Advocates see SASS as tool in fight against Horse Creek wind project

CLAYTON — Given the revival of the Horse Creek wind project, some supporters of a defunct effort to pursue a scenic-area designation from the state argue that it should be reconsidered by municipalities as a tool to prevent industrial turbines. Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Many landowners don’t want wind project

Residents in the towns of Clayton, Orleans, Lyme and Brownville better get involved before it’s too late! Foreign-owned industrial wind giant Iberdrola/Atlantic Wind is back with a massive project that would involve all four towns.Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Time to regroup and defend against Big Wind

Like a freshening breeze that becomes a steady blow, the move to turn northeastern Jefferson County into one giant wind generation facility has roared perforce back to life.

Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Clayton proposes banning industrial turbines in reaction to Horse Creek wind project

CLAYTON — Signaling its opposition to the Horse Creek wind project, the Town Council will consider replacing current wind laws with one that would completely ban industrial wind projects and the construction of wind measurement towers. Continue reading via this link to the watertown daily times

Limits on tax breaks: Jefferson County should set standards for how incentives offered

Don Alexander- CEO of  the JCIDA &
Wind developer Bill Moore

With the Horse Creek and Galloo Island wind farm projects under consideration, it’s time to ask what happened to the proposed revisions to the Uniform Tax Exemption Policy that the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors discussed last year.

Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Can New York force FitzPatrick to stay open?

If the owner of the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant refuses to keep the facility open, can the state force it to? That's the question after FitzPatrick owner Entergy has rejected several offers to help keep the financially stressed plant from closing in January. The company says it's too late, but some think the state may not need Entergy's approval. Continue reading via this link to WRVO

Iberdrola preparing to launch Article 10 process for Horse Creek wind project in ‘very near future’

Maple Ridge ~ WF

CLAYTON — Iberdrola Renewables plans to begin the state-led Article 10 pre-application process for its Horse Creek wind project in the “very near future,” the developer’s attorney told the joint village and town Planning Board on Thursday.
Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Clayton ~ Iberdrola Has Posted a New Conflict of Interest Disclosure For Horse Creek Wind

The information concerning Horse Creek conflicts of interest was posted on the Internet by Iberdrola 24 hours ago.

Link here to read original

It is important to disclose financial conflicts of interest because typically wind companies have a loyalty clause in their wind leases that contractually binds  lease holders to “fully cooperate”. with the developer to get their project approved.

Below is an excerpt from a Wind Lease for the now defunct Cape Vincent wind projects.

“Owner shall assist and fully cooperate with Grantee, at no out-of-pocket expense to owner, in complying with or obtaining any land use permits and approvals, tax-incentive or tax-abatement program approvals, building permits, environmental impact reviews, or any other permits or approvals required for the financing, construction, installation, relocation, replacement, maintenance, operation or removal of Wind Power Facilities in the Project (whether located on the Property, on adjacent property, or elsewhere), including execution of applications for such permits or approvals if required. In connection with any application for such approvals, Owner agrees at Grantee's request to support such application (at no out-of-pocket expense to Owner) at any administrative, judicial, or legislative level. In the event that any laws, rules, regulations or ordinances of any governmental agency provide for setbacks or otherwise restrict the location of any Windpower Facilities to be installed on the Property or adjacent properties, Owner shall cooperate with Grantee in obtaining waivers of such setbacks and shall execute any documents reasonable requested by Grantee to evidence Owner's waiver of such setbacks.”

Below are links to lease agreements for the now defunct Cape Vincent Wind Project

click here to view BP Wind Lease agreement
click here to view BP Wind Lease Good Neighbor agreement
click here to view Acciona lease agreement
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The Jefferson County Board of ethics has already weighed in on wind conflicts of interest. Below is a screenshot of their conclusion

Links below to JCBOE opinions

Jefferson County NY Board of Ethics Opinion Re:Conflicted Public Official 1-1

Jefferson County NY Board of Ethics Opinion Re:Conflicted Public Official 2-1

Assemblyman Wants Investigation into North Country Water Issues

Albany,N.Y.-- North Country Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush says playing the blame game will get towns in desperate need of clean water nowhere.

“If,in fact the salt is coming from the DOT, then it’s the state’s problem and the state should fix it,” Blankenbush said.”The state should pay for it.

But before I say that,before I do that,we have to put an investigation to make sure that that’s exactly what the problem is.”

Continue reading via this link to Time Warner Cable News

Dozens of houses evacuated over toxic hazard as train derails in Ripley,NY

A train has derailed near the town of Ripley, New York State, officials said, adding that two of the derailed cars were carrying ethanol, which is currently leaking. Dozens of homes in the area have been evacuated.

The incident took place on Norfolk-Southern rails on Tuesday night, the NY Fire Department told Erie News. The train was pulling 33 cars, 14 of which derailed, the Norfolk Southern spokesperson said. The Chautauqua County Sheriff's office, however, said 18 cars derailed.Continue reading via this link to RT

Pinpointing the Health Impacts of Urban Noise

Researcher Erica Walker wants to change the way cities think about their aural landscapes.

“Noise is insidious,” she says. “It affects you acutely, but also long-term. This is something that people don’t really talk about, but something people really suffer from.”

 Continue reading via this link to CITYLAB

Transporting oil via pipelines carries risks

The MV Juno a cargo ship carrying sugar from the Bahamas

ran aground near the Thousand Islands Bridge last April.

In response to Wednesday’s editorial, “Cruising to Disaster,” Save the River would like to express our enthusiastic support of the editors’ position on the dangers and inappropriate risks of winter navigation on the St. Lawrence River. Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times