March 16, 2007
Honorable NYS Senator James Alesi
220 Packett’s Landing
Fairport, NY 14450
(585) 223-1800
RE: Statewide 18 month moratorium on industrial wind turbine development
Senator Alesi,
Yesterday you announced on WHAM radio your call for a statewide 18 month moratorium on industrial wind turbine development. Cohocton Wind Watch represents a broad bi-partisan coalition of residents and property owners from the Finger Lakes region. Many of our supporters have residency in your 55th Senate District, while also owning real property in area townships that have been targeted by foreign LLC’s for industrial wind turbines.
CWW commends your courageous stand on the largest political scandal since Enron. It comes as no surprise that the wind industry has several ex Enron executives behind the veil of corporate secrecy. Up to this point our elected officials have failed to protect significant public safety concerns coming out of ill-conceived and disastrous wind projects.
Citizen groups and voters will come to your support as your initiative develops traction in the media and in the corridors of Albany. It has not yet been substantiated that Western New York has the consistency or wind velocity to warrant the wholesale rezoning of agricultural, residential and recreational land use for a government subsidized policy that only enriches shady developers.
The culture of collusion and corruption has become the norm all over NYS. The same sordid drill takes place in every township where our CWW members have visited and interacted with area residents. Our appeals for a full scale statewide investigation into a pattern of bribery, lies and dishonesty, has fallen upon deaf ears. District attorneys, attorney generals and politicians on all levels refuse to do their public duty. Laws are being broken and innocent families are being forced off their own property.
It has not been proven that any usable electricity can be generated during summer when “Downstate” usage rises. The electric grid cannot safely accommodate the intermittent surges and spikes to the infrastructure. Winter wind generation has no market for excess capacity, but the wind developers have a sweetheart deal to force the public to pay for wind turbine generation even when the current will not be used.
Inadequate setbacks from public roads and unconscionable siting next to residential properties are glaring shortcomings in every developer written local windmill law that are being foisted upon the residents.
All these rational and sensible reasons demand a comprehensive and coordinated assessment by all federal, state and county level regulatory agencies that have an asserted obligation to follow existing environmental laws and SEQR review. If there is a place for industrial wind turbine generation, a C-BED community based model that forms a true economic partnership with the local communities is the proper approach.
CWW supports intelligent alternative energy solutions that are based upon efficient technology and sound economics. Faceless anonymous developers of these industrial wind projects have invaded rural hamlets and ignore both of these balanced conditions. Responsible public policy must protect the property rights of all citizens and not favor subsidized corporate welfare schemes. Agriculture landowners are not farming another crop when they sign leases to erect 500 feet industrial machines that inflict severe health hazard upon their neighbors.
Having served as a legislative aide to a former Senator from your district in the early 1970’s I am well aware of the political pressures that are exerted upon elected representatives. Albany can be a very hostile atmosphere towards bold and moral leadership. CWW requests the opportunity to schedule a meeting with yourself and staff to facilitate an organized citizen network that will vocally support your call for an 18 month moratorium on industrial wind turbine development in NYS.
Our current and future legal actions seek recourse and relief. But it is not our goal to make public policy in the courts, but to focus on the legislative and regulatory process to formulate prudent and reasonable community safeguards. CWW is engaged with several concerned citizen groups across the state. We are dedicated and diligently work towards enacting legitimate government oversight and land use zoning enforcement. A judicious interactive dialogue would be useful in order to build a statewide consensus on alternative energy generation.
Visit the Cohocton Wind Watch site – http://cohoctonwindwatch.org/
Please let us assist your moratorium efforts to help gain widespread support. Greatly appreciate your courageous and honorable leadership.
Cordially,
James Hall
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