Jasper-Canisteo landowners mulling Invenergy contracts

Jasper, N.Y. -

While more work is performed on wind turbines in Cohocton, two other area projects are gaining ground in efforts to bring more of the generators to Steuben County.

In Jasper, town officials will hear a presentation from Invenergy officials at the March 11 town board meeting.

Todd Mitchell, a local consultant for Invenergy, said the company is interested in Jasper, but very little about the project is carved in stone.

“A lot is up in the air,” he said, adding decisions by the town boards in Jasper and Canisteo, as well as landowners and electric utility companies, will each be defining moments for the project.
“We’re still working with landowners and setting up the groundwork,” he said, adding Invenergy also has been trying to form an agreement with NYSEG for connecting the turbines to the power grid.

“We’re really looking at a total of 40 turbines between Jasper and Canisteo,” Mitchell added, saying the current plan is to build the turbines on Jackson Hill and Marsh Hill north of Jasper, and along the Swale Road northeast of South Canisteo.

According to Mitchell, no environmental studies or impact statements have been filed, and no special use permits have been requested.

“That pretty much comes in one big lump,” he said.

Invenergy has been deriving data from meteorological towers in the area for several years, according to Mitchell.

As far as opposition to the project, Mitchell has not heard much criticism.

“I’m sure there are people in the area with concerns or questions,” he said. “There hasn’t been any vocal opposition to the project so far.”

In Howard, wind developer EverPower Renewables is waiting on a findings statement on a State Environmental Quality Review from the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency, according to EverPower Project Manager Kevin Sheen.

“The key to this is the SEQR,” he said, adding after the findings statement is returned, the company will petition the Howard planning board for construction permits.

The Howard project will include 25 Nordex 2.5-megawatt turbines built along County Route 27 and Turnpike Road. According to Sheen, White Construction, a Clinton, Ind.-based firm will most likely be the contractor on the project. White Construction is the contractor that will begin erecting a wind turbine project in Cambria County, Pa., within the next month or two.

“We’re very pleased with the progress of the project,” Sheen said, adding if permits and legal proceedings do not interfere, pre-construction work could begin by the end of the year.

“More than likely, it’s a 2009 project,” he said.