This wind power project is only about one thing by Jim Lince

It’s not about farming or agriculture. The American farm is an institution that all of us respect and should work to protect. There’s not a single definition of farming that includes an industrial power plant.

It’s not about the farmer. The American farmer is an unsung hero, a provider of our way of life. Not farmers, but Industrial Developers are the ones who pour thousands of yards of concrete and build 400 foot high mechanical industrial structures as tall as the Xerox tower in Rochester, with strobe lights and danger of death signs --- not farmers.

It’s not about clean green energy. Unlike hydro power, not a single coal, gas or nuclear power plant will be decommissioned by these turbines. For the nation just to get 20% of intermittent power from these giants it will take destroying land the size of the state of Virginia to do so. That’s not an environmentally sound approach for our nation.

A group of industrial developers in Cohocton (UPC/YES) would have you believe this is all about farming, agriculture, farmers, clean safe power, pretty windmills, setbacks, noise, ice throws, birds, property values, making a payment instead of paying any taxes, and putting money into the hands of the leaseholders.

But this is really just one question: Are the farms, residences and hills of Cohocton an industrial park or is it agricultural and residential zoned land?

If it is an industrial park, then it needs to be zoned an industrial park. The houses need to be condemned and bulldozed, the citizens and their children put out on the street with their belongings. The farms replanted with substations, power plants, and factories.

Rather this than subject our residents to a thirty year torture test in an improperly zoned area, some fighting to stay for what they have left and some fighting to leave. Rather this than placing an industrial zone on top of homes and leaving it to the home owner to fight for any peace. Rather this than have a bunch of industrial developers keep us believing that this is just farming by farmers. Saying it doesn’t make it so.

One question. Industrial park or not. Cohocton deserves a straight answer.

Jim Lince

Cohocton, NY