Many residents of Orangeville are concerned for the future of their properties. The article written by Matt Gryta (“Wind farm expansion opposed in Orangeville,” The Buffalo News, June 1) does not however comment on the concerns our residents have for their homes and families. It is well documented in other wind turbine farms, such as Cohocton, that the land and environment suffer hazard brought by turbine construction in a community. Turbines are significantly detrimental to the avian wildlife in our area. It is documented in the Noble Bliss Survey.
The lead agency in Orangeville is the Town Board. In defense of the environment in Orangeville, the Clear Skies Over Orangeville Environmental Committee met with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Both agencies responded to Susan May, Orangeville town supervisor. The DEC commented in a 16-page document and the USFWS responded in an eight-page document. The document from DEC stated that the lead agency can be the Town Board, however they must recognize that they are responsible to the comments of the DEC and USFWS as the permitting agencies. The Orangeville Town Board, although an elected body of representatives of the citizens of Orangeville, has not listened to its residents and continues to be disingenuous to the DEC and USFWS.
One of comments raised by the USFWS is that, “Three major watersheds are found in the project area including the Tonawanda Creek, Stony Creek, and East Koy Creek. Several streams protected by New York State Article 15 regulations are found in the project area. However the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) does not adequately describe these resources.” This response came after citizens met with the USFWS. It is not the lead agency of the town of Orangeville that is investigating, it is the residents themselves. The Environmental Committee has done an amazing study of the project area and they continue to inform the DEC and the USFWS of inadequacies, missing information and lack of sufficient detail to the proposed DEIS.
Our bald eagles, raptors and avian population are significantly at risk. The 14,500-acre proposed wind turbine site is a unique and valuable environmental resource for these birds. Turbines are significantly detrimental to the wildlife in our area. It is documented in the Noble Bliss Survey. Our bat population is seriously endangered. Building wind turbines will cause a horrific death to them. It is documented and recorded in the U.S. Geological Survey.
“‘Beware: exploding lungs’ is not a sign one would expect to see at a wind farm. But a new study suggests this is the main reason bats die in large numbers around wind turbines. The risk that wind turbines pose to birds is well known and has dogged debates over wind energy. In fact, several studies have suggested the risk to bats is greater. In May 2007, the U.S. National Research Council published the results of a survey of U.S. wind farms showing that two bat species accounted for 60 percent of winged animals killed. Migrating birds, meanwhile, appear to steer clear of the turbines.” (“New Scientist,” Aug. 26, 2008)
Another question involving the lease agreements needs to be examined. The residents who signed leases with the turbine company need to be aware that this company also has projects for gas and oil. The residents who signed turbine leases, not only will pay taxes for a business and property improvement, but they just might have given away valuable mineral rights. This company could possibly drill for gas and oil and take all the profit. In the “U.S. News and World Report,” April 2010, it stated, “Before he walked away, Pickens was advocating the ‘Pickens plan,’ a broad strategy to promote wind for electricity and natural gas for fuel. The contents of the plan might have been questionable, but it was still a plan.”
The question is, will the turbine companies use these leases, not for wind, but for gas and oil drilling? Will the landowners then see no profit and the town take a huge loss? The landowners are also held liable if these turbines should injure any human life. The question again is, how liable is the wind company?
We have a valuable resource in Wyoming County. It is unlike any other. To play the game of chance and ignore the balance of nature would be so serious it could cost the lives of the wildlife and human health. If we should lose our water source, which is highly possible, it could ruin this community forever. Once our environment is damaged and further destroyed by a proven highly inefficient energy source (wind turbines) we will never see the natural beauty of Orangeville again. All the mitigation you can think of will not restore the natural beauty that is in Wyoming County. The BP oil spill should be a warning to us all. We are tampering with an important source, our water. Do not assist this destruction. It has serious consequences. Is big industrial corporate greed worth our environment?
Lynn Lomanto lives in Orangeville. She is a member of the Clear Skies Environmental Naturalist Committee, which is a part of Clear Skies Over Orangeville.
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