Legislators won't revisit Great Lakes wind project

The Oswego County Legislature will not be revisiting the Great Lakes wind tower project, according to Legislature Chairman Barry Leemann.

The majority, which is comprised of 21 members, has not changed their minds, he said.

Legislator Doug Malone attempted to revisit the issue during last Thursday's legislature meeting by introducing an amendment. Following a discussion and a recess, Malone withdrew his motion.

Malone may bring the matter up at next week's meeting of the legislature's Economic Development and Planning Committee, however, the Republican-controlled committee is not expected to make any recommendations to rescind an earlier resolution that objects to the project.

"If it wasn't for Doug Malone, we wouldn't even have a discussion on it again," Leemann said.

The legislature voted in March to oppose a New York Power Authority project that would locate dozens of wind turbines in Lake Ontario. A proposal made by New York Power Authority called for the construction, siting and operation of wind-turbine facilities in Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario's eastern basin. The project would include inland transmission lines.

The day after Oswego County legislators rejected the plan, NYPA announced that it is planning to move the project somewhere else. The Jefferson County Legislature had made the same rejection. The project is said to be the first freshwater offshore wind project in the nation.

According to the July 12 issue of the Niagara Gazette, NYPA has proposed the $1 billion wind project for construction of up to 166 wind turbines along Niagara County's Lake Ontario shoreline, where is it also reportedly being met with opposition.

Wayne County has rejected the plan as well.

Not only has there been a concern of the impact of the turbines on the Great Lakes in regard to boating, fishing and overall tourism, the jobs that the construction would bring are temporary and permanent jobs are few, if any.

"We've already been told it won't create permanent jobs," Leemann said.

That is the case with the Galloo Island project. Those lawmakers involved with that project said they have already been told there will be no permanent jobs.

The temporary jobs, because they are so specialized, are likely to be performed by workers brought in from other areas, it was noted at a recent meeting.

Studies are currently underway to determine the impact the turbines have on wild life, including bats and bald eagles.

Dr. Todd Katzner, director of conservation and field research of the National Aviary, has been using satellite telemetry to track golden eagle migration patterns in Pennsylvania, around mountain ridges where wind power development is targeted for development.

Katzner's research is providing detailed information on the flight paths of these birds who use a narrow swatch along these ridges for migration each year.

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the National Aviary's Department of Conservation and Field Research a $193,000 grant to fund a detailed, multi-year study of the potential impacts of wind energy development in Pennsylvania on migratory patterns and flight behaviors of eastern golden eagles.

Leemann said he has received no word that anyone in the majority is seeking to revisit the issue. "It's dead as far as I'm concerned," he said. "No one has come to me and asked to revisit this."