Prattsburgh, NY — Wind developer Ecogen apparently sees no compromise in its ongoing lawsuit with the town of Prattsburgh.
In a written response to state Supreme Court Justice John J. Ark, Ecogen’s attorney Robert W. Burgdorf said the town’s offer of remote location for the turbines would “effectively kill” the project in Prattsburgh.
Prattsburgh officials counter the new location was included in Ecogen’s original plan and would solve a number of problems, including noise issues.
“They’re not going to bother anybody down there,” said town Councilman Chuck Shick.
The debate was launched after Ark recommended the battling parties work out a solution, in order to avoid costly future litigation.
Ecogen filed the lawsuit last January against the current Prattsburgh town board, claiming a resolution passed 3-2 in December by the former town board allows the developer to go ahead immediately with plans to put up 16 turbines.
The current town board rescinded the December resolution 4-1 at the beginning of the year, saying it was illegal and violated home rule laws.
Ecogen still sees the earlier resolution as valid, Burgdorf wrote Ark on Oct. 13.
But Ark wants a closer look at why the settlement was approved so quickly – a good sign, Shick said.
The December settlement was drawn up by then-town attorney John Leyden, with the support of former town Supervisor Harold McConnell.
The former board’s action came close on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Ecogen days after pro-wind board members McConnell and Sharon Quigley were soundly defeated in the November general election.
“(Ark) wants to hear why some decisions were made,” Shick said. “He wants John and Harold to explain their actions, under oath. I’d like to know that, myself.”
Shick and Councilman Steve Kula voted against the December agreement, and voted to rescind it in January as members of the new board.
Prattsburgh officials say Ecogen can put turbines in a remote area in the town originally included in the developer’s site plan. The original plan called for 100 turbines to be set up in town, with 34 potential locations in Prattsburgh’s southwestern corner, Shick said.
Burgdorf dismissed Prattsburgh’s proposal, saying the change would require years of environmental studies, new permits and new land control efforts.
“(It) would be an insurmountable task,” Burgdorf wrote to Ark.
However, Ark’s effort to get both sides to agree did lead to the first informal discussion this year between the town and Ecogen’s parent company, Pattern Energy.
New town Supervisor Al Wordingham declined to give specifics about the discussion, which occurred two weeks ago, but said it was “very positive.”
The wind farm project has been the source of debate in the town, stretching back to 2002 when the developer announced plans to put turbines in Prattsburgh.
Ecogen also planned to build 17 turbines in the neighboring town of Italy, in Yates County. Ecogen also is suing Italy, which turned down the project a year ago.
The projects were touted in the beginning by some Prattsburgh board members and many residents as a way to provide renewable energy, increase town revenues and provide income for landowners.
Other residents have strenuously opposed the projects on the grounds the turbines could irreparably harm people in the area, the environment, and the landscape.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Will turbines rise on Rollins Mountain?
LINCOLN - The gravel roads are in, climbing Rollins Mountain and the adjacent ridgelines that rise along the surrounding towns here in northeastern Penobscot County. They lead to concrete pads, crowned with beefy bolts anchored to bedrock. If the weather cooperates and work stays on schedule, a giant crane will begin erecting 389-foot-high steel towers on the pads next month.
By midsummer, 40 turbines stored in a neighboring town will be spinning above the forested landscape. A tour of the site last week suggests that Rollins appears on target to become Maine's next wind farm, helping the state meet its renewable energy goals and the region reduce its dependence on natural gas-fired electricity.
But opponents of industrial-scale wind power have a different perspective.
They see the developer -- Boston-based First Wind Holdings LLC -- in financial trouble and struggling to secure the money to complete the $130 million venture. They also see a new Congress that may balk at the subsidies that help support wind power, and a new state government that may be less friendly to wind energy development.
On the ground, Rollins seems like a done deal. But out of view, Maine's anti-wind power movement is trying to exploit shifting financial and political conditions to hobble First Wind, the state's most prominent wind developer -- and, by extension, other proposed projects.
This strategy helps explain why Friends of Lincoln Lakes and foes of wind power from around Maine last week invited statewide media to a well-choreographed demonstration here, during which five people were arrested and led to police cars.
At first glance, Rollins seems an unlikely rallying point. The project is not located in Maine's high, scenic mountains. Tote roads bisect low hills that have been harvested for timber. The Walmart outside town certifies Lincoln's status as a service center for this corner of the county. The pungent plume from Lincoln Paper and Tissue, the largest employer, says Lincoln is at ease with industry.
But hugging the shores of Mattanawcook Lake, this town also is a mecca for four-season recreation. It calls itself "the land of 14 lakes," and some residents who value the area's rural beauty and solitude don't want to see, or hear, the big turbines turning on the ridges. They've been joined by a vocal coalition of citizen groups that say evolving evidence shows the impact of wind farms on the landscape and nearby residents outweighs the benefits.
The next salvo in this ongoing war will be less visual: Opponents say they're preparing a legal challenge of Rollins' environmental permit, based on their contention that First Wind failed to prove it has the financial capacity to complete the project. The company so far has survived these assaults. Opponents have lost past appeals, including a test of the state's wind-siting law heard earlier this year by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
First Wind said it chose this area not only for the wind resource, but also because it's away from sensitive environmental areas. The road clearing and rock blasting being publicized by opponents are being done within permit standards, the company said, and adjacent forestland will be restored once the work is complete.
The project also is creating more than 200 construction jobs, and a burst of spending that's welcome in a community with above-average unemployment.
Regarding its financial capacity, First Wind said last week it has "a clear path" for financing and expects to make an announcement by year's end that it has secured third-party loans.
Opponents are skeptical. They were emboldened last month, after First Wind failed in its long-planned bid to go public and sell stock to investors. Documents filed in connection with the aborted sale show that its projects depend heavily on a federal stimulus program that took effect in 2009.
That program offers a cash grant for up to 30 percent of a project's cost in lieu of an investment tax credit. First Wind received $254 million in grants for four projects, including the nearby Stetson II wind farm. In its public offering filing, First Wind states that if the incentives are cut or eliminated, or if government reduces its support for wind, it would hurt the company's ability to get financing.
New projects must be under way in 2010 to qualify for the grants. That's one reason, opponents say, First Wind needed to break ground for Rollins this fall.
With the program set to expire, the wind industry is lobbying Congress to extend the incentives during the current lame duck session. They face a less-certain future next year in the new, Republican-controlled House.
Reacting to this scenario, First Wind said last week that although the program is important, most project financing comes from private capital markets and investors. It also expects a prior subsidy to remain in effect until 2012.
"If the program expires at the end of the year, we will adjust our planning and financing to reflect the program that's in place," said John Lamontagne, the company's spokesman.
Opponents, however, say this uncertainty raises questions about First Wind's financial capacity.
Lynne Williams, a lawyer for Friends of Lincoln Lakes, is charging that Maine's Department of Environmental Protection was lax in granting First Wind a permit to build Rollins, because the company failed to demonstrate that it had the money to finish the job.
Williams points to a letter in the Rollins application from Michael Alvarez, First Wind's president. The letter summarizes First Wind's intent to fund the $130 million project with both company financing and money from unrelated, third parties, such as banks. This is a common arrangement in wind projects.
The letter also notes that the turbines, valued at $80 million and acquired through a loan to be paid at the close of third-party financing, are stored in Chester. It says First Wind will make the balance of construction costs -- $50 million -- available prior to closing on third-party financing. It attaches a consolidated financial statement as evidence.
"As indicated in those financials, First Wind has liquid financial assets in excess of the $50 million required to complete construction," Alvarez wrote.
But that cash may not be available today, according to Lawrence Dwight, a financial planner and wind power critic in Wilton. Dwight reviewed First Wind's financial statement as of Sept. 30.
The statement listed assets of $140 million and liabilities of $205 million, with some large loans due next year. Cash on hand was roughly $31 million, Dwight found. The challenge for First Wind, Dwight said, will be to nail down financing in the coming months to complete Rollins.
Rollins has an important asset that makes it attractive to lenders -- a long-term power contract. Last year, the Public Utilities Commission directed Central Maine Power Co. and Bangor Hydro-Electric to buy power from the 60-megawatt project for 20 years.
Meanwhile, First Wind says it's continuing to move ahead with plans to develop other projects, including Bower's Mountain in eastern Maine, Oakfield in Aroostook County and sites in Rumford and Bingham.
That awareness has foes focused on the state's recent wind-siting law, under which Rollins received its permits. Opponents will try to convince the new Republican-controlled Legislature to revisit the law, which streamlines the review process in specific locations. They also plan to petition the DEP to amend existing noise regulations, which critics say allow turbines too close to homes.
Wind opponents also plan to take their case to Gov.-elect Paul LePage. Outgoing Gov. John Baldacci is a strong supporter of wind energy. contrast, LePage has questioned the state's commitment to wind power. He has expressed more interest in energy projects that compete on price.
First Wind has its own spin on prices, and will outline the benefits of stable long-term rates. And it will pick up LePage's campaign theme of creating jobs and economic growth, citing the hundreds of millions of dollars the industry has spent in Maine so far.
"We are excited to work with his administration and continue our investment in Maine," Lamontagne said.
By midsummer, 40 turbines stored in a neighboring town will be spinning above the forested landscape. A tour of the site last week suggests that Rollins appears on target to become Maine's next wind farm, helping the state meet its renewable energy goals and the region reduce its dependence on natural gas-fired electricity.
But opponents of industrial-scale wind power have a different perspective.
They see the developer -- Boston-based First Wind Holdings LLC -- in financial trouble and struggling to secure the money to complete the $130 million venture. They also see a new Congress that may balk at the subsidies that help support wind power, and a new state government that may be less friendly to wind energy development.
On the ground, Rollins seems like a done deal. But out of view, Maine's anti-wind power movement is trying to exploit shifting financial and political conditions to hobble First Wind, the state's most prominent wind developer -- and, by extension, other proposed projects.
This strategy helps explain why Friends of Lincoln Lakes and foes of wind power from around Maine last week invited statewide media to a well-choreographed demonstration here, during which five people were arrested and led to police cars.
At first glance, Rollins seems an unlikely rallying point. The project is not located in Maine's high, scenic mountains. Tote roads bisect low hills that have been harvested for timber. The Walmart outside town certifies Lincoln's status as a service center for this corner of the county. The pungent plume from Lincoln Paper and Tissue, the largest employer, says Lincoln is at ease with industry.
But hugging the shores of Mattanawcook Lake, this town also is a mecca for four-season recreation. It calls itself "the land of 14 lakes," and some residents who value the area's rural beauty and solitude don't want to see, or hear, the big turbines turning on the ridges. They've been joined by a vocal coalition of citizen groups that say evolving evidence shows the impact of wind farms on the landscape and nearby residents outweighs the benefits.
The next salvo in this ongoing war will be less visual: Opponents say they're preparing a legal challenge of Rollins' environmental permit, based on their contention that First Wind failed to prove it has the financial capacity to complete the project. The company so far has survived these assaults. Opponents have lost past appeals, including a test of the state's wind-siting law heard earlier this year by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
First Wind said it chose this area not only for the wind resource, but also because it's away from sensitive environmental areas. The road clearing and rock blasting being publicized by opponents are being done within permit standards, the company said, and adjacent forestland will be restored once the work is complete.
The project also is creating more than 200 construction jobs, and a burst of spending that's welcome in a community with above-average unemployment.
Regarding its financial capacity, First Wind said last week it has "a clear path" for financing and expects to make an announcement by year's end that it has secured third-party loans.
Opponents are skeptical. They were emboldened last month, after First Wind failed in its long-planned bid to go public and sell stock to investors. Documents filed in connection with the aborted sale show that its projects depend heavily on a federal stimulus program that took effect in 2009.
That program offers a cash grant for up to 30 percent of a project's cost in lieu of an investment tax credit. First Wind received $254 million in grants for four projects, including the nearby Stetson II wind farm. In its public offering filing, First Wind states that if the incentives are cut or eliminated, or if government reduces its support for wind, it would hurt the company's ability to get financing.
New projects must be under way in 2010 to qualify for the grants. That's one reason, opponents say, First Wind needed to break ground for Rollins this fall.
With the program set to expire, the wind industry is lobbying Congress to extend the incentives during the current lame duck session. They face a less-certain future next year in the new, Republican-controlled House.
Reacting to this scenario, First Wind said last week that although the program is important, most project financing comes from private capital markets and investors. It also expects a prior subsidy to remain in effect until 2012.
"If the program expires at the end of the year, we will adjust our planning and financing to reflect the program that's in place," said John Lamontagne, the company's spokesman.
Opponents, however, say this uncertainty raises questions about First Wind's financial capacity.
Lynne Williams, a lawyer for Friends of Lincoln Lakes, is charging that Maine's Department of Environmental Protection was lax in granting First Wind a permit to build Rollins, because the company failed to demonstrate that it had the money to finish the job.
Williams points to a letter in the Rollins application from Michael Alvarez, First Wind's president. The letter summarizes First Wind's intent to fund the $130 million project with both company financing and money from unrelated, third parties, such as banks. This is a common arrangement in wind projects.
The letter also notes that the turbines, valued at $80 million and acquired through a loan to be paid at the close of third-party financing, are stored in Chester. It says First Wind will make the balance of construction costs -- $50 million -- available prior to closing on third-party financing. It attaches a consolidated financial statement as evidence.
"As indicated in those financials, First Wind has liquid financial assets in excess of the $50 million required to complete construction," Alvarez wrote.
But that cash may not be available today, according to Lawrence Dwight, a financial planner and wind power critic in Wilton. Dwight reviewed First Wind's financial statement as of Sept. 30.
The statement listed assets of $140 million and liabilities of $205 million, with some large loans due next year. Cash on hand was roughly $31 million, Dwight found. The challenge for First Wind, Dwight said, will be to nail down financing in the coming months to complete Rollins.
Rollins has an important asset that makes it attractive to lenders -- a long-term power contract. Last year, the Public Utilities Commission directed Central Maine Power Co. and Bangor Hydro-Electric to buy power from the 60-megawatt project for 20 years.
Meanwhile, First Wind says it's continuing to move ahead with plans to develop other projects, including Bower's Mountain in eastern Maine, Oakfield in Aroostook County and sites in Rumford and Bingham.
That awareness has foes focused on the state's recent wind-siting law, under which Rollins received its permits. Opponents will try to convince the new Republican-controlled Legislature to revisit the law, which streamlines the review process in specific locations. They also plan to petition the DEP to amend existing noise regulations, which critics say allow turbines too close to homes.
Wind opponents also plan to take their case to Gov.-elect Paul LePage. Outgoing Gov. John Baldacci is a strong supporter of wind energy. contrast, LePage has questioned the state's commitment to wind power. He has expressed more interest in energy projects that compete on price.
First Wind has its own spin on prices, and will outline the benefits of stable long-term rates. And it will pick up LePage's campaign theme of creating jobs and economic growth, citing the hundreds of millions of dollars the industry has spent in Maine so far.
"We are excited to work with his administration and continue our investment in Maine," Lamontagne said.
Consultant Wants Views On Wind Law
MORRISTOWN - When the Morristown Wind Committee presented the town board with its proposed wind energy facilities law on May 11, the document lacked noise standards and setback distances.
After members of the committee told the board they felt unqualified to recommend specific limits on noise and setbacks, the wind ordinance was passed along to LaBella Associates, P.C. - a consulting firm hired by the town to assist with the law's development.
Nearly six months later, LaBella has returned the draft law to Morristown with suggestions for improvement - none of which establish noise standards or setback distances.
"Before suggestions for the completion of this section can be offered, further discussion with the committee or with the board will be necessary to understand the town's intent," wrote Mark W. Tayrien, AICP, the director of LaBella's planning division.
Read the entire article
After members of the committee told the board they felt unqualified to recommend specific limits on noise and setbacks, the wind ordinance was passed along to LaBella Associates, P.C. - a consulting firm hired by the town to assist with the law's development.
Nearly six months later, LaBella has returned the draft law to Morristown with suggestions for improvement - none of which establish noise standards or setback distances.
"Before suggestions for the completion of this section can be offered, further discussion with the committee or with the board will be necessary to understand the town's intent," wrote Mark W. Tayrien, AICP, the director of LaBella's planning division.
Read the entire article
Saturday, November 13, 2010
First Wind SEC Filing for Confidential Treatment
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
November 4, 2010
ORDER GRANTING CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
First Wind Holdings Inc.
File No. 333-152671 - CF#24849
_____________________
First Wind Holdings Inc. submitted an application under Rule 406 requesting confidential treatment for information it excluded from the Exhibits to a Form S-1 registration statement filed on July 31, 2008, as amended.
Based on representations by First Wind Holdings Inc. that this information qualifies as confidential commercial or financial information under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), the Division of Corporation Finance has determined not to publicly disclose it. Accordingly, excluded information from the following exhibit(s) will not be released to the public for the time period(s) specified:
Exhibit 10.1 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.2 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.3 through December 1, 2015
Exhibit 10.4 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.7 through January 1, 2012 Exhibit 10.10 through July 1, 2013
Exhibit 10.11 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.12 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.13 through July 1, 2013
Exhibit 10.14 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.17 through January 17, 2018
Exhibit 10.28 through October 15, 2020
Exhibit 10.29 through October 15, 2020 Exhibit 10.30 through October 15, 2020
For the Commission, by the Division of Corporation Finance, pursuant to delegated authority:
Brigitte Lippmann
Special Counsel
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
November 4, 2010
ORDER GRANTING CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
First Wind Holdings Inc.
File No. 333-152671 - CF#24849
_____________________
First Wind Holdings Inc. submitted an application under Rule 406 requesting confidential treatment for information it excluded from the Exhibits to a Form S-1 registration statement filed on July 31, 2008, as amended.
Based on representations by First Wind Holdings Inc. that this information qualifies as confidential commercial or financial information under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), the Division of Corporation Finance has determined not to publicly disclose it. Accordingly, excluded information from the following exhibit(s) will not be released to the public for the time period(s) specified:
Exhibit 10.1 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.2 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.3 through December 1, 2015
Exhibit 10.4 through December 1, 2015 Exhibit 10.7 through January 1, 2012 Exhibit 10.10 through July 1, 2013
Exhibit 10.11 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.12 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.13 through July 1, 2013
Exhibit 10.14 through July 1, 2013 Exhibit 10.17 through January 17, 2018
Exhibit 10.28 through October 15, 2020
Exhibit 10.29 through October 15, 2020 Exhibit 10.30 through October 15, 2020
For the Commission, by the Division of Corporation Finance, pursuant to delegated authority:
Brigitte Lippmann
Special Counsel
An ebb tide for wind-farm developers
The political environment in Cape Vincent spirals downward toward complete chaos, as evinced by the most recent meeting of the Planning Board. A meeting whose agenda was dedicated to subdivision proposals was largely conscripted by the seemingly endless debate over wind-power development, and the bitter battle impinged on the lives and rights of people who were before the Planning Board with legitimate, nonwind-related business.
A similar but less dramatic situation exists in Hammond, and in Lyme, and has potential to erupt to some degree in Henderson. All of this is over proposals to erect wind farms, mostly by investors far from the north country. If everyone took a deep breath and looked toward the horizon and away from their own back yard for a moment, they might see something that makes their battling meaningless.
There are significant signs that a combination of the free-market system, a new Congress and a new state administration might put an end to the fight over wind farms because the policies and economic conditions that have allowed them to grow are all but gone.
The economic reality of wind-farm development has always relied on two things: government subsidies in some form, and a growing cost of electricity. In the middle of this decade, both federal and state governments were pushing financial aid to alternative energy projects, and because its technology is largely developed, wind power was a darling of the renewable energy crowd. Significant tax abatements promoted wind-power developments, direct subsidies made them even more attractive, and rising costs of natural gas (and pressure to retire coal-fired power plants) made higher energy costs more acceptable.
Read the entire item
A similar but less dramatic situation exists in Hammond, and in Lyme, and has potential to erupt to some degree in Henderson. All of this is over proposals to erect wind farms, mostly by investors far from the north country. If everyone took a deep breath and looked toward the horizon and away from their own back yard for a moment, they might see something that makes their battling meaningless.
There are significant signs that a combination of the free-market system, a new Congress and a new state administration might put an end to the fight over wind farms because the policies and economic conditions that have allowed them to grow are all but gone.
The economic reality of wind-farm development has always relied on two things: government subsidies in some form, and a growing cost of electricity. In the middle of this decade, both federal and state governments were pushing financial aid to alternative energy projects, and because its technology is largely developed, wind power was a darling of the renewable energy crowd. Significant tax abatements promoted wind-power developments, direct subsidies made them even more attractive, and rising costs of natural gas (and pressure to retire coal-fired power plants) made higher energy costs more acceptable.
Read the entire item
Friday, November 12, 2010
Binsley Quietly Resigns from Cape Vincent Town Planning Board
CAPE VINCENT, N.Y. — After a stormy Cape Vincent town Planning Board meeting Wednesday, filled with tensions between the board’s chairman and a town citizen, board member Andrew R. Binsley privately resigned his post.
“Here’s my resignation,” Binsley told town Supervisor Urban C. Hirschey, handing him a piece of paper after the meeting. “This is my last meeting.”
As Planning Board Chairman Richard J. Edsall began the meeting by asking for members’ approval of the board’s Oct. 13 minutes, Hester M. Chase, 4866 Bedford Corners Rd., stood up to raise concerns about minutes from an Oct. 27 special meeting, which were not addressed for approval Wednesday.
“According to the by-laws of this Planning Board, the public at this time has a right to make a comment, oral or written,” Chase said.
The “Planning Board By-Laws,” which Chase was apparently referring to, Section 3, Article III, reads, “Commentary from the general public shall be received prior to the conduct of the regular business agenda. Comments may be presented orally or in writing. Each speaker shall state his or her name and address and shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes.”
Edsall replied, “Will you sit down please?”
“No, I will not,” she said. “This is my right. It is every person in this room’s right.”
She continued, “And we’re gonna start getting our rights straight, Mr. Edsall. You guys are lawless.”
With Chase still attempting to speak, the board approved the Oct. 13 minutes with a motion made by board member George A. Mingle and seconded by Binsley.
In its next three orders of business, the Planning Board held public hearings before giving the OK for a property owners to make subdivisions and consolidations for lots.
“For this item only, would anyone in the public like to speak,” Edsall asked of the first land consolidation.
A man standing in the crowd of nearly 30 said, “This board is corrupt, I don’t think they should be making any decisions on any process going on.”
The chairman replied, “The comments are not relevant to that subdivision.”
Criticism from anti-wind proponents has come heavily during recent town Planning Board meetings since the state attorney general’s office launched an investigation in to some board members’ ethics regarding wind farm development in August.
During the Planning Board’s Oct. 27 meeting, John L. Byrne, chairman of the Wind Power Ethics Group (WPEG), announced his group will sue the board on grounds that it breached the Environmental Quality Review Act for the proposed St. Lawrence Wind Farm project.
“We believe what’s going to happen at the meeting here this month, they’re going to ask for more time to submit a more complete record in December,” Byrne said of the town.
Edsall, however, said the earliest discussions on wind power development would not be until February 2011.
Binsley did not return a call Wednesday night for comment.
“Here’s my resignation,” Binsley told town Supervisor Urban C. Hirschey, handing him a piece of paper after the meeting. “This is my last meeting.”
As Planning Board Chairman Richard J. Edsall began the meeting by asking for members’ approval of the board’s Oct. 13 minutes, Hester M. Chase, 4866 Bedford Corners Rd., stood up to raise concerns about minutes from an Oct. 27 special meeting, which were not addressed for approval Wednesday.
“According to the by-laws of this Planning Board, the public at this time has a right to make a comment, oral or written,” Chase said.
The “Planning Board By-Laws,” which Chase was apparently referring to, Section 3, Article III, reads, “Commentary from the general public shall be received prior to the conduct of the regular business agenda. Comments may be presented orally or in writing. Each speaker shall state his or her name and address and shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes.”
Edsall replied, “Will you sit down please?”
“No, I will not,” she said. “This is my right. It is every person in this room’s right.”
She continued, “And we’re gonna start getting our rights straight, Mr. Edsall. You guys are lawless.”
With Chase still attempting to speak, the board approved the Oct. 13 minutes with a motion made by board member George A. Mingle and seconded by Binsley.
In its next three orders of business, the Planning Board held public hearings before giving the OK for a property owners to make subdivisions and consolidations for lots.
“For this item only, would anyone in the public like to speak,” Edsall asked of the first land consolidation.
A man standing in the crowd of nearly 30 said, “This board is corrupt, I don’t think they should be making any decisions on any process going on.”
The chairman replied, “The comments are not relevant to that subdivision.”
Criticism from anti-wind proponents has come heavily during recent town Planning Board meetings since the state attorney general’s office launched an investigation in to some board members’ ethics regarding wind farm development in August.
During the Planning Board’s Oct. 27 meeting, John L. Byrne, chairman of the Wind Power Ethics Group (WPEG), announced his group will sue the board on grounds that it breached the Environmental Quality Review Act for the proposed St. Lawrence Wind Farm project.
“We believe what’s going to happen at the meeting here this month, they’re going to ask for more time to submit a more complete record in December,” Byrne said of the town.
Edsall, however, said the earliest discussions on wind power development would not be until February 2011.
Binsley did not return a call Wednesday night for comment.
Litchfield supervisor resigns amid wind project criticism
LITCHFIELD — For months, Litchfield town Supervisor Wayne Casler has been berated for what some have called a conflict of interest between his elected position and his work for a paving company that could benefit if a proposed wind farm comes to town.
Now, Casler has said he’s had enough.
After more than two decades in office, he and his wife, Karen Casler, the town’s appointed bookkeeper, will resign their positions at the end of the month, he announced at a Town Board meeting Tuesday.
Wayne and Karen Casler did not return calls Wednesday. Town Board members, however, said the supervisor cited constant criticism and attacks from those combating a proposed wind farm as his reason for stepping down.
“I’m still quite shocked,” Town Board member Jim Entwistle said. “I thought he had a conflict of interest with the wind proposal, and I stated that. But it’s just disappointing that he has to resign over one issue after 23 years of service.”
Resident Pat Christensen, who recently organized the citizens group Litchfield United, has questioned Wayne Casler’s role at the paving company.
“Just because he’s resigned his position does not mean all is forgiven,” Christensen said. “I’m waiting for the hammer to come down. If this isn’t an admission of guilt, I don’t know what is.”
The firestorm aimed at Wayne Casler ignited last year after Albany-based NorthWind and Power said it wanted to build an eight-to-12 turbine wind farm on Dry Hill.
Wayne Casler, whose term as supervisor would have expired in 2011, also is the regional controller for Barrett Paving Materials, a company that owns more than 100 acres of land on Dry Hill. NorthWind has said it is not interested in using Barrett’s land for the project, but the company could be selected to provide materials if it’s approved.
Meanwhile, the town, which does not have laws governing wind farms, then set out to create regulations – a tense process that has dragged on for months and made loud outbursts at town meetings a regular occurrence.
The O-D has reported that NorthWind wrote a letter to Wayne Casler in January suggesting the town adopt height regulations that would benefit its own project. Shortly after, the board was discussing regulations the company suggested. The town also recently hired another Barrett Paving employee as a private consultant on wind noise at Casler’s suggestion.
And at an October board meeting, Casler acknowledged his employment at Barrett could be a conflict of interest. Still, he said, he would continue to work on a proposed wind farm law and only recuse himself from discussions if a specific proposal came before the Town Board. NorthWind has yet to submit a formal proposal.
Sheila Salvatore, who heads Save Sauquoit Valley Views, a citizens group that opposes the project, said the Caslers’ resignations are another example of the polarizing affects wind projects have on small towns.
“The wind industry has come into town and encouraged division with the promise of money,” Salvatore said. “I feel Mr. Casler is just the latest victim. The sooner we rid our area of this destructive force, the better.”
Resident Ken Kotary said he’s known Wayne Casler his entire life and was upset to hear he’s stepping down.
“He’s been a tremendous asset to the town, and he’s taken the blunt of this criticism,” Kotary said. “I told him after the meeting last night, ‘You don’t deserve the abuse you’ve been getting.”
The Town Board has not yet decided how to fill the positions vacated by the Caslers. The board can leave the supervisor’s position vacant or can appoint someone to fill out the remainder of the term, which expires in 2011.
“I’m not sure which way we’re going to go,” board member Kate Entwistle said. “I’m not sure anyone really wants to be put in this position because of the turmoil.”
Now, Casler has said he’s had enough.
After more than two decades in office, he and his wife, Karen Casler, the town’s appointed bookkeeper, will resign their positions at the end of the month, he announced at a Town Board meeting Tuesday.
Wayne and Karen Casler did not return calls Wednesday. Town Board members, however, said the supervisor cited constant criticism and attacks from those combating a proposed wind farm as his reason for stepping down.
“I’m still quite shocked,” Town Board member Jim Entwistle said. “I thought he had a conflict of interest with the wind proposal, and I stated that. But it’s just disappointing that he has to resign over one issue after 23 years of service.”
Resident Pat Christensen, who recently organized the citizens group Litchfield United, has questioned Wayne Casler’s role at the paving company.
“Just because he’s resigned his position does not mean all is forgiven,” Christensen said. “I’m waiting for the hammer to come down. If this isn’t an admission of guilt, I don’t know what is.”
The firestorm aimed at Wayne Casler ignited last year after Albany-based NorthWind and Power said it wanted to build an eight-to-12 turbine wind farm on Dry Hill.
Wayne Casler, whose term as supervisor would have expired in 2011, also is the regional controller for Barrett Paving Materials, a company that owns more than 100 acres of land on Dry Hill. NorthWind has said it is not interested in using Barrett’s land for the project, but the company could be selected to provide materials if it’s approved.
Meanwhile, the town, which does not have laws governing wind farms, then set out to create regulations – a tense process that has dragged on for months and made loud outbursts at town meetings a regular occurrence.
The O-D has reported that NorthWind wrote a letter to Wayne Casler in January suggesting the town adopt height regulations that would benefit its own project. Shortly after, the board was discussing regulations the company suggested. The town also recently hired another Barrett Paving employee as a private consultant on wind noise at Casler’s suggestion.
And at an October board meeting, Casler acknowledged his employment at Barrett could be a conflict of interest. Still, he said, he would continue to work on a proposed wind farm law and only recuse himself from discussions if a specific proposal came before the Town Board. NorthWind has yet to submit a formal proposal.
Sheila Salvatore, who heads Save Sauquoit Valley Views, a citizens group that opposes the project, said the Caslers’ resignations are another example of the polarizing affects wind projects have on small towns.
“The wind industry has come into town and encouraged division with the promise of money,” Salvatore said. “I feel Mr. Casler is just the latest victim. The sooner we rid our area of this destructive force, the better.”
Resident Ken Kotary said he’s known Wayne Casler his entire life and was upset to hear he’s stepping down.
“He’s been a tremendous asset to the town, and he’s taken the blunt of this criticism,” Kotary said. “I told him after the meeting last night, ‘You don’t deserve the abuse you’ve been getting.”
The Town Board has not yet decided how to fill the positions vacated by the Caslers. The board can leave the supervisor’s position vacant or can appoint someone to fill out the remainder of the term, which expires in 2011.
“I’m not sure which way we’re going to go,” board member Kate Entwistle said. “I’m not sure anyone really wants to be put in this position because of the turmoil.”
Tempers flare at meeting in Cape
CAPE VINCENT — A Planning Board meeting devolved into physical confrontation between an opponent of industrial wind power projects in the town and Chairman Richard J. Edsall.
At the beginning of the meeting Wednesday night, Mr. Edsall asked for approval of the board's minutes from a previous meeting.
Hester M. Chase, a community wind project supporter but opponent of the two industrial-scale projects, stood and said the board was not acting legally. The board's bylaws say public comments "shall be received prior to the conduct of the regular business agenda."
"We have the right to make comment," she said. "We're going to start getting our rights straight."
Read the entire article
At the beginning of the meeting Wednesday night, Mr. Edsall asked for approval of the board's minutes from a previous meeting.
Hester M. Chase, a community wind project supporter but opponent of the two industrial-scale projects, stood and said the board was not acting legally. The board's bylaws say public comments "shall be received prior to the conduct of the regular business agenda."
"We have the right to make comment," she said. "We're going to start getting our rights straight."
Read the entire article
Henderson bans wind development
HENDERSON — The Town Council has made Henderson the first north country municipality to ban commercial and private wind-energy towers.
On Wednesday, the council voted 4-1 to adopt a local law written by the law firm Hancock & Estabrook LLP, Syracuse, that bans all commercial, private and wind measurement tower placement. Councilman Frank W. Ross voted against the law. Supervisor Raymond A. Walker, Councilwomen Torre J. Parker-Lane, Carol A. Hall and Councilman Steven C. Cote voted in favor of the measure.
The law was tabled at an Oct. 26 meeting because some wording contradicted other elements of the statute. Those contradictions have been fixed since that meeting.
Ms. Parker-Lane said eventually the town would like to allow private wind towers, but until the board is able to work out those details, the ban will remain in effect.
Read the entire article
On Wednesday, the council voted 4-1 to adopt a local law written by the law firm Hancock & Estabrook LLP, Syracuse, that bans all commercial, private and wind measurement tower placement. Councilman Frank W. Ross voted against the law. Supervisor Raymond A. Walker, Councilwomen Torre J. Parker-Lane, Carol A. Hall and Councilman Steven C. Cote voted in favor of the measure.
The law was tabled at an Oct. 26 meeting because some wording contradicted other elements of the statute. Those contradictions have been fixed since that meeting.
Ms. Parker-Lane said eventually the town would like to allow private wind towers, but until the board is able to work out those details, the ban will remain in effect.
Read the entire article
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wind Jammers at the White House
President Obama continues to advertise the $814 billion stimulus and its green energy subsidy programs in particular as unqualified successes. But a remarkable memo from Mr. Obama's own advisers tells the real story, neatly illustrating what happens when his anticarbon agenda meets the political allocation of capital.
The eight-page October 25 memorandum to the President was written by soon-to-depart chief economic aide Larry Summers and senior policy aides Carol Browner and Ron Klain, and it's been kicking around Capitol Hill and industry circles for the last week. The trio walks through an interagency dispute about Energy Department subsidies for wind, ...
The eight-page October 25 memorandum to the President was written by soon-to-depart chief economic aide Larry Summers and senior policy aides Carol Browner and Ron Klain, and it's been kicking around Capitol Hill and industry circles for the last week. The trio walks through an interagency dispute about Energy Department subsidies for wind, ...
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Electricity Markets Cultivating Growth of Windpower
NYISO notes market innovations at congressional briefing
Rensselaer, N.Y.— Competitive wholesale electricity markets in New York state and other regions of the country are playing a vital role in the expanded production and delivery of wind energy, according to federal regulators and energy industry officials who spoke at a congressional briefing held today in Washington, D.C.
Rana Mukerji, senior vice president—market structures for the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), was among several featured speakers at the briefing, “The Nexus between Wind Energy Development and Competitive Wholesale Electricity Markets,” co-sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the COMPETE Coalition.
Mukerji highlighted some of the key strategies the NYISO has implemented to help increase the amount of windgenerated electricity that can be integrated without undermining grid reliability.
“Wind and other renewable sources provide important environmental and economic benefits. However, the variable nature of the ability to supply electricity presents challenges for grid operators and energy markets that we are addressing through innovative market mechanisms,” Mukerji said “In recent years, more than 1,200 megawatts of wind capacity have been added in New York, and we expect continued growth in wind generation in the New York market for the foreseeable future.”
In 2004, to help the state Public Service Commission implement a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for New York, the NYISO and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority commissioned a joint study to evaluate the grid-reliability impacts of up to 3,000-megawatts of wind-generated electricity. One of the study’s key proposals—which the NYISO later implemented—was a centralized wind-generation forecasting system to enhance the integration of wind projects.
In 2010, the NYISO conducted a follow-up assessment of the potential impact of adding up to 8,000 MW of wind power to the grid, reflecting the steady growth in proposed wind farm projects since the first study was commissioned.
In addition to the wind forecasting initiative, the NYISO became the first grid operator to institute a wind dispatch system based on bids of individual generators and has implemented pioneering changes in market design to integrate new energy storage resources that complement renewable resources.
Coupled with the need to install more wind energy capacity to comply with the state’s RPS mandate, these market reforms are playing crucial roles in driving new research and investment in the energy storage field.
“The NYISO’s market innovations are allowing developers to evaluate new energy storage technologies that target the variable supply of renewable energy, which often is produced at times of the day or night when demand is lowest. By enabling the development of solutions to store more renewable energy until it is needed, we are showing how markets can help create the conditions for the growth of wind power and other renewable energy resources throughout the country,” said Mukerji.
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for operating the state’s bulk electricity grid, administering New York’s competitive wholesale electricity markets, conducting comprehensive long-term planning for the state’s electric power system, and advancing the technological infrastructure of the electric system serving the Empire State.
New York Independent System Operator. 10 Krey Boulevard. Rensselaer, NY 12144
A copy of Mukerji’s presentation, Balancing Wind, is available from the NYISO website, www.nyiso.com.
In a joint statement, AWEA and the COMPETE Coalition said, “The design, scope and independent operation of the organized markets are especially attractive to renewable and other innovative resources such as wind power. Wind power resource development has proven easier in areas with large regional organized markets than in balkanized regions, and this fact is confirmed by studies and experiences in Europe and the United States. Nearly 80% of U.S. installed wind capacity is located in regions with organized markets while these areas have only 44% of U.S. wind energy potential.”
A copy of the AWEA/COMPETE joint statement is available from the COMPETE Coalition website, www.competecoalition.com.
The COMPETE Coalition is comprised of more than 500 electricity industry stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, generators, transmission owners, trade associations, environmental organizations and economic development corporations—all of which support well-structured competitive electricity markets for the benefit of
the country.
The 2,500-member AWEA is the U.S. wind industry’s trade association, representing wind power project developers, equipment suppliers, services providers, parts manufacturers, utilities, researchers, advocates and other stakeholders.
Rensselaer, N.Y.— Competitive wholesale electricity markets in New York state and other regions of the country are playing a vital role in the expanded production and delivery of wind energy, according to federal regulators and energy industry officials who spoke at a congressional briefing held today in Washington, D.C.
Rana Mukerji, senior vice president—market structures for the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), was among several featured speakers at the briefing, “The Nexus between Wind Energy Development and Competitive Wholesale Electricity Markets,” co-sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the COMPETE Coalition.
Mukerji highlighted some of the key strategies the NYISO has implemented to help increase the amount of windgenerated electricity that can be integrated without undermining grid reliability.
“Wind and other renewable sources provide important environmental and economic benefits. However, the variable nature of the ability to supply electricity presents challenges for grid operators and energy markets that we are addressing through innovative market mechanisms,” Mukerji said “In recent years, more than 1,200 megawatts of wind capacity have been added in New York, and we expect continued growth in wind generation in the New York market for the foreseeable future.”
In 2004, to help the state Public Service Commission implement a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for New York, the NYISO and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority commissioned a joint study to evaluate the grid-reliability impacts of up to 3,000-megawatts of wind-generated electricity. One of the study’s key proposals—which the NYISO later implemented—was a centralized wind-generation forecasting system to enhance the integration of wind projects.
In 2010, the NYISO conducted a follow-up assessment of the potential impact of adding up to 8,000 MW of wind power to the grid, reflecting the steady growth in proposed wind farm projects since the first study was commissioned.
In addition to the wind forecasting initiative, the NYISO became the first grid operator to institute a wind dispatch system based on bids of individual generators and has implemented pioneering changes in market design to integrate new energy storage resources that complement renewable resources.
Coupled with the need to install more wind energy capacity to comply with the state’s RPS mandate, these market reforms are playing crucial roles in driving new research and investment in the energy storage field.
“The NYISO’s market innovations are allowing developers to evaluate new energy storage technologies that target the variable supply of renewable energy, which often is produced at times of the day or night when demand is lowest. By enabling the development of solutions to store more renewable energy until it is needed, we are showing how markets can help create the conditions for the growth of wind power and other renewable energy resources throughout the country,” said Mukerji.
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for operating the state’s bulk electricity grid, administering New York’s competitive wholesale electricity markets, conducting comprehensive long-term planning for the state’s electric power system, and advancing the technological infrastructure of the electric system serving the Empire State.
New York Independent System Operator. 10 Krey Boulevard. Rensselaer, NY 12144
A copy of Mukerji’s presentation, Balancing Wind, is available from the NYISO website, www.nyiso.com.
In a joint statement, AWEA and the COMPETE Coalition said, “The design, scope and independent operation of the organized markets are especially attractive to renewable and other innovative resources such as wind power. Wind power resource development has proven easier in areas with large regional organized markets than in balkanized regions, and this fact is confirmed by studies and experiences in Europe and the United States. Nearly 80% of U.S. installed wind capacity is located in regions with organized markets while these areas have only 44% of U.S. wind energy potential.”
A copy of the AWEA/COMPETE joint statement is available from the COMPETE Coalition website, www.competecoalition.com.
The COMPETE Coalition is comprised of more than 500 electricity industry stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, generators, transmission owners, trade associations, environmental organizations and economic development corporations—all of which support well-structured competitive electricity markets for the benefit of
the country.
The 2,500-member AWEA is the U.S. wind industry’s trade association, representing wind power project developers, equipment suppliers, services providers, parts manufacturers, utilities, researchers, advocates and other stakeholders.
Anti-wind power group to protest Rollins project
LINCOLN, Maine — As many as 50 people will be at a Route 6 construction site near the Lee town line Monday to protest the construction of the $130 million Rollins Mountain wind project, an event organizer said Sunday.
“The reason we are doing this is to continue to expose the fact that this is such a horrendous project, that it is doing untenable environmental damage to Rollins Mountain and the ridges of Rocky Dundee [Road],” said Brad Blake of Cape Elizabeth, spokesman for the Citizens Task Force on Wind Power, an umbrella group of about 14 groups of residents fighting wind projects around the state.
Members of the task force and the Friends of Lincoln Lakes, one of the 14 suborganizations, were making signs for the 8 a.m. protest. The protest will occur near the Rollins Ridge site, where workers paid by project proponent First Wind of Massachusetts are building roads and pouring concrete bases for the 40 turbines, each capable of generating 1½ megawatts, slated for ridgelines in Burlington, Lincoln, Lee and Winn.
Blake promised that members of the 14 groups would be there.
“We have people coming from all over the state,” he said. “People from other communities that are threatened by similar projects will be there, and we have people coming from communities that have been wise enough to put wind turbine ordinances in place to protect their citizens — unlike the irresponsible support for wind that the officials in the town of Lincoln put forth right from the beginning.”
First Wind officials hope to have most if not all of the turbines and other materials being stored at the Chester site installed by April.
The Lincoln Planning Board approved the project on Dec. 1, 2008, with the other host towns eventually following suit. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s permit for the First Wind subsidiary came in April 2009, but the project, probably the most protested since wind-to-energy companies began investing in Maine, had been in civil court since then.
The Friends of Lincoln Lakes have lost all of their protests to the planning boards, DEP and the Board of Environmental Protection, but the group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. Its lawyer, Lynne Williams of Bar Harbor, is continuing to press legal action with state officials over the project.
Blake said the protest will underline the group’s belief that the project is improperly sited, First Wind hasn’t the money to finish building and operating it, and that state money should not be used to support the project.
“If anybody could see the devastation to the environment from the blasting and clear-cutting taking place on the ridges above the Lincoln Lakes, they would understand how horrendous the environmental impact is for this,” Blake said.
First Wind has argued that its project meets or exceeds all state environmental requirements and that wind turbines have no adverse effect on land values while producing environmentally friendly electricity and significant economic benefits to their host communities.
Rollins is the first in the state contracted to supply Maine utilities with wind power at discount rates.
“The reason we are doing this is to continue to expose the fact that this is such a horrendous project, that it is doing untenable environmental damage to Rollins Mountain and the ridges of Rocky Dundee [Road],” said Brad Blake of Cape Elizabeth, spokesman for the Citizens Task Force on Wind Power, an umbrella group of about 14 groups of residents fighting wind projects around the state.
Members of the task force and the Friends of Lincoln Lakes, one of the 14 suborganizations, were making signs for the 8 a.m. protest. The protest will occur near the Rollins Ridge site, where workers paid by project proponent First Wind of Massachusetts are building roads and pouring concrete bases for the 40 turbines, each capable of generating 1½ megawatts, slated for ridgelines in Burlington, Lincoln, Lee and Winn.
Blake promised that members of the 14 groups would be there.
“We have people coming from all over the state,” he said. “People from other communities that are threatened by similar projects will be there, and we have people coming from communities that have been wise enough to put wind turbine ordinances in place to protect their citizens — unlike the irresponsible support for wind that the officials in the town of Lincoln put forth right from the beginning.”
First Wind officials hope to have most if not all of the turbines and other materials being stored at the Chester site installed by April.
The Lincoln Planning Board approved the project on Dec. 1, 2008, with the other host towns eventually following suit. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s permit for the First Wind subsidiary came in April 2009, but the project, probably the most protested since wind-to-energy companies began investing in Maine, had been in civil court since then.
The Friends of Lincoln Lakes have lost all of their protests to the planning boards, DEP and the Board of Environmental Protection, but the group has no intention of stopping anytime soon. Its lawyer, Lynne Williams of Bar Harbor, is continuing to press legal action with state officials over the project.
Blake said the protest will underline the group’s belief that the project is improperly sited, First Wind hasn’t the money to finish building and operating it, and that state money should not be used to support the project.
“If anybody could see the devastation to the environment from the blasting and clear-cutting taking place on the ridges above the Lincoln Lakes, they would understand how horrendous the environmental impact is for this,” Blake said.
First Wind has argued that its project meets or exceeds all state environmental requirements and that wind turbines have no adverse effect on land values while producing environmentally friendly electricity and significant economic benefits to their host communities.
Rollins is the first in the state contracted to supply Maine utilities with wind power at discount rates.
Five Arrested at Wind Power Protest
Five protesters were arrested this morning after blocking construction vehicles at the site of a new wind farm under construction on Rollins Mountain in Penobscot County.
A protest at the site a wind power project under construction on Rollins Mountain has led to the arrest of five people. The protest was aimed at the 40-turbine project that Boston-based First Wind began constructing on the Penobscot County mountain in September.
Most of those arrested were members of the activist group, Earth First!, according to the Portland Press Herald.
They were apprehended after blocking construction vehicles from getting into the site for about half an hour. The demonstrators say they're concerned about the project's impact on the environment.
But First Wind officials told the paper that the renewable energy project is good for the environment and has already put 150 people to work.
Eventually, First Wind spokesman John Lamontagne told the paper, the $130 million project will put more than 200 people to work during construction.
The protest didn't have much effect on construction, as the intense storm that hit the state overnight had already put work at the site temporarily on hold.
A protest at the site a wind power project under construction on Rollins Mountain has led to the arrest of five people. The protest was aimed at the 40-turbine project that Boston-based First Wind began constructing on the Penobscot County mountain in September.
Most of those arrested were members of the activist group, Earth First!, according to the Portland Press Herald.
They were apprehended after blocking construction vehicles from getting into the site for about half an hour. The demonstrators say they're concerned about the project's impact on the environment.
But First Wind officials told the paper that the renewable energy project is good for the environment and has already put 150 people to work.
Eventually, First Wind spokesman John Lamontagne told the paper, the $130 million project will put more than 200 people to work during construction.
The protest didn't have much effect on construction, as the intense storm that hit the state overnight had already put work at the site temporarily on hold.
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