COHOCTON WIND POWER
LETTER TO MESSIEURS ZIGENFUS, WISE, DYCKMAN
LEVESQUE AND HUNT
This is a follow up to my letter in the August 1, 2006 issue of this paper. In this article I mentioned Mr. Hunt’s current justification for this project is the generation of power which will be of great benefit to others on the electric grid, namely others within New York State.
On page 5B of the Wednesday August 9, 2006 issue of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle paper, there is an article on a proposed plan to build a “super power line” through several upstate communities to carry more electricity to New York City. It is proposed to build a 200-mile long line from Utica to Orange County in the lower Hudson Valley. The private company New York Regional Interconnect is proposing this project. This article states: “Northeast metropolitan areas including New York City face unparalleled problems meeting electricity demand, according to a report released Tuesday by the federal Energy Department. NYRI says electricity demand in New York City’s northern suburbs is expected to outstrip supply in a few years, and a new high-capacity line is needed to carry power from central and western New York.”This being the case, any power generated by a wind power project in the Southern Tier, specifically Cohocton, would be used to alleviate power shortages in New York City and the surrounding suburbs. In the past there were several proposed projects to construct landfills and radioactive dumps in Western New York and they were objected to strenuously by the people of Western New York. The principal reason being, why should
our surroundings be deteriorated to make a profit for some developer and to assist New York City or some other urban area to resolve problems of their own making.
In my opinion, the same premise applies to the current proposed wind power projects. The shortage of power in other areas can be alleviated by projects in those areas such as photoelectric cell projects and wind power projects. I do not feel that we should decimate our landscape to provide electricity to other areas of the State.
Much has been made of the statement: “Not In My Backyard”. Currently it is mostly used in a negative manner, mainly by environmentalists and power people who do not even live in our backyard. Yes, some well intentioned people feel that we should contribute our landscape and financial well being to help others. Myself, I feel if we do not protect our Town who will. It should be noted that I have included financial as the study referred to in the DEIS which states that property values would be unaffected by the construction of wind towers appears to be flawed. Please see the Cohocton Wind Watch web site for additional details.
In a previous article Mr. Hunt indicated his concern that if the Wind Tower project were defeated in Cohocton, it would make it that much more difficult for any project in the Finger Lakes Region to be approved. I do not look at this negatively; in fact I believe that we have a responsibility to do just that. The Finger Lakes with all its beautiful lakes and vineyards is a national treasure which is irreplaceable. Just the visual affect on the region from a wind towers project would have a far reaching impact.
It is my feeling, based upon comments at the last Public Meeting Hearing, that you are representing the will of the minority of the voters. Although it would be impossible to run this Town as a pure democracy where all decisions are made by the public, I feel that this issue will have such a significant affect on the Town for twenty years or more, that it should be put to a binding vote by all of the property owners. I feel this is too important an issue to remain in the hands of five people, no matter how good their intentions. Putting this issue to a vote would also help to disseminate the negative feelings that are developing between the pro and anti groups in that the will of the majority would be followed.
I hope you gentlemen will take this article as it was meant, as constructive criticism and not as an attack on any of you personally. As stated previously, I attended a number of Town Meeting over the last several years and was impressed by the service each of you provides the Town. I just feel that you are going down the wrong path on this issue and hope that you will listen to different viewpoints and not just those who are in agreement with yours. Whether you like it or not this project is so significant that it will be your legacy after you complete your terms of office, so you want to be sure that it is indeed the will of the voters and it is truly in their best interests.
Paul Gettys
North Cohocton
No comments:
Post a Comment