Wind companies are tearing communities apart by Congressman Eric Massa

It is interesting to note that some local officials in Cohocton so aggressively support the decision to spend $74 million tax payer dollars on a wind company that has done so much to divide our local neighborhoods. Cohocton Town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus stated that "the information in Eric Massa's letter is reckless, is irresponsible as a Congressman... A person of his stature should know the facts."

These statements were made in regards to my raising the issue of New York state's strong investigations into First Wind Corporation, a recipient of this $74 million bailout. In fact, the source of my information is of public record as reported on Sept. 2, 2009 in a Rochester Democrat and Chronicle article which stated that "First Wind was one of the last two clean energy firms that State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo investigated last year." If Mr. Zigenfus and Mr. Hunt have a problem with me highlighting that fact to the president, they should take it up with the Democrat and Chronicle who stand by the accuracy of their reporting.

Officials of this company receiving these millions of dollars have also stated that the money will not be used to build the current wind towers. This give away bailout comes on the immediate heels of a $300 million federally backed loan given to the same wind company. That's $374 million of our taxes for a project that was advertised as a profit generating-local revenue sharing-energy company.

The statement that the Cohocton wind project divided the community is beyond argument. Even Supervisor Zigenfus, in a letter dated April 1,2009, told First Wind Corporation that noise levels were a source of "extensive complaint by the Town's residents." He also said that these complaints "were merit-ed." Many local residents, as far back as 2005, warned of this impending problem, bi were shut out of the debate.

It is interesting that both Mr. Hunt and Mr. Zigenfus would so strongly defend federal bailouts of a Wind company that is clearly n financially sound. It is also interesting that they would so strongly defend the Obama Administration's decision to pour millions o our tax dollars into a company that is returning so little to a community that they have taken so much from. This pattern of reckless spending cannot be allowed to continue and is my job as a federal representative to fight tooth and nail for fiscal responsibility. I've heard the concerns of the families of Cohocton and I agree with them. My letter to the president stands — it is not "malarkey."

Published in Hornell newspaper - The Evening Tribune October 27, 2009