The Great Lakes are one of the great wonders of the world with natural beauty second to none. The question is -- would adding as many as 160 windmills in the lake change that?
The New York Power Authority held a public session today to gauge interest in wind power among Rochester-area business.
The Power Authority's Great Lakes Off Shore Wind project includes possible locations in our area -- in Webster and Sodus. The giant windmills would be about two and-a-half miles off shore but the local charter boat association -- 63 fishing boat captains -- have voted unanimously against the idea.
Fishing Boat Captain Sam Zucco said, “We're worried about how it's going to affect tourism and the fishing in the area and most of all, the safety of the boaters out in the lake.”
The Power Authority's CEO says it's clean energy, economic development, hundreds and perhaps thousands of jobs. But it won't be shoved down anyone's throat. Jefferson and Oswego counties have already come out against it off their shores.
New York Power Authority CEO Richard Kessel said, “There are so many communities that want it. We've got counties like Erie County and Niagara County who are begging for this project. Why would we want to put it somewhere where it's not wanted?”
The Webster supervisor says he hasn't gotten any calls against it yet but he's concerned about the migrating bird population that settles in Webster in the spring. The giant towers are their whirling blades have been known to affect birds. Supervisor Ron Nesbitt said, “If you have those windmills there, they are going to stop the birds from migrating across Lake Ontario going up to Canada.”
Carlos Dachary lives along the lake in Webster and would not be opposed. “I think everyone is going to have their own opinion. Some people look at them as an eyesore or noisy. There's many, many knocks on the technology but it's a resource that we can't ignore.”
The fishing boat captains also worry about the windmills being a hazard to boats during times of fog and thunderstorms.
The Power Authority is taking bids from private energy companies. The authority says windmills in lakes Erie and Ontario are about five years away.
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