Bethany Preservation Group - Existing Law

NY Attorney General Investigating Turbine Companies

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:04:04 -0400

Let's interrupt the series of 3 ( 1, 2, 3, for those with counting issues) stories about Pickens' latest plan to make oodles of (more) cash off his Natural Gas and Wind holdings (one of which I had tried to respond to, but unfortunately it appear this site has comment moderation on, and my comment has not been approved yet)with some real news.

A month ago, NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced that an official investigation has been opened with regards to the tactics used by First Wind/UPC Wind and Noble Environmental Power in getting their turbines placed in New York.

Support S4608 ALESI

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:27:50 -0500

TITLE....Establishes the New York state task force on wind generating facilities siting and permitting policies

04/19/07 REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
01/09/08 REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SUMMARY:

ALESI, FLANAGAN, MORAHAN, PADAVAN, RATH, SEWARD, YOUNG
Establishes the New York state task force on wind generating facilities siting and permitting policies to study the need to implement a uniform statewide policy regarding the siting and permitting of wind energy production facilities; further establishes an 18 month moratorium upon the siting and permitting of wind energy production facilities; repeals such provisions effective December 31, 2008.

Impact of Article X siting on NYS Local Governments in Rural Counties - Senator George H. Winner, Jr

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:59:55 -0500

January 31, 2008

Dear Local Government Official:

As you may know, two bills have been introduced in the state Legislature that would re-authorize Article X of the Public Service Law which is designed to streamline the siting review and approval process for major electric generating facilities. (A brief summary of the proposed provisions is shown on Page 2). Wind farm projects that meet certain thresholds established for power plants are included in these proposals, with the process governed by a statewide siting board.

Article X to be Topic for July Session

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:00:05 -0400

The New York Legislature ended its regular session Friday without passing legislation that would allow expedited siting of power plants. Utilities, power producers and the New York Independent System Operator have said the measure is needed to attract investment in plants and avoid electricity shortages.

The legislature could possibly take up the matter again as early as July, when he expects lawmakers will reconvene for a limited, special session. At issue is the Article X law, which provided a single process for obtaining all permits, and guaranteed a one-year limit to the review process. Article X also gave the state authority to override local objections to plants.

U.S. adopts limits on clean water law enforcement

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:51:24 -0400

WASHINGTON The landmark U.S. law to fight water pollution will now apply only to bodies of water large enough for boats to use, and their adjacent wetlands, and will not automatically protect streams, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.

Environmental groups said they fear the new policy will muddy the purpose of the federal Clean Water Act and put many smaller bodies of water at risk. Democrats in Congress have introduced legislation mandating protection of creeks, estuaries and other watersheds.

Bethany Wind Turbine Committee's January Report

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 10:56:11 -0500

I have obtained a copy of Bethany's "final" wind report. You can download it at http://www.effierover.com/downloads/ReportFinal.pdf

Don't know at this time if the town will offer it on their website (they usually do) or what the general reaction is.

Attorneys working on environmental impact statement for windmill project

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:29:21 -0400

FAIRFIELD - Attorneys representing the towns of Fairfield and Norway and wind energy company Atlantic Renewable are in the midst of working on completing a draft environmental impact statement in connection with the proposed windmill project in the towns.

Attorney Bernard Mewlewski of Saratoga, representing the towns in the matter, said taking public comments on any environmental concerns is part of the process.

Bethany Wind Turbine Committee [Genesee]

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 14:20:29 -0400

The committee is writing their preliminary report to be presented to the Planning Board. The intent is to prove the work done so far in order to approve an extension to the moratorium. This is needed in order to collect more facts.

Golisano back in the game

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:01:38 -0400

HARTSVILLE - Billionaire Tom Golisano is back in the wind game.

Steve Dombert - a frequent critic of the planned Airtricity development - Friday said Golisano has formed a new company and hired an engineer to develop community-based wind farms.

“We’re going to rejoin the battle,” Dombert said of the formation of Empire State Wind Energy.

Golisano first joined the wind debate while exploring a run for New York governor, then became involved with a community-based wind farm project in Perry. He also visited Hartsville and had considered lending his considerable financial support to development of a wind farm there.

UPC says wind power is dead in Vermont

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:23:54 -0400

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- The developer of a wind project that has been rejected by the Vermont Public Service Board says wind power has no future in Vermont right now.

"Wind power in Vermont is dead," Matthew Rubin said in an interview on Vermont Public Radio Wednesday.

Rubin said his opinion was based on findings and decisions by the board and the administration of Gov. Jim Douglas, who has said he was opposed to industrial wind turbines on Vermont's ridge lines.

UK Noise Report & Resource Person

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:03:15 -0400

... two things:

(a) See: a report by the United Kingdom Noise Association on wind turbine noise, ending with the recommendation of a minimum 1 mile setback from residences (following the recommendation of France's National Academy of Medicine). However, even this 1 mile is not far enough, as Dr. Pierpont shows.

(b) I urge you to contact Jack Sullivan at (518) 483-1122 (home) for help with your various town and county boards. Jack is invaluable in this regard. Visit Nina Pierpont's website at www.ninapierpont.com and go to Articles by other authors. Scroll down to Malone: The town that booted out the wind bums (a paraphrase). Read Jack's "to whom it may concern" letter. (You are welcome to circulate this widely, including reprinting it widely, so Jack tells me. That's why he wrote it!)

Hartsville wind farm ‘conflicts' raised

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 13:36:39 -0400

HARTSVILLE - Despite the absence of Supervisor Amy Emerson, Hartsville residents again questioned her impartiality in reference to wind farm issues.

Councilman George Prior, running the meeting due to Emerson's absence, asked for a resolution requiring Emerson to be the liaison between the town and attorney David Pullen, who is handling Hartsville's municipal law issues. He said the town got a bill of $1,430 from Pullen, including a $300 discount. A closer eye, he said, should be paid to its attorney expenses.

Another turbine company comes to Castile

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 20:28:29 -0400

Just when we thought things would be a little more mellow in the Turbine Wars, another company came to town and made a presentation to the Town of Castile. Tamarack/Orion unveiled plans for 40 turbines, placed on the east side of Route 39 and running north toward Perry.

The northernmost turbine is almost to the Silver Lake Drive-In and, since these things are taller than the ones in Wethersfield, they will dominate the south side of the village of Perry. They will also be clearly visible from the west side of Silver Lake, with 9 turbines visible from Silver Lake Marine and the Silver Lake State Park. 8 turbines would also be visible from the boundary of Letchworth State Park. Whether those would be visible from the primary tourist areas of the Park is open to question.

U.S. Wind Turbine Design Codes Certified

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 12:48:32 -0400

August 3, 2005 - The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced today that its wind turbine design codes - named FAST and ADAMS -- can now be used for worldwide turbine certification.

Through a joint effort by the NREL and the world's foremost certifying body for wind turbines, Germanischer Lloyd of Hamburg, Germany, both codes were approved for calculating onshore wind turbine loads for design and certification.