YNN reports on Cape Vincent Meeting with BP's Richard Chandler

JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- A meeting was held in Jefferson County over a wind energy project that has divided the community. BP Wind Energy was recently reprimanded by the state public service commission for not reaching out to Cape Vincent residents with their plans for a wind farm.

So Tuesday night, the corporation was at a community meeting with a revised plan for a 124-turbine project in the town. BP presented a plan it's submitting to the state, which allows a sitting board to override local zoning laws in approving large power projects.

Continue reading YNN report via this link

Planning Board Chair Richard Macsherry addresses Mr. Chandler.

 Richard Macsherry: With all due respect, most of us in our adult lives have been in a situation where you think am I on a different planet? And that's, to be very honest with you sir, either you haven't kept up with what has gone on for six years, or it is a business model to ignore it but this is a town that is as impacted as any other where there is not uniformity in perception.

 I do have something that I worked on for the last week and a half and which are due consideration. Ladies and gentlemen it is keenly instructive to remind ourselves how industrial wind came to the town of Cape Vincent.  I will note up front that only those directly involved from landowners to developer representatives know exactly when the first contacts were made. You see secrecy has always been a hallmark of the energy prospector’s business model. For 10, 15 years and perhaps more this Township has been a target for wind development.

What we have come to know with certainty, is through the leases  such as this and I do have an original here, as this example dated July 26, 2010 the developers took license, aided by the lax in nature of New York State real – a state law to legally bind a land – owner to do the wind companies bidding. And I quote from section 8.4 entitled requirements of governmental agencies, “owner(owner is the land owner) owner shall assist and fully cooperate with grantee, at no out-of-pocket expense to owner, and complying with or obtaining any land-use permits and approvals, building permits, environmental impact reviews, or any other approvals required for the financing, construction, installation, relocation, replacement, maintenance, operation or removal of wind power facilities in the project, this is interesting it's in parentheses (whether located on the property, on the adjacent property, or elsewhere) (goodness elsewhere) including execution of applications for such approvals, if required." Further," in connection with any applications for such approvals, owner agrees a grantee's request to support such applications (again at no out-of-pocket expense to owner) at any administrative, judicial or legislative level."

 Finally, and I'm almost done with this recitation"

 in the event that any laws, rules, regulations or ordinances of any governmental agency provide for setbacks or otherwise restrict the location of any wind power facilities to be installed on the property were adjacent properties, owner shall cooperate with grantee in obtaining waivers such as setbacks and shall execute any documents reasonably requested by grantee to evidence owners waiver of such setbacks."

Ladies and gentlemen, you will hear from others the issue of setbacks that is when tower distances from residents, property lines, roads and so forth. No wonder given what I have read above that BP and other developers claim (prior to Cape Vincent) such uniformity in siting criteria in currently operating wind farms in the state of New York. This lockstep tightness in force through contract stipulations generates the basis for what BP interprets as an industry standard. And as what Mr. Chandler said the company standards. What is clear is the goal of targeting community through biased efforts of compensated and compromised local citizens.

 By the way I did miss the point here that there is   no scientific justification embodied in the BP lease requirements.

The Cape Vincent community at large gradually began to grasp the implications of industrial wind and the hold their leases held over the landowners. In 2007 two town board members held wind leases and another’s family held leases. The planning board chair held leases in the board secretary was conflicted with lease holding family ties. To wind developers were courting business here and conflicted town officials played loose attention to the town's code of ethics. Recusal from official involvement was considered appropriate but only in the context of which company you are signed with. It didn't matter what the promotion of corporate wins agenda was a conflict no matter which developers application your actions furthered one was meant to complement the other.

The ethical due diligence expected of elected and appointed officials was secondary to the explicit expectations of leaseholders and the potential for personal profit. At this point you might ask didn't anyone step forward to question this masking of ethical governance? Certainly. Privilege of the floor was allowed town board meetings, but answers, let alone justifications for actions were rare but definitely tinged with the motion. Planning board protocol under the lease holding chair was to deny most residents their right of speech. Beginning in 2008 the videotape records of these meetings the suppression of citizens’ speech. The act of suppression were characterized by such vehemence that many residents withdrew from public interaction. One clearly remembers the visceral shock of this.

Compromised behavior on the part of political leadership usually does not persist without support. Such support was given, in writing by a sitting State Sen. and local land/lease holder in 2006, this was bolstered in 2008, by a staff attorney with the firm Whiteman Osterman and Hannah who coincidentally had been hired by the town at the request of the lease- holding planning board chair. That law firm has had a long history of pro- wind advocacy. I ask, what does the average listener   conclude was happening? BP's wind energy's business model has the effectively separates the few with self-interests from the majority whose only expectation was and is for transparent and inclusive and truly representative governance.

Did anyone in the town of Cape Vincent, New York complaining? Yes, early and often to the state attorney general's office. The record of this activity is robust and for all to see. After six years the case against conflicting governance due to wind related influence presumably remains  open, yet there is been no remedial action taken by the New York State Atty. Gen.'s office.

It was interesting to note however, on August 19, 2009 a Mr.Sakurada, VP for BP wind energy did sign the governors newly framed code of conduct agreement. Local project manager Jim Madden signed the same pledge on July, 30, 2009, again window dressing. There was no behavioral change on the part of either BP or local leaseholders in positions of power.

 I am almost done.

In 2011, the ballot box, the majorities last resort land, and even sell without a single illegality, to the changes that state government was not willing to address. There are no longer conflicted/lease holding residence on the elected town board. Conflicted planning board members recuse themselves from wind -related issues. And now, the ex-attorney general and current Gov.'s action seemed directed at sacrificing Cape Vincent, New York to fulfill a goal, a goal for expanded energy availability. The evidence here lies in his resurrection of article 10 legislation and rules. W Link this appears to be his tacit acceptance of the BP tactical business model. Our home rule rights have been denied; by and attorney general and governor whom we once trusted. Mr. Chandler and Mr. Cuomo let the discussion begin. You both know very well, that alternatives to taking Cape Vincent do exist.

Crowd cheering.

   Richard Macsherry: you know, there's no celebration for any of us. There's no celebration for the people who trusted what they were told individually in their homes and there's no celebration for me ,at one time I was willing to do some negotiating.  I can't now. This is just gone too far and public outreach, I just, you have to sincerely sir, address what is really the division of this town.  And if you're interested in just ignoring that, you have a heck of a time these next several months because the past is with us.

The issue with what went before with the prior planning board with SEQRA. I would defy anybody to tell me that due diligence was served. It was not, it was self-interest that was served. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're starting all over, and what you claim in your PIP, you really need to rethink, whether you're addressing this town all sides honestly, or this is more of just the slickness, because there are some of us that have really been out in the world before.  This is not the end of Appalachia which one of BPs proponents called us.

The Town of Cape Vincent meets BP's Richard Chandler

Attorney Paul Curtin; I’ve got a few baseline questions, I want to ask you  if you're familiar with the local laws in the towns of Lyme and the town of Cape Vincent, that were recently enacted ,that address community concerns, relative to wind energy initiatives. Are you and your people aware of that legislation that has been enacted?

Chandler: yes.

 Attorney Curtin: In your siting plan, have you taken into consideration any concerns that have been raised by both towns?

Chandler: So, we have reviewed the local laws for Cape Vincent. We have looked at our own internal guidelines for how wind project are constructed and typical setbacks, again that's internal setbacks. We've also looked at projects built, within the state of New York, and County and town setbacks in other communities and have put together a proposed revised layout for something we think would be reasonable. A number of discussions have taken place with the town that helped influence what we have put together here, having shared that information with you. I think that it would actually be very helpful to provide some of the thinking we had putting this together.

 Attorney Curtin: I just want to set the tone because there is a certain sensitivity that both towns share relative to the advent of wind energy in this area, and it would be our collective hope that you take that not only under advisement but in consideration as you proceed under article 10, because certainly I think you've got a burden to bear going forward, trying to justify why you may not be taking those things under advisement and conforming to local laws that were enacted.

 But that being said what we’re going to do now is defer incrementally to each body that's before us.

We have the town Planning Board chaired by Mr. Macsherry, we have the town board, Supervisor Hirschey, and we also have the Town of Lyme represented here to my left, I'm going to give approximately 20 min to each one of these groups, they may take more they make take less, so that each group can ask questions of you, not only to inform themselves but to better inform people who are here in attendance.

 So, hopefully you are prepared to answer the questions that they may have and we understand that this is the first blush of a new project. This is a new application that you're engaged in, going through the auspices of article 10, so, that having been said I'm going to at this point in time ask that you direct your questions to Mr. Chandler and hopefully he can respond.

Proposed turbine location map

Richard F. Chandler, director of business development for British Petroleum's proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm,  revealed the turbine array plan at last nights meeting at rec park .This is the very first time the public has been given a map indicating where any of the turbines for their project will be.

Richard Chandler BP wind energy 

Map o turbine locations Cape Vincent NY

Wind energy forum brings hundreds

CAPE VINCENT — It was standing room only in the Recreation Park on Tuesday night — with “BP Go Home” protesters occupying one side and green-shirted Voters for Wind filling the other.

Sandwiched between an audience of 300 people and local lawmakers from Cape Vincent and Lyme was Richard F. Chandler, representing BP Wind Energy, who was grilled by town officials for nearly two hours in a comment-heavy question-and-answer session following a brief presentation on the project.

Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Times

Lady Grace ~ Is that all there is?

It is over, Lady Grace met her mystery man !

  He was nothing to write home about.

 Just another Arrogant BP Bastard...

BP GET OUT GO HOME!

  Signs posted along route 12E.

Welcome BP's  Richard Chandler to the North Country

 Opposed to industrial wind turbine development in Cape Vincent ?  Meet at the Cape Vincent Village Green 

3:30pm today. 

It's Time to take our town Back!

  Richard F. Chandler, director of business development for British Petroleum's  proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm, has scheduled a meeting  with local town and Planning Board representatives from

 Cape Vincent and Lyme.

While the public is not allowed to participate in the discussions at the open meeting,
  
 6 p.m. Tonight 
    at Recreation Park on James Street.

~~~

Note: People will be able to watch this meeting via the internet 

 Steve Weed productions will be providing live streaming of this meeting 

 

Speak up about what is happening to our community

Map of what BP has planned for Cape Vincent

  by Joanna Richards
North Country Public Radio
 Cape Vincent, NY, Oct 23, 2012 — With a wind project proposed by BP, the town of Cape Vincent recently passed strict new regulations for commercial wind turbines. Then BP began seeking state review under the Article X law. That process could bypass local laws, if they're deemed "unreasonable." Now the company has called a meeting with town officials, set for tonight. Town officials say they don't know exactly what to expect from the meeting.


BP has had no contact with Cape Vincent officials for months.

 Continue reading via this link to North Country Public Radio

or ~
Listen to report below

 


  Very Important!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WPEG   any citizen opposed to industrial wind turbine development in Cape Vincent   meet at the Village Green about
3:30pm today. 
You are welcome to grab a sign and walk with us in front of the BP office. We will then move to the Rec Hall area - and hold our signs for all to view as they come to attend the 6PM meeting. This is a PEACEFUL event. Should anyone try to get us angry we will ignore them. If you choose not to meet at 3:30pm - join us at the Rec Hall area around 4:30- 5pm. We will have walkers from other NYS communities joining us - show your support for Cape Vincent.

This may be our ONLY chance to send a very clear message to BP, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Governor Cuomo that we are not happy with the loss of home rule through the Article X legislation now in practice. Remember, this process, gives the power to site electric energy plants (wind turbines) to FIVE people appointed by Governor Cuomo. This Siting Board has the power to override local zoning law.

We have fought to remove our financially conflicted Town Board/Planning Board members and now are facing the state Siting Board having the power to make a decision against our revised Zoning Law.

Many people have worked behind and in front of the scenes for many years - but now is the time TO BE IN FRONT OF ALL and show BP, the PSC, Governor Cuomo and all the press attending that we do not support industrial wind development in our town!

LADY GRACE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

 or
A MATCH MADE IN HELL !

Tuesday is the big day!  I have been invited to meet my fiancee.  A man of mystery, claiming we have a long and happy history.

 He sent a letter pledging his love, explaining, my opinion I could shove.

 He said honey I've got money, the fix is in, he said with a grin, give it up you can’t win.

Engaged since 2006, sold for a few shekels, by lease holding hicks.

A happy alliance, without my compliance?

Alas! Woe is me, my man of mystery, said I have no choice, no voice.

 By his words I was stunned, my opinion he shunned.

Overly burdensome he wrote…                   

Blueprint for New York’s “Energy Highway” Unveiled

 

Plan for Up to 3,200 MW in Additional Electric Generation and Transmission Will Spur $5.7 Billion Investment, Helping Ensure Clean, Reliable, Affordable Power for New York's Future

Albany, NY (October 22, 2012)

   Printer-friendly version 

Governor Cuomo Receives Plan to Modernize the State's Energy Infrastructure and Spur Billions of Dollars in Private Sector Investment

Plan for Up to 3,200 MW in Additional Electric Generation and Transmission Will Spur $5.7 Billion Investment, Helping Ensure Clean, Reliable,

 Affordable Power for New York's Future lbany, NY (October 22, 2012) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today received the Energy Highway Task Force's Blueprint, a comprehensive plan that will add up to 3,200 megawatts (MW) of additional electric generation and transmission capacity and clean power generation through up to $5.7 billion in private investments. The 3,200 MW outlined in this blueprint would provide enough energy to power approximately 3.2 million homes.

 The Energy Highway initiative, introduced in the 2012 State of the State address, is a centerpiece of the Governor's Power NY agenda, which was put in place to ensure that New York's energy grid is the most advanced in the nation and promotes increased business investment in the state.

 "As we work to grow New York's economy, we need reliable, affordable, and clean power to leverage significant private sector investments, to allow businesses to grow, and to create jobs," Governor Cuomo said. "The energy highway will ensure that businesses and residential consumers across New York State have access to the affordable power they need to plan for not just today, but also for the future. An economy built to last requires a power infrastructure that gives businesses the confidence and security they need to hire new workers and plan for years to come, and this Blueprint continues to position New York State as a national leader in clean energy production and investment." 

 The Blueprint includes specific actions designed to add up to 3,200 MW in new generation and transmission, including plans to:

 Invest $1 billion for 1000 MW of new electric transmission capacity

 Initiate $250 million in new renewable energy projects, leveraging $425 million in private investment and creating 270 MW of new power

 Modernize and repower existing inefficient, high emission plants to create 750 MW of power, enabled by approximately $1.5 billion investment. 

Generate 1,200 MW of additional capacity through approximately $1 billion investment to help meet reliability needs to address retiring power plants across the state. 

Accelerate $1.3 billion of investment in existing transmission and distribution projects to enhance reliability, improve safety, reduce cost to customers and reduce emissions.

 Invest $250 million to develop Smart Grid technologies and create the most advanced energy management control center in the country.

 Initiate field studies of Atlantic Ocean offshore wind development potential The interagency Energy Highway Task Force will begin swift implementation of the proposed actions. These steps will significantly reduce the time required for development of energy infrastructure and includes a first-of-its-kind solicitation of new transmission projects by the Department of Public Service. 

 The Blueprint reaches every corner of the state with both locally focused and statewide actions to provide system reliability and economic development benefits. In Northern New York, strategic investments in transmission system upgrades will facilitate access for renewable energy projects to electricity markets. Western New York will undergo an immediate review of the viability of repowering options for power plants that have announced retirement plans and could benefit from a new Community Support Plan in the event plants are closed. Repowering, reducing transmission congestion, and offshore wind initiatives in the downstate region will help to green the power plant fleet supplying the highest energy demand area of the State. Upgrades throughout the state will support regional job growth and economic development.

 The Energy Highway Task Force created the Blueprint after reviewing 130 responses provided by 85 entities including investor-owned utilities, private developers and investors in response to its Request for Information (RFI), issued in April. Public comments submitted on the RFI responses were also considered in the development of the plan as were publicly available reports and analyses. In April, along with the issuance of the RFI, the Task Force convened two conferences—an Energy Highway Summit at which power industry leaders explored the State's energy issues and challenges, and a Conference of RFI Respondents and Interested Parties. 

 Governor Cuomo provided his vision for the Energy Highway in his 2012 State of the State address. He named Gil C. Quiniones, president and chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority, and Joseph Martens, commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as co-chairman of the Task Force. Joining them on the Task Force are Kenneth Adams, president, chief executive officer and commissioner of Empire State Development; Garry A. Brown, chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission; and Francis J. Murray, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

  The full blueprint can be found here.

Cape Vincent Special meeting at rec park

Tuesday October 23, 2012 6:00

 Richard F. Chandler, director of business development for British Petroleum's  proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm, has scheduled a meeting  with local town and Planning Board representatives from

 Cape Vincent and Lyme.

While the public is not allowed to participate in the discussions at the open meeting,
 which will be held
 6 p.m. Tuesday 
    at Recreation Park on James Street.

~~~

Note: People will be able to watch this meeting via the internet 

 Steve Weed productions will be providing live streaming of this meeting 

BP's Financial Information Misleading

 Today BP wind energy has a half page add in the Watertown  Daily Times  promoting their Cape Vincent Wind project by extolling the financial benefits of wind for our community.

They have facts and figures highlighting the tax benefits for our community unfortunately their math is not based on facts and the information that they are giving is misleading.

 In their add they state that their numbers are based on a previously approved PILOT agreement ,  assuming the wind farm generates approximately 200- 285 Megawatts .    

A PILOT  agreement is a payment in lieu of taxes (also sometimes abbreviated "PILT"), made to compensate a local government for some or all of the tax revenue that it loses because of the nature of the ownership or use of a particular piece of real property.[1]

 In their recently released Public Involvement Plan to the Public Service Commission , BP  promoted the terms of the defunct Galloo Island PILOT plan to estimate  PILOT payments for BP Alternative Energy's 200/285 megawatt project .[2]

 The Payment -in -Lieu -of Taxes plan for the Galloo Island Wind Farm was not supposed to be a model for other wind power projects.  The Galloo PILOT is a consequence of the JCIDA's failure to follow the intent of the Legislature.[3]

A PILOT has not been negotiated for the Cape Vincent project, the developer's reliance on the Galloo plan to project payments to municipalities is a troubling sign that it will be presumed as the basis for the future talks.  [3]

A PILOT  allows the developer to make reduced payments to taxing jurisdictions instead of paying property taxes. The Galloo PILOT was approved along with a sales tax exemption and sale-leaseback agreement, which eliminates mortgage recording taxes.  The PILOT for the 252-megawatt project will run 20 years and have base and supplemental payments .[4]

 On the wind farm aspect, the JCIDA had worked for months on developing a uniform policy before the Galloo Island Wind Farm's developer pressed for an individual payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement.

 The Galloo PILOT was different from the standard PILOT laid out in the agency's policy and those changes were approved  after months of intense pressure

[5] If the wind farm operator ceases operation and doesn't pay the agency the PILOT, the agency returns title to the developer .[5]

 The Galloo draft policy included a separate clause for renewable energy PILOTs, which allows for a fixed base payment per megawatt, increasing each year, and supplemental payments based on high electricity prices.

 .[5]  JCIDA Board member John Doldo Jr. said the Galloo Island project wasn't lucrative enough for the taxing jurisdictions. He said the PILOT payments represented less than 14 percent of full taxation. "If you give that much away, there must've been a need to give that much," he said. Mr. Doldo based his numbers on the cost of the project " about $537 million of on-island investment .[5] 
Only about one mediocre paying job is created for every 10 turbines installed that's hardly job creation. Government watchdog groups say the absence of uniform standards makes the whole PILOT program open to abuse, because each wind company gets to negotiate its own private deal with the IDA.

 In addition, wind companies that fail to meet their original IDA job creation promises rarely get penalized .[6] New Yorkers in general are beginning to become completely fed up with PILOTs, IDAs, wind farms and seeing their tax dollars squandered by politicians and bureaucrats to offshore ownership. Taxpayers are beginning to revolt against the wind developers, IDAs and local governments and the November 2009 election results underscore this attitude .[6]

Once again the taxpayer is paying higher taxes to support a corrupt industry and people say the wind is free. Think about this - 65% of a commercial wind farm is being paid for with your American tax dollars thanks to stimulus money, NYSERDA, PTC (Production Tax Credits), rapid depreciation schedules, PILOTs, etc. while the foreign owner enjoys the profits while raping your community .[6] PILOTs are supposed to make jobs for communities but with wind farms this never happens .[6] PILOTs should be completely repealed and eliminated and taxpayers should demand the full value of tax revenue from the wind project and nothing less

.[6]

 [1]~ Pilot Finance Wikipedia

[2] BP's Community outreach

[3]. Watertown Daily Times Wind PILOT

[4] JCIDA gives Nod to Galloo Wind PILOT

[5] JCIDA's tax-exempt policy for wind farms won't include local, county issues

[6]. Beware NY Wind: PILOT Agreements - Corporate Welfare Ad Nauseum

BP's Cape Vincent Wind Proposed project boundary

June 19, 2012

Click image to enlarge or Link here to Map in Scribd for even larger views


Below is Acciona's final project map from their FEIS

Compare both of these maps to see who's been thrown under the bus. 

   "Do you think BP has notified all of the landowners that have been cut out of their Art. 10 project plan?

 Link here to Map in Scribd format to enlarge

 Bp SDEIS Proposed Boundary_fig_1.1-2 Cape Vincent

link here to view in Scribd format

Map of Potential Environmental Justice Areas in the Towns of Cape Vincent & Clayton

Link here to view more environmental Justice areas in Jefferson County

BP alternative energy decided to pursue the development of their Cape Vincent Wind project under Article 10 of the Public Service law. This law, governs the siting of major electric generating facilities statewide. This new law takes the decision making away from communities and puts it into the hands of an appointed board. 

The first step of this process requires the developer to file a document called a Public involvement Program or (PIP) for community outreach. September 17, 2012 BP Alternative energy submitted a PIP for their Cape Vincent Wind project to the Public service commission 

 The Public service Commission's answer to BP's PIP  made specific recommendations to BP regarding the inadequacy of their PIP .   The Public Service Commission also noted  that the project area includes a part of the Town of Cape Vincent that was recently identified by the N.Y.S DEC as a potential  Environmental Justice (E.J) area.

 Environmental justice  areas require enhanced Public Participation Plans.
Link here to DEC website, information regarding the E J Public Participation Plan

  Not long ago, there was a story on the COAX website about environmental justice groups and their concern for the new article 10 power plant siting law.
~~~~
Representatives of a local E.J (environmental justice) groups in NYC addressed the DEC
( Department of Environmental Conservation ) concerning the agency’s new, proposed regulations for power plant siting. These groups represented Southern Brooklyn, Northern Brooklyn, the South Bronx, West Harlem and less directly, all “E.J communities” and anyone now or potentially exposed to power plant pollution.

 Link here to read the N.Y.S ,DEC recently adopted  Environmental Justice Regulations

The purpose of Article 10 is to both limit C02 emissions from power plants and to create further protections for low income, minority and environmentally burdened communities from new or expanding power plants that generate at least 25 MWs in or near residential areas. Article 10 requires applicants of power plant permits to conduct an E.J analysis, which will include demographic variables as well as existing environmental variables.
~~~
In New York State Environmental discrimination is not only based on ones ethnicity it is based on socioeconomic status as well. Over the last few years poorer communities in New York State have been systematically targeted for wind development. The people in these communities have less resources and time to learn about wind facilities and the environmental risks and hazards . Consequently, these communities have been targeted by big wind.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The DEC Environmental Justice Policy  CP-29 amends the DEC environmental permit review process by identifying Potential Environmental Justice Areas and establishing requirements for proposed projects affecting those communities.

 Link here to read the DEC Document CP 29  ~ NYS DEC ~ Environmental Justice and Permitting

"Environmental Justice:

A condition of environmental justice exists when environmental risks and hazards and investments and benefits are equally distributed without direct or indirect discrimination at all jurisdictional levels and when access to environmental investments, benefits, and natural resources are equally distributed; and when access to information, participation in decision making, and access to justice in environment-related matters are enjoyed by all."

"Environmental Injustice:

An environmental injustice exists when members of disadvantaged, ethnic, minority or other groups suffer disproportionately at the local, regional (sub-national), or national levels from environmental risks or hazards, and/or suffer disproportionately from violations of fundamental human rights as a result of environmental factors, and/or denied access to environmental investments, benefits, and/or natural resources, and/or are denied access to information; and/or participation in decision making; and/or access to justice in environment-related matters."

BP's Chandler thinks protecting our Health and Welfare is is "Unreasonably Burdensome"

 June 27, 2012 The Town of Cape Vincent received a letter from BP’s Director of Development Richard Chandler, concerning Cape Vincent's New Draft Zoning revisions.

In his letter Chandler said, the proposed Zoning Law is unreasonably burdensome and will effectively prohibit wind generation from being sited within the Town. The town has already
evaluated potential impacts from the Cape Vincent and St. Lawrence Wind Farm projects and
made favorable findings. The requirements of the Proposed Zoning Law, however, are
inconsistent with these findings. The requirements, setback provisions, exclusion areas, and noise
standards contained within the Proposed Zoning Law are highly restrictive and should be
substantiated by realistic and credible studies, consistent with other operational wind projects, and
in line with industry standards.

June 27, 2012

Via Electronic Delivery

Town of Cape Vincent
P. O. Box 680
Cape Vincent, N Y 13618
Re: Proposed Amendment – 2012 of Town Of Cape Vincent Zoning Law

On June 5, 2012 the town of Cape Vincent (“ Town") issued Proposed Amendment – 2012 to the
Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law (" Proposed Zoning Law"). The Proposed Zoning Law would
effectively prohibit wind generation from being sited within the Town. The town is already
evaluated potential impacts from the Cape Vincent and St. Lawrence Wind Farm projects and
made favorable findings. The requirements of the Proposed Zoning Law, however, are
inconsistent with these findings. The requirements, setback provisions, exclusion areas, and noise
standards contained within the Proposed Zoning Law are highly restrictive and should be
substantiated by realistic and credible studies, consistent with other operational wind projects, and
in line with industry standards.

As you know, the developers of the Cape Vincent Wind Farm and St. Lawrence Wind Farm
Projects (combined" the project") have been engaged with the Town and members of its
community for many years. By working closely with the community, BP has been able to make
several changes to and positively shape the Project into one that will provide significant benefits
to the Town and the community and do so in an environmentally responsible manner. Wind
development in the Town will create jobs, increase the demand for local goods and services, and
increase tax revenues to the Town, County, and school district. Land owners will be able to
secure an additional revenue stream while continuing to use their property for agricultural and
recreational uses, a positive benefit during challenging economic times. The Project also will
provide renewable power that is good for the environment.

For parties interested in submitting applications to site wind energy projects in the Town of Cape
Vincent, the provisions contained within the Proposed Zoning Law are unreasonably burdensome
that's in view of existing wind generation technology and/or in view of the needs of/costs to
ratepayers. We respectfully request the town to reconsider the Proposed Zoning Law, taking into
account the above mentioned comments.

Copy of original letter

Wind Promotion 101 let's shame the older generation into doing this.”

  Today's post is in response to recent visitors looking for information about Marion Trieste and Trieste Associates .
~~~~~~~~~~~

COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF WIND WEBINAR
July 2, 2009
A few months ago  friend sent me a link to a webinar

The featured speaker on this webinar was Marion Trieste,Trieste Associates


Trieste works for top tier industrial wind companies such as BP and typically she is brought in to industrial wind targeted communities where the proposed development has become controversial. Trieste has a formula for making a project work for the developer. “Grassroots organization”


Trieste tells developers,

“we really have to invest in the public”. “you’re only going to increase your odds of success if you're investing in our host communities.”

In 2008 British Petroleum hired  Trieste to do "outreach work” and this is when and why she established Voters For Wind (VFW).

Trieste talks about her favorite group Voters for Wind, saying,

“they actually established themselves two years ago.
 “And I worked with them with a BP wind power project here.” “BP was - is the developer that I'm - I've been working with here.”

“it’s all - it's all about the messenger, right.”

 These groups work well because the developer may be seen as having other goals in mind such as profit
Trieste Creates a pro - wind coalition or network by holding small private gatherings with landowners, that are not open to the public , arming landowners with generic information about the development process ,crafted to debunk the myths about Property values. Birds, Sound etc.
At these gatherings they formulate their mission to go out and educate
people and to get them to show their support for the proposed wind development.

They promote the notion that they have altruistic motives in their desire to push a
developers project  and not because they are gaining financially from it;

“it just warms my heart to watch what's - what evolves with connecting people to each other in a community.”

Trieste tells the developers, to distance themselves, so they don’t taint the process,
people may think they are being used by the wind developers.

“At GEOS we call ourselves like a little buffer between the wind farm developer who's our client and those on the ground who are basically those most impacted in the local communities.”

“So we can do a lot more good out there if we are seen as independent and are and acting as independent individual grassroots organizations.”

Additionally Trieste stressed the importance of the economics of wind. Money is a method used to promote the project as well. “Money talks” this is where the host benefit packages come into play as she characterized our area as little Appalachia.

Trieste used the webinar as an opportunity to engage in exploitation of community division describing the typical industrial wind opponents, as
wealthy short term summer residents, retired Wall Street attorney types from
New Jersey and New York City that do not care about the community, jobs or
taxes.

“they just care about their viewshed”

In contrast to the characterization of the Anti- wind Trieste describes the pro wind, as the downtrodden silent majority, farmers struggling to survive .people who are invested in the community and have been invested in the land for generations and now their grand kids are never going to be able to live here because there’s nothing for them .

“they get it.”

Additionally, Trieste would like to educate our children about industrial wind as well.

“I can't emphasize enough that we need to be more and more in our schools.to get young people involved, Let's go and let's shame the older generation into doing this.”

Link here to the US DEPARTMENT of ENERGY website and Trieste's ~ transcript & webcast