Legislators blow off wind project proposal

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.

Representatives of the NYPA have stated that the project, known as the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project (GLOW), would lead to the development of 120-500 megawatts of wind generation in the New York state waters of either Lake Ontario or Lake Erie. Each turbine placed within the body of water would result in the production of 3 megawatts of power, thus necessitating between approximately 40 to 170 turbines to comprise the wind farm.

The project would place turbines in water levels approximately 150 feet or less, which are specifications consistent with Mexico Bay.

During public comments, those in opposition of the project noted that a wind turbine farm in Lake Ontario would be a detriment to tourism, scenery and wildlife. Speakers also expressed concerns that the turbines would be made outside of Oswego County, thus providing little benefit to the local economy. Furthermore, some argued that the turbines would turn out energy that would end up downstate.

"The project has not been thought through," said Karl Williams, president of Henderson Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The owner and the leader of the project is a state authority," he continued. "They will pay no taxes, yet they are going to unleash 15 to 30 developers on your communities. They are going to make promises they can't keep and they are going to divide you."

Some speakers noted that not enough information regarding the project has been released, and asked members of the Legislature to hold off on Thursday's resolution.

"We, in science, like to have all of the facts laid out before we come to a decision, and I don't think we have done that," said Dr. Timothy Braun, an assistant professor in the biology department at SUNY Oswego. "I think we should table this or kick this over to the environmental management committee to consider this a little more before we hang up a sign in Oswego that says, ‘wind energy need not apply.'"

Prior to passing the resolution, Legislator Jake Mulcahey, D-Oswego, echoed Braun's point and said that by passing Thursday's resolution the legislative body would be performing an "injustice" to the community.
"I don't feel comfortable opposing a project that we don't know exactly what it entails," the legislator said.

Legislator Michael Kunzwiler, D-Oswego, added that the county should seek host benefits for the project from NYPA, and pleaded with members of the Legislature to table the resolution.

"This body should be encouraging and looking at ways to develop," he said.

Kunzwiler added that the project could proceed despite county officials' desires, as Lake Ontario is considered state property.

"We could vote this down today, and guess what? It could happen anyway," he said. "So why don't we become proactive ... and set the standard and make the parameters of how we want this molded in Oswego County."

Officials of the NYPA have stated that they are looking to select a developer by the end of 2010, and as legislators opposing the project noted, tabling the resolution would not be an option.

"We are in the eleventh hour of a fast-track project," said Legislator Jack Proud, R-Mexico. "The timetables are already upon us, and decisions will be made by people that we have no control over very soon."

Proud noted that the only control that the NYPA has offered Oswego County is stating that the community does not support the initial stage of the product.

"We didn't bring about the fact that all of the information of the project has not been out," he said. "There hasn't been enough time to deliberate ... the only thing we can do is exercise our local control and say ‘no.'"

An attempt to table the resolution proposed by Kunzwiler and seconded by Doug Malone, D-Oswego Town, failed and the resolution passed with a vote of 20-4. Kunzwiler, Malone, Mulcahey, and Amy Tressider, D-Oswego, voted against the resolution.

No members of the NYPA attended Thursday's meeting.