I am a property owner and taxpayer on land in Cohocton but live outside of the Cohocton area. With the disadvantage of being removed from the wind turbine meetings I would like to have my comments heard. I have a few questions which every resident should ask themselves as well as the town planning board, and the wind turbine developers.
It is my understanding that the supplemental energy from the turbines is supposed to help maintain the grid (which we all know benefits NYC more than anyone). What if any the developers plans to implement 400 foot wind turbines on the skyscrapers of NYC (where the ocean winds blow constant) - and why are they not in place right now if the turbines are in fact the way of the future?
Would it not seem prudent for all area folks to consider just why Cohocton has become the chosen land for wind turbine development? I've lived in the area far too long to know that the area winds do not blow constantly - so what is the real reason? Can we say easy target?
Is it perhaps simply that the wind turbine developers have honed in on depressed rural areas who are desperate to take in any revenue at the expense of all of its residents - with the exception of those few who will benefit by leasing their property to the developers and are obviously for it (but who can blame them it's income!)?
Is there any one person in the Cohocton area who can honestly say that hilltops covered with 400 foot metallic windmills will enhance the presently pristine beauty of the scenic rolling hills? Has anyone taken into consideration the fact that - each wind turbine will (by law) have to have flashing night lights and what impact will that have on the night sky?
Shouldn't the town board be more focused on bringing in new industry which will really benefit the area by creating many jobs, not just a few temporary ones, and strive to regenerate what is at best an antiquated and non progressive town?
And what are the boards answers to the following excerpts taken from website: www.utilipoint.com/issuealert/article.asp?id=2013
Quote: Meanwhile, the wind does not blow on demand and it generally cannot be economically stored. That's why wind farms have to be backed up by conventional power plants to ensure that electricity will be available when needed. That duplication of capacity not only diminishes the environmental benefits of wind, critics say, but it also increases the cost of wind power while adding an extra burden on the transmission system.
Icing and aerodynamic imbalance could have serious implications on the life of wind turbines, says a report titled Wind Power Production in Cold Climates, which is now circulating in Wisconsin where the public service commission was forced to relocate homeowners living close to utility-owned turbines because of noise.
Those conference papers, say that the life of such turbines could be reduced from 50-90 percent. Despite the risks, 400 wind turbines totaling 500 megawatts have been installed at hostile sites around the world, critics say. It's not just a theoretical hazard:
Three wind farms in the United Kingdom were reportedly closed in 2000 for safety reasons, all of which were tied to cold weather that resulted in metal fatigue in the turbine towers, they add.
Has everyone forgotten that things don't work so well in winter?? Has no one taken into account that winters are harsh and things freeze up? No one wants to remember any of our past ice storms but the reality is that there will be more in the future. To put it in perspective: Isn't there a reason for de-icing airplane wings in winter? It is a fact that any rotating blade will pick up ice under the right conditions. Are the proposed wind turbine blades going to be de-iced??
Obviously someone has done some research:
Ice detector and deicing system for wind turbines
Juhani MŠkinen
Labko Ice Detection Oy
Labkotie 1, FIN-36240 Kangasala
tel. +358 3 285 5111
telefax +358 3 285 5310
From my perspective:
It's not going to be a pretty picture for the future vistas of Cohocton valley residents when the wind turbines of today become obsolete - - which is inevitable as evidenced by all other progressive technology. Has the town board or wind turbine committee come up with a figure as to how much it will cost the taxpayers to have the wind turbines removed when that time comes or will they remain as a stagnant rusting reminder to others that the best hyped schemes are not all that they seem??
Thanks for listening,
Gloria Wilkins
Fajardo, PR. 00738
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