After reading that town of Cape Vincent officials are considering a selective moratorium on wind development in the Watertown Times on July 10, I am left wondering, what's new and where's the threat?
In 2006, the town's Planning Board passed a resolution they did not need a wind law and Supervisor Thomas Rienbeck and the town board quickly followed by killing the wind law initiative. This ill-advised action exposed river and lake districts to unregulated commercial wind development for the past three years. The idea of a moratorium is nothing new either. Since 2006 the town board ignored numerous requests to institute a moratorium on wind development. So, what has changed?
The selective moratorium is either a good idea or it is a calculated distraction designed to give the impression the town board is protecting us while they quietly approve the St. Lawrence Wind Farm. It will be easy to tell the difference between honesty and deception. If town officials can show that a commercial wind developer is pursuing landowner agreements within the river and lake districts, then I will believe their moratorium is an honest attempt to protect our interests. If not, however, it will show their moratorium is nothing more than a worthless, calculated deception.
If town officials want a serious threat, however, they should look no further than the current wind projects. Contrary to wind developer's speculation, most of the homes along the river district (along with many in the agricultural district) will be within a zone of adverse noise impacts from the turbines proposed for the St. Lawrence Wind Farm.
But, the Times quotes Supervisor Rienbeck wondering what sound study is right, the developers or one commissioned by the Wind Power Ethics Group. One way to help us all understand which study is accurate is to ask the town's sound consultant. Regrettably, Cape Vincent officials are not releasing their sound consultant's reviews and recommendations. Instead, they have used Freedom of Information Law to make these documents unavailable to the public, and they have muffled their engineering consultants.
Before the August hearing on their proposed moratorium, Cape officials need to come clean. They should prove to us there is active wind developer in the river and lake districts. They should also let us see what their engineering experts are recommending regarding the noise issues and impacts. My guess is that this is all a ploy designed to help get the St. Lawrence Wind Farm approved before the November election. Surprise, surprise.
Clif Schneider
Cape Vincent
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