WIND POWER: Don't overrule community wishes

Thank you for your article on industrial wind-energy development in Cohocton and neighboring towns ("Huffing and Puffing Over Wind Power," December 2). With an enormous impact on communities across western New York, this is an issue that deserves much more coverage.

When critics of wind energy say that "wind companies play down potential drawbacks such as noise," all the evidence is on their side. Peer-reviewed, scientific studies show that industrial wind turbines produce high levels of impulsive and low-frequency noise. The effects are commonly worse at night when people are trying to sleep. Not a few neighbors of wind farms have been driven from their homes.

Representatives of Ecogen, the company active in Italy and Prattsburgh, have stated publicly that they cannot find these studies, but if readers send a message to fingerlakespreservation@gmail.com the Finger Lakes Preservation Association will tell them where they are. The literature is not hard to find.

As you note, Ecogen has sued Italy and Prattsburgh, claiming that they are preventing them from moving forward with their project. The facts are rather different. In both communities, the town boards have spent the past few years working very hard to move the Ecogen project forward. The Italy Board, especially, worked untold hours passing an incentive zoning law and reviewing Ecogen's permit application. Only in October of this year did the Board determine that the benefits and amenities offered to the town did not compensate for the negative impacts of the project and reject Ecogen's application.

In the recent election, all the incumbent Italy and Prattsburgh Board members up for re-election were defeated by candidates calling for a closer look at the costs and benefits of industrial wind development in our beautiful rural communities. So what Ecogen is asking the courts to do is set aside the votes of clear majorities of Italy and Prattsburgh citizens.

As Congressman Massa states, these companies "just go in and overrun the ability of the community to defend itself." Is this how we want our country to develop sustainable energy?

ANTHONY CARTER, ITALY