Wind farm developer to fix roads

It will cost energy developer First Wind more than $1.1 million to repair roads used in the construction of two wind farms in the hills surrounding the town of Cohocton.

Steuben County Public Works Commissioner Vincent Spagnoletti said the company, formerly known as UPC, will pay the county to restore several county roads to the same shape they were in before construction began. The two projects in the Dutch Hill and Lent Hill regions total 51 turbines.

Seven miles of county Route 35, listed in fair condition before construction began, will need extensive repairs, including four miles of rebuilding, Spagnoletti said.

However, there was no damage to county roads 6 and 36 due to hauling equipment and portions of the turbines to construction sites.

First Wind has already repaired several spots of the county Route 35 after they became impassable, Spagnoletti said. Total cost for the repairs to the road amounts to $929,000.
Some 3.4 miles on county Route 121, formerly listed as good, will be resurfaced at a cost of $151,000, Spagnoletti said.

The payments are part of an agreement between the company and the county. Road conditions were first surveyed by an independent contractor paid by the wind developer.

The county Public Works department rates each road on a four-level scale from poor to excellent. Payments for repairs were assessed on that scale with First Wind expected to pay more for work on the better roads.

"Some people said we should just rate them all as excellent," Spagnoletti said. "But we weren't trying to rip these guys off. We charged them the fair price."

The county took action in August 2007 when First Wind contractors began hauling heavy equipment up the roads before permits and the agreement were in place.

When the contractors ignored the county's request to halt travel until documents were in order, Spagnoletti had signs prohibiting heavy-vehicle traffic put up and deputies enforced the restrictions until the agreements were signed.

County Engineer Pete Messmer said there have been no problems since.

"They've been good to work with, after that, I'd say," Messmer said.

John Lamontagne, director of First Wind's corporate communications, said the repairs are a part of the developer's policy of community partnership.

"It has been a pleasure working with the DPW," Lamontagne said, in a prepared statement. "Last winter's construction caused some damage to some local roads that we did not anticipate. As community partners, we're ready to step up to the plate to repair that damage, and appreciate the county's cooperation throughout this process."

Spagnoletti said payment for the construction projects is due next year, before repair begins.