On Earth Day 2009, New York Power Authority (NYPA) President Richie Kessel unveiled plans to industrialize Lake Ontario and Lake Erie with near shore wind turbines clustered in 120MW to 500MW arrays in waters 150 feet deep, or less. Some arrays would consist of 500 turbines towering 450'from the lake levels. NYPAs proposal was unveiled without input from the shoreline communities or businesses that will be the victims. Currently, Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga and Wayne Counties are working towards unilateral opposition to this NYPA project in Lake Ontario.

The Oswego County Legislature passed a resolution Thursday that opposed the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) proposal to seek contractors to develop a Lake Ontario-based wind farm to be located near the shores of Oswego County. The resolution passed after numerous residents from Oswego County and surrounding communities spent nearly two hours addressing the Legislature, voicing their concerns with the project and, in other cases, their support of the wind farm.

Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I-Pulaski) said today too many questions remain unanswered for windmills to be allowed to be built along the Lake Ontario shoreline. The New York Power Authority announced in December 2009 it is accepting requests for proposals (RFPs) from prospective wind mill companies to construct wind turbines along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The period for proposals to be accepted will come to a close in March.

"They stole our peace with a smile on their faces," says Judy. Hal has been speaking out about the unexpected noise problems from the newly erected turbines for a year now. The sound has been described as that of a jet engine taking off, an expressway, or the constant drone of a tractor. The Grahams say that leaseholders in Cohocton were told the sound of the turbines was likened to that of a refrigerator running, but that's not what they hear.

Allegany residents heard from a sound expert regarding noise created by wind turbines, and witnessed a heated discussion between a town consultant and resident during Monday's special meeting for the town of Allegany Planning Board and Allegany Town Board.

There won't be any battle lines drawn in the effort to stop the construction of new above-ground, high-powered transmission lines through Oswego and Jefferson counties. The two government agencies are hoping to pass a joint resolution to ask Upstate Power relocate the proposed lines to the bottom of Lake Ontario. ...Lawmakers are urging the lines be buried underground, and preferably under water, to preserve the aesthetics and economic-development potential of their communities, and further claim that there is no benefit to the counties for hosting the lines.

Iberdrola Renewables Inc. and Environmentally Concerned Citizens Organization are trading jabs over the proposal to amend the town's zoning law for wind power facilities. Iberdrola's attorney, Douglas H. Ward, of Young, Sommer, Ward, Ritzenberg, Baker & Moore LLC, Albany, asked the town not to change the town's zoning law in a Sept. 21 letter.

During Monday's meeting for the Town of Allegany Planning Board, a gathering of 15 to 20 residents at the Allegany Senior Center heard a short presentation by Kevin Sheen, senior director of development for EverPower Renewables. The New York City-based company has been interested in constructing a wind-turbine farm in the Chipmonk area for the past couple of years and had initially proposed the construction of 32 wind turbines in the community. The new plan calls for the construction of 29 wind turbines.

Bayshore environmental group the Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance (HAQLA) is opposing a proposal that would place a 380-foot-tall windmill near a residential area along the coastline. HAQLA President John M. Curran III has written to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Monmouth County Freeholders in opposition to the wind turbine project proposed for Union Beach ...Curran calls for a countywide moratorium on wind towers/turbines "until the county and towns establish effective, controlling ordinances and regulations" governing renewable energy projects.

The second set of recommendations from the town of Orleans Wind Committee includes requirements for fences around turbines, an earthquake preparedness manual and fire department training. The recommendations were submitted to the Town Council at Thursday night's meeting. These recommendations addressed a wide range of health and safety issues unrelated to noise concerns, which were addressed in the first set of recommendations. The new issues also included stray voltage, well water and radon.

The Clayton Town Council agreed to keep the sound limitations and most of the setback recommendations from the Wind Committee and forward them to the town attorney to begin writing a new zoning law for wind power development. The council, meeting Wednesday night, held voice votes on all 16 recommendations forwarded from the committee. The only point dropped by the council was a recommendation to site turbines so there would be no flicker effect falling at road intersections.

The 29th Congressional District is ground zero for wind farm development with more than 1,200 turbines ultimately planned for the region, according to U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning. Massa was in town Monday night to discuss his opposition to the federal health reform act, during a 1.5-hour long town hall meeting, saying the act would impose a higher surcharge on New Yorkers and undermine Medicare.