Decision is setback for Hounsfield Planning Board

Houndsfield Supervisor Jean H. Derouin said he was disappointed with the decision and will try to contact the state commissioner on Monday.

DEC Commissioner Alexander B. Grannis in the seven page decision wrote, "I...encourage that Town of Hounsfield Planning Board, in particular, to both participate and clearly articulate any concerns it may have to the DEC."

The DEC cited three reasons why it should be the lead agency. This is the first time the state has stepped in to perform an environmental review of a turbine project. Previous projects have been reviewed by municipalities in their respective regions and not by the state.

"The first criterion is whether the potential impacts from the proposed actions are of local, regional or statewide significance," the commissioner wrote.

The ruling states that since the proposed turbines are located 12 miles from the shoreline in Lake Ontario, that the project is "clearly different form nearly all wind farm projects previously reviewed in New York State."

The second issue is the DEC involvement over impacts the transmission line will have on the underwater environment. Also, "the proposed new public water supply and wastewater treatment systems should require DEC approvals, which could be determinative of whether the project as proposed could even proceed," the ruling states.

Lastly, the ruling states that the DEC has a larger pool of resources to study the impacts of the project, compared to the town.

"Based on the first and third criteria, therefore, its is my decision that the DEC through its Central Office is best able to serve the role of lead agency for the SEQR review of this proposed wind farm," Mr. Grannis wrote.

A full report of the ruling will be included in tomorrow's Watertown Daily Times.