Buffalo Common Council member pushes back on Lake Erie wind turbine proposal

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Forty degrees and windy in late December aren’t exactly the ideal conditions for a beach day.

But that isn’t stopping Councilman Joe Golombek from thinking about Buffalo’s shoreline.

Golombek submitted a resolution to the Buffalo Common Council opposing the placement of wind turbines in Lake Erie and making Buffalo one of the last major cities along the coast to support a region-wide ban. The resolution was discussed in Monday’s council meeting. 

“Once I looked at all of this, I said, ‘Yeah, this is not a good thing for the region,’” Golombek said. “I just think it sends a clear message to the powers that be that there are legitimate concerns that cross party lines about these turbines.”

His resolution follows efforts from lawmakers downstate to try to add these turbines to Western New York's waters as a part of a statewide initiative to make 70% of New York’s energy green by 2030. One proposal would see close to 50 turbines spread out across the shoreline from Lackawanna to Dunkirk, and a Senate Bill was introduced in May 2023 that would establish a wind turbine pilot project in Lake Erie.

But, the proposal also follows a study by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority that concluded wind turbines should not be located in the Great Lakes right now because of high costs and environmental uncertainties.

Those findings prompted a movement across Western New York, spearheaded by Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie (CAWTILE), to get various municipalities to oppose the project. 

Buffalo would be among the last to join the movement. For Golombek, he feels it’s necessary to prevent contamination of much of Erie County’s drinking water and disrupt fishing. 

“There's lubricants that are on the turbines that will drip into the water,” he said. “I want it to be 100% environmentally friendly. I want it to be 100% fishing friendly.”

Golombek said he believes Buffalo was later to join the movement both because of the focus on where the American Rescue Plan funds should be spent before the end of year deadline and concerns about the turbines becoming a political issue. 

Congressman Nick Langworty (R) has introduced federal legislation — the Lakes Before Turbines Act — that would prohibit developers from utilizing tax credits for the construction of wind installations on the Great Lakes. Senator George Borrello (R) also sponsored legislation at the state level that would establish a moratorium on the construction or placement of wind turbines in the Great Lakes. 

But Golombek said after further investigation, he doesn’t think the turbine issue shouldn’t be a left or right discussion — but one that looks forward instead. 

“I certainly don't want to do something that benefits one region that's going to hurt another region,” Golombek said. “It's like planting a tree that you'll never use, but it'll cause shade for your grandchildren.”

The councilman said he expects this resolution to be voted on next week at the first council meeting of the new year.

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