HAMMOND - An informal public session for town of Hammond residents with Iberdrola Renewables, a commercial wind-farm developer, left at least some residents complaining that their questions were not answered.
About 100 people came to the meeting, most armed with a list of questions and data sheets. Many said they were disappointed by the one-on-one format, with no formal presentation and participants approaching the panel to ask questions one at a time. Several who attended the meeting said a town hall-style forum would have been more successful.
Scott L. McDonald, a senior meteorologist with the company, and four colleagues answered questions and discussed a proposed project to bring about 60 wind turbines to the town. No specific location for the wind farm has been set.
"We were looking for a chance to stand up and ask some questions, but it doesn't look like that's going to be the case," said Mary Hamilton, a member of the Concerned Residents of Hammond.
Gary Parish, also a member of the grass-roots organization, said none of his questions was answered.
"We thought it was going to be a meeting, but this was just a joke," he said.
The informational session was a typical first step in the development process, according to Jenny L. Burke, a business director with Iberdrola.
"We're looking to give the community members a chance to meet the development team and for them to provide us with their questions," she said.
Town Supervisor Janie G. Hollister said she came to the meeting to ask about low-frequency noise limits and the turbine motors. Although the officials answered only her question about the motor, she said she has a better idea of how to develop the town's wind law because of the talk.
"Any time we have a meeting it seems like we're coming back with more information," she said. "Did this meeting work? I don't know. It depends on what people take away."
According to officials at the meeting, there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to wind in Hammond.
Kristen Goland, a permitting expert with Iberdrola, said the company plans to begin studies for an environmental impact statement after the test towers go up. The EIS, which is part of the state environmental quality review, will include studying the effect on wetlands, outlining where transmission lines will be and studying the acoustic impacts on birds, bats and town residents.
Iberdrola now is looking to add at least two test towers here during the next year.
"What drives design is the data you collect here, so the more the better," Mr. McDonald said. "We are in the very early development phase."
The meteorological towers will be from 200 to 250 feet tall and will measure the power of the wind with directional vanes. The towers also will have temperature and pressure sensors.
Mr. McDonald could not say when the towers will be going up or when they would come down. In 2006, PPM Energy of Portland, Ore., which is now part of Iberdrola, put up a test tower along County Route 6.
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