'Mock survey' by Lyme council is an insult

As a member of the working group that developed the wind law originally voted upon by the Lyme's town board, I had strongly suggested in a June 15 letter to the board that the law, being now nearly three years old, needs considerably more than just "tweaking" by the board. In the past three years, many of our residents and taxpayers have learned a great deal more about wind energy, its efficacy, its effects on our environment and the practices of wind developers.

The law as originally developed does not adequately protect residents from the damaging effects of low-frequency noise. The law does not protect residents from the significant devaluation of their property that is a virtual certainty with industrial-scale wind development. The law does not provide for dispute resolution if noise or flicker effects exceed the limits established in the law. The law does not adequately provide for the cost of removing wind-generating equipment that has become obsolete or ceased to operate. Neighboring towns are carefully exploring their options. Why is Lyme not doing this?

The board has ignored these issues, failing to reply to my letter, while continuing to tweak the law (gut it) in a series of work sessions. When I protested the presence of conflicted board members prior to the first work session, Supervisor Scott Aubertine threatened to have me "thrown out" of the meeting. Residents of Lyme are now being subjected to the same sort of ridiculous circus as our neighbors in Cape Vincent, by a number of apparently pro-BP members on the board. (Yes, you heard it right, they want us to use BP's guidelines — the company presently engaged in the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico, while continuing to lie about it).

The latest insult is that the board plans to send out a survey with only two questions; however, they are really not questions, but statements, to which respondents are expected to agree. The first includes the disclaimer, "I am not in favor of wind farms, but understand we cannot exclude them!" Welcome to Lyme, BP, and have it your way!


All residents of Lyme who oppose this approach are encouraged to attend the next town board meeting July 14 and let them know how you feel about their mock survey.

Albert H. Bowers III

Chaumont