Living In New York - Real discussion and facts on Wind Power Proposals

More local benefits from the wind energy

Sat, 03 May 2008 12:00:11 -0400

Amazing isn't it? All the early hype about towns not getting any tax benefit seems to have evaporated as the benefits keep pouring in. Here is another recent article about school budgets increasing and taxes decreasing. Wonderful story isn't it?

http://www.pressrepublican.com/archivesearch/local_story_122054557.html

Naples to get windmill windfall

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:53:50 -0400

The company building two wind farms in Cohocton will contribute $50,000 for restoration work at Memorial Town Hall in Naples.

The Town Board voted unanimously last week to accept the cash; otherwise, it would go back to Cohocton for historic preservation projects there.

The $50,000 is part of $200,000 UPC Wind agreed to set aside to compensate for the effect modern wind towers would have on the historic character of the area. Naples qualified for a share because one of the Cohocton turbines is visible when driving south through Naples on Main Street.

Effie's magic fingers

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:42:07 -0400

Effie, why is it that you limited people's ability to post responses to your postings?

Subsidies Rate Table

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:11:01 -0400

From the Executive Summary of the report
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/subsidy2/pdf/execsum.pdf, pdf page 6 of 8. That page includes a table of subsidies paid per mwh of generation. A quick summary (subset) below:

Coal is paid $.44 per mwh
Nat. Gas: $.25 per mwh
Biomass: $.89 per mwh
Nuclear: $1.59 per mwh
Hydro: $.67 per mwh
Solar: $24.34 per mwh
Landfill gas: $1.37 per mwh
Wind: $23.37 per mwh

Hamlin Zoning Map

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:01:53 -0400

Residential very-low-density areas in Hamlin.

Howard wind hearing draws few residents

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:28:44 -0400

Has the controversy over wind power blown away in Howard?

Fewer than 20 residents came out to a Steuben County Industrial Development Agency hearing Thursday evening on a proposed Payment In Lieu of Taxes Agreement with EverPower Renewables, a New York-based company planning to build 25 wind turbines south of Howard. Two people made comments to SCIDA Executive Director James Sherron.

By comparison, a similar hearing in Cohocton Jan. 18, a Friday morning meeting, was attended by more than 50 residents, with 20 making comments to SCIDA.

Wind farm supporters blast Lyme survey

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:21:23 -0400

‘Worth nothing’: Questions concerning distance of turbines from waterfront, village are criticized

LYME — In August, the Lyme Planning Board asked residents to fill out a survey to help them write a zoning law amendment for wind turbines. Now questions on that survey are being challenged as not valid.

Two questions on the survey ask residents how far from the waterfront, village of Chaumont and hamlets turbines should be placed. Their options were: 1,500 feet, 3,000 feet, 4,500 feet and “Turbines should not be near the waterfront” or “Turbines should not be near any area of population such as a hamlet and/or village.”

Morristown officials considering tower to collect wind data

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:40:18 -0400

Town officials have discussed erecting a tower to measure the wind coming off the St. Lawrence River.

Town Supervisor Frank L. Putman said the town’s wind power committee believes the data could reveal that Morristown has a good wind source and that a wind farm is viable here. A cost estimate for the tower wasn’t available.

Wind power developers haven’t really focused their attention on Morristown, town officials said. Good readings from the tower could entice companies to build here. The economic benefits of a wind farm have caught the attention of town leaders.

Hamlin Wind Farm Decision Nears

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:52:11 -0400

By the end of this month, a law regulating wind turbines in the Town of Hamlin could be passed, but not without much debate.

A public meeting this week will serve as a last ditch effort from some neighbors who say this proposed law doesn't protect them.

The debate has raged on for nearly two years in Hamlin. At stake is how to craft a local law that would protect the interests of taxpayers should wind turbines, or a wind farm, be built.

Zoning closer to reality in Charlotte

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:07:58 -0400

A zoning law for the town of Charlotte was pushed closer recently after a lengthy meeting during which the Town Board reviewed and accepted the final draft of the proposed zoning program.

With plans for a wind turbine development confined to the wings until zoning is in place, officials say they are hopeful the law can be enacted in June.

The Town Board capped the two-hour review with an authorization of the municipality’s attorney, William Duncanson, to complete the required State Environmental Quality Review.

Cohocton residents complain about country roads

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:58:52 -0400

Big trucks carrying thousands of pounds on dirt roads can cause big road problems, as Cohocton highway Superintendent Tom Simons knows well.

At this week's Cohocton town board meeting, several residents complained about the conditions of the roads to Simons.

Repairing the roads, however, has been an on-going process for wind turbine contractor Mortenson Construction, Simons said. Mortenson is the main contractor on the 50-turbine industrial wind development on Pine, Lent and Dutch hills by UPC Wind Management.

Meredith passes law banning turbines

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:05:59 -0400

Applause filled the room Tuesday night after a vote by the Meredith Town Board to adopt a local law banning industrial wind turbines.

About 50 people were at the Delaware County Office Building boardroom for a public hearing on the proposed law. The comments were generally in favor of the ordinance.

Meredith residents went to the polls in November and elected three board members who ran on a campaign promise of rescinding the town's wind-energy law and adopting a law banning industrial wind. Officials have said small wind projects would not be banned.

Wind farm owner agrees to pay $14.5M

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:37:30 -0400

COHOCTON -- UPC Wind, developer of two Steuben County wind farms, has agreed to pay $14.5 million in lieu of taxes over the next 20 years.

The company announced the agreement with the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency on Monday.

The county agency will administer the payments, which will go to the town of Cohocton, the Wayland-Cohocton Central School District and the Avoca School District, UPC Wind said in a news release.

Meeting to cover power line

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:11:56 -0400

Agricultural landowners along the western edge of Oswego and Jefferson counties will have the chance next week to learn more about a proposed electrical transmission line project at a meeting in Pulaski.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is being hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County, the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Oswego County Legislature.

UPC Wind and Steuben County Industrial Development Authority Finalize Agreements

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:14:02 -0500

UPC Wind, a leading independent North American wind power company, today announced that it has finalized an agreement with the Steuben County Industrial Development Authority (SCIDA), establishing the second of two major economic packages for the region as part of its Cohocton and Dutch Hill Wind Power
Projects. The agreement, called a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes, or PILOT payment, will be administered by SCIDA and used to provide more than $14 million in important revenue and services to the Town of Cohocton, the Wayland-Cohocton School District and the Avoca School District.