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When it comes to an industry ethics code, why stop with wind?

Westfield-Republican|November 14, 2008
New YorkEnergy Policy

The guidelines included in State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Wind Industry Ethics Code provide vital oversight into the wind energy industry. The proposed ethics code establishes public disclosure requirements that will allow residents to know the full extent of any involvement between public officials and wind energy companies. ...Three wind energy companies have already signed on to the Attorney General's Wind Industry Ethics Code. We hope Babcock & Brown, sponsor of the proposed Ripley-Westfield Wind Farm, signs on in the very near future.


The guidelines included in State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Wind Industry Ethics Code provide vital oversight into the wind energy industry.

The proposed ethics code establishes public disclosure requirements that will allow residents to know the full extent of any involvement between public officials and wind energy companies.

The proposed code is the result of Cuomo's recent investigation into whether or not wind energy companies acted improperly in obtaining land use agreements. Cuomo's office is to be commended for its work and for the clear benefit the public will see in the implementation of its recommendations.

The proposed ethics code creates a transparent process that is good not only for residents and advocates, but …

... more [truncated due to possible copyright]

The guidelines included in State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Wind Industry Ethics Code provide vital oversight into the wind energy industry.

The proposed ethics code establishes public disclosure requirements that will allow residents to know the full extent of any involvement between public officials and wind energy companies.

The proposed code is the result of Cuomo's recent investigation into whether or not wind energy companies acted improperly in obtaining land use agreements. Cuomo's office is to be commended for its work and for the clear benefit the public will see in the implementation of its recommendations.

The proposed ethics code creates a transparent process that is good not only for residents and advocates, but also for public officials and the wind energy industry.

Within the framework of the ethics code, public officials can carry out the process in an open and inclusive manner and wind industry companies can focus on developing projects that allow for the growth of an important renewable resource while preserving the quality of life in communities across New York State.

Three wind energy companies have already signed on to the Attorney General's Wind Industry Ethics Code. We hope Babcock & Brown, sponsor of the proposed Ripley-Westfield Wind Farm, signs on in the very near future.

The premise of the Wind Industry Ethics Code is simple: information is power - and good decisions need to be based on good information.

We recognize that there are industry-specific issues with the wind industry that precipitated the Attorney General's investigation. But why stop with wind?

Land use decisions are made by municipal boards every day across New York State. The requirements of the Wind Industry Ethics Code, if expanded to all significant land use decisions, would increase transparency and accountability across the board.

The state already has standards that classify land use decisions as potentially significant within the framework of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). They are called Type 1 actions.

When any land use project that can be classified as a Type I action is proposed, the public has a right to full disclosure of the nature and extent of any potential conflicts of interest; companies should be prohibited from soliciting or using confidential information from a municipal official; and all other requirements of the ethics code should apply.

As with the Wind Industry Ethics Code, the benefits would extend not only to the residents, but to the municipal officials and project sponsors as well.

Perhaps the Wind Ethics Code can serve to raise the bar across the board.


Source:http://www.westfieldrepublica…

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