Planned wind farm session criticized as biased

CLAYTON — Thousand Islands High School will host a wind information session next week which has already been questioned by some as biased.

The session, called "Life in a Wind Farm," will have three speakers from the region who are living on wind farms. It is billed as an opportunity for people to learn the pros and cons of what it's like after the wind farm has been built.

The free session will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the school, 8481 County Route 9. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Cape Vincent resident John L. Byrne, one of the organizers, said the sponsors of the session are not the local groups who have voiced opposition to proposed local wind projects, but a collection of citizens from Cape Vincent, Clayton, Hammond, Lyme and other surrounding towns.

"Some are members of the groups and some aren't," he said. "We want a fair non-biased look at this issue."

Mr. Byrne is a member of Wind Power Ethics Group in Cape Vincent.

The speakers include Cohocton Town Justice Hal E. Graham, a leaseholder in First Wind's Cohocton Wind Farm; Steve Trude, a nonparticipating resident in Cohocton and president of opposition group Cohocton Wind Watch; and Gail Kenney, a nonparticipating resident on Wolfe Island and a founding member of opposition group Wolfe Island Residents for the Environment.

Though all three speakers are known for their criticism of the completed projects, Mr. Byrne said they were chosen because they supported wind power at some point.

"It was important to have people speaking who are not 'anti-wind,'" he said. "We wanted to get a fair assessment as to the effects of wind farms."

But the session's fairness has already been questioned by some.

At the Cape Vincent Town Council meeting Thursday night, Supervisor Thomas K. Rienbeck said to session sponsors, "Now my understanding is that if somebody wants to speak, they are not going to be allowed."

Carol A. Simpson, another organizer for the event and member of WPEG, responded, "The citizens of the townships have gotten together and are paying for this thing and, yes, we have a full schedule for this time."

Mr. Rienbeck asked if people from other areas living near wind farms who want to talk would be allowed.

"Uh, no," she said. "They can ask questions. And, if you wanted, you could have a presentation of your own."

Mr. Byrne said the forum is in response to questions and requests from local citizens.

"We'd all like to learn from people who are living with this," he said. "This is the largest development that has ever hit this area."