I was one of the over 200 people who attended Perry's Public Hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Monday, October 16th at the Perry Public High School. I was disappointed that only 1 of the 3 local papers that covered the story put the break down of the number of people who spoke, as to whether they were for or against, in their coverage. After all, don't you think that simple truth tells a story in and of itself? I also found it odd that with over 200 people in attendance, the story didn't rate front-page coverage in the Daily News. Nevertheless, the break down was as follows: 45 people gave statements in opposition to the turbines, 6 people spoke in favor of turbines, 2 people were on the fence but thought the whole process was going way too fast and should be slowed down, while 1 woman who wanted to speak against turbines arrived a little after 7:00 and was not allowed to sign in to speak at what was supposed to be a public hearing.

Some of the most notable objections came from homeowners who stand to have up to 17 turbines within 1 mile of their homes. Donna Tillapaugh passionately stated, "According to the DEIS, our 3 acres is vacant land. My property is NOT vacant land! We live there. We work there. We sleep there. We pay taxes on those 3 acres. What gives some company the right to take my rights away? How many people in this audience will buy my home knowing it is going to be surrounded by 14 turbines within a 1-mile radius?"

Dave Kramall, who resides on the Cowie Road in the Town of Perry, asked, "If Horizon is so sure property values won't be affected, then why don't they put their money where their mouth is? Why not demand a Property Value Protection Plan as part of any agreement?"

Adele Kunze who immigrated to this country from Germany 50 years ago, said, "We have always appreciated the freedom you have in this country. I feel this project takes our freedom away! It shouldn't be forced on neighbors who have no say about it!" Mrs. Kunze, along with numerous other people who spoke at the Hearing that evening, thought it should be brought up for a public vote.

Hans Kunze, well-known area banker and bird enthusiast, along with professional economist, Bob Firestine, who resides in the area, spoke of the unpredictability and short-sightedness of the economics of this project. Gerry Sahrle II quoted a pro-wind publication, saying, "The most optimistic outlook says the life of one of these turbines is 13 years - much like that of a professional athlete, provided he keeps himself in top condition. Many parts, such as the gear boxes, have a much shorter life, more like 4 to 6 years." He then asked the Board, "How is the Town going to get 20-years' worth of PILOT payments from something that's only expected to work for 13 years?"

Dennis Jason wondered if the Board had considered the possibility of rubber-necking accidents with the current setbacks from 2-lane roads such as Rt. 246 being only 1.5 x the height of the turbine - 615 feet in Perry's case. He also wondered how contracts could ever properly insure against the increased risk of lightning strikes and their ensuing power surges which could blow out neighbors' computers and appliances.

Dave Shearing, Vice-President of the Wyoming County Farm Bureau, said that he has serious misgivings about the proposed project in Perry. According to Mr. Shearing, "Land in our area is too valuable to cut into small and triangular pieces. A small field is a high-cost field."

Gerry Sahrle, Sr., retired NYSEG employee, told of of how the first question he asked way back in the 1950's, when he first worked for NYSEG, was why didn't they build a substation in Perry? He was told that it was cost-prohibitive to build a substation that would service the entire area at that time. Mr Sahrle asked, "They (Horizon) expect us to believe that they are going to build a substation here for less than 60 turbines, when it was cost-prohibitive way back in the 1950's to do so for the entire area? The DEIS keeps implying 'phases', and I am wondering how many phases are actually in the works for our area?" Mr. Sahrle pleaded with the Board and crowd members to realize that once the wind corporations have their foot in the door, and people have already signed away the rights to their land, it will be impossible to stop further phases, and even further devastation! (Phases 5 & 6 are already on the drawing board for the Tug Hill area.)

Rick Bolton, Physicist & Engineer, submitted his Independent Noise Analysis to the Board, citing the complete inadequacies of the sound studies in the DEIS. Jessica Macaluso held up the map of the proposed turbine sites and said, "See this spot right in the middle of all these turbines? This is my house. In the Noise Study, the DEIS shows all these neat little lines of how the noise travels. Supposedly, they neatly just stop before it gets to my house. I can tell you that there are days that the railroad that is 3 miles away, sounds like it is in my front yard, depending on which way the wind is blowing. I don't have an air conditioner to turn on to block out the noise, nor do I want one." Rather ironic that folks are expected to close up their homes and use more electricity in the form of air conditioners to block out the noise, don't you think?

Both Tracy Rozanski, who lives in Perry, and David Bassett, who retired from the U.S. Dept. of Energy, submitted questions about the total lack of addressing Alternatives in the DEIS, which is the responsibility of the project applicant. Both Rozanski and Bassett's comments pointed to the fact that Horizon's lack of addressing Alternatives as is required, points to the lack of any true concern for renewable energy and the environment, but to the true focus of the project - the production side for corporate profit.

Numerous other issues were raised and questions remain unanswered. A common question emerged, and has always been a question of mine since we first heard about this proposed project. Why are we making any decisions according to Horizon's time-line when so many unanswered questions remain? What's the rush? Oh, yeah - the incentives offered by our government, using our tax dollars to sell us out to these multi-billion dollar corporations, are due to run out by a certain date. As the Town Supervisor from the Tug Hill area told us when he was in Warsaw on Oct. 4, the wind companies couldn't exist if it wasn't for these subsidies. Thus, the rush by corporate developers to acquire access to our most valuable U.S. asset - our countryside.

Your land is a finite resource. God isn't making any more of it. Better think twice before signing it all away!