous working conditions at the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce building in December.

The workers claim they were denied gear like respirators after finding what they believed was asbestos while working on the second floor. Continue reading via this link to WNYTV7

The statement below was prepared and read at last nights meeting by an attorney from the law firm
Bond Schoeneck & King who is representing the Town of Alexandria in this matter.

 Related story from the Watertown Daily Times

Hounsfield Residents Get Update On Galloo Island Wind Project

A windfarm project on Galloo Island is moving forward under new ownership  

Apex,the new owners,met Tuesday night with residents and leaders from the town of Hounsfield. Continue reading via this link to WNYTV7

Once in favor of wind power, Yates residents become overwhelmingly opposed

  Lone sign in support of wind

Rte.18 Orleans County

YATES – Residents of this Orleans County town used to be big supporters of wind power, even urging town leaders to go out and recruit a wind developer.

That’s not true anymore...

Continue reading via this link to the Buffalo News

Another Voice: Wind turbines will blight Lake Ontario shoreline

OPINION

on January 8, 2016

By Pamela Atwater

Plans are afoot to blight the pristine skyline of Lake Ontario’s shores. Apex Clean Energy, a company based in Charlottesville, Va., wants to install 70 industrial wind turbines in the rural towns of Somerset (Niagara County) and Yates (Orleans County).

Projected to be as tall as 620 feet, the turbines would be the tallest in New York State. They would overshadow every building in Western New York, including the 38-story One Seneca Tower (529 feet) in downtown Buffalo. Save Ontario Shores (SOS), a citizen coalition of property owners in the towns of Yates and Somerset, was formed to oppose the installation of these behemoths. Continue...

Video demonstration of the dangers of inadequate Wind Turbine setbacks

Yates Tackling Wind Debate

YATES — New officials, new year, new purpose.

Newly elected officials Jim Simon, town supervisor, and John Riggi, town councilman, are diving right into the windmill issue.

One of many signs posted
 along RT.18 ~ Orleans County

“Every indicator we have, the majority of the people are against it,”

Continue reading via this link to the Daily News 

Boosting farm yields to restore habitats could create greenhouse gas 'sink'

New research into the potential for sparing land from food production to balance greenhouse gas emissions has shown that emissions from the UK farming industry could be largely offset by 2050. This could be achieved if the UK increased agricultural yields and coupled this with expanding the areas of natural forests and wetlands to match its European neighbours. Continue reading via his link to Eurekalert

Cape Vincent board ignites another controversy by ousting ZBA member

With Mr. Docteur out of the way, Mr. Wood said he now plans to apply for the ZBA opening again.

Noting that his farm owns a lot of property in town, he said he wants “to get more involved in the community” as a ZBA member.

CAPE VINCENT — One fire was put out during the Town Council’s reorganizational meeting on Monday morning, but another one was ignited.Continue reading via this link to the Watertown daily Times

Opponents of Maine wind farms seek to opt out of speedy reviews

Opponents of commercial wind farms are gathering signatures to remove their townships and plantations from the vast areas of Maine where proposals receive speedier reviews, setting the stage for more contentious debates over the growing industry. Continue reading via this link

NYSERDA Allocates $6 Million to Extend Current Solar Incentives Under NY-Sun Program

Uncommitted Megawatts Added Back to Solar Rebate Programs to Support Additional Installations

December 30, 2015

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced the reallocation of more than $6 million in unused funds to extend incentives available for solar projects in certain NY-Sun Solar Megawatt (MW) Block programs. Continue via this link to NYSERDA website