Geneva must adopt a strong wind energy law and apply it to Zotos

March 27, 2010

Finger Lakes Times
218 Genesee Street
Geneva, New York 14456

Dear Editor:

Andy Flynn owns a house and 33 acres of land across the tracks from the site where Zotos International wants to locate two wind turbines. The towers would be 330’ tall, and the blades would have a wingspan of nearly 170’. Andy and his family are concerned about the health impacts of living near the proposed turbines.

There are good reasons why Andy, the hundreds of residents living at the nearby Courtyard apartments, and the workers at the industrial park should be concerned. Dr. Nina Pierpont, an upstate New York physician and scientist, has extensively studied the often debilitating symptoms experienced by adults and children living near large industrial wind turbines. The symptoms, which Dr. Pierpont calls “Wind Turbine Syndrome,” include sleep disturbance, headache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, ringing in the ear, visual blurring, rapid heart rate, and problems with concentration and memory. People with a prior history of migraines, motion sickness, or inner-ear damage are especially vulnerable to “wind turbine syndrome.” The Maine Medical Association and France’s National Academy of Medicine have enacted resolutions warning of the potential adverse effects of wind energy facilities on public health.

What is the City of Geneva doing to protect the health of people living, working or playing near the Zotos site? Not enough. At the urging of the city’s Code Enforcement Office, a proposed wind energy law was recently drafted. Unfortunately, the proposed ordinance falls far short of any meaningful protections for Geneva residents. It would allow wind turbines up to 450’ in height in any zoning district, and fails to prohibit their placement near residences, schools, or in locations that would adversely impact scenic lake views.

Most disturbingly, city officials insist that the proposed new law, as weak as it is, cannot be applied to the Zotos project. They mistakenly believe that it would be illegal to compel Zotos to meet any new standards since its application is already pending. That is not the law. New York courts have consistently held that an applicant does not have a “vested right” to construct a project unless it has obtained all necessary approvals, and undertaken substantial construction, prior to the effective date of the more restrictive ordinance.

Geneva residents must demand that their elected officials enact a wind energy law that will truly protect their health and the character of their community. Then the tough standards must be applied to the Zotos project.

Sincerely,

Arthur J. Giacalone