Industrial wind turbines tower over nearby buildings
All of us who live in North East Township prefer to go about our daily lives with the confidence that township officials are making good decisions, keeping the interests of ALL township residents in mind as they weigh the pros and cons of specific business affecting everyone in our community. The proposed wind turbine project, a development on a scale beyond anything previously done here, requires special consideration and care, not only because of the size and scope of this project, but because there are so many technical issues that need to be understood.
Complex issues require a technical background
It takes serious effort to understand all of the issues surrounding wind turbines, if someone tries to rush the decision, … watch out!
If you can’t answer a question, you shouldn’t make a decision
During the last few meetings of the North East Township supervisors and planning board, it became apparent that all technical questions about the project were being redirected to a representative of Pioneer Green Energy. He was, in effect, answering on behalf of the township, unfortunately, he was not elected by anyone in North East to represent them or to make decisions on their behalf. His answers are obviously going to present wind turbines in the most favorable possible light for the benefit of his company.
Many of you realize, if you had to give a detailed technical answer to a question about wind turbines, you would have to learn a lot more before offering an opinion. For most of you, though, no one is really going to ask, but many township officials are in exactly that spot. With this constant reliance on someone else to answer for them, it’s apparent they have some homework to do. If you or I or anyone else, asks a township official directly, we expect them to answer directly, themselves, to show us they know enough about the issue to make a fully informed decision, to show us they understand, to give us the confidence their decision is based on facts and not some other predisposition.
More input is needed before any decisions are made
We are more than willing to offer as much technical input as they require, to give them another point of view fully backed up by the facts. When they are able to answer questions from residents of North East Township directly, to explain their reasoning and what data they are referencing, then, and only then, will they be able to say with confidence they’ve fully researched all sides and are making their best decision possible. Then, and only then, can we have the confidence their decisions haven’t been made too soon or without a full understanding of the issues. They should require nothing less of themselves and you shouldn’t require any less of them, either.
The issues facing our elected representatives today are complex and costly and North East isn’t a sleepy little town with nothing at risk. This project is huge and deserves everyone’s best efforts to make the right decisions. Our officials MUST do this right or they MUST NOT do it at all. There is no other option.
Teresa Sheridan Sculley says
I completely agree! A neighbor visited me to let me know that there would be no problems with water wells because the water table was so shallow. I asked him about drilled wells and he said there could be a problem. I mentioned that most of the neighbors north of Law Road needed to drill water wells. He looked at me and said, “Well, that could be a problem!” I didn’t know that. This neighbor has also signed a lease with Green Power. He lived just up the hill from me in Wattsburgh!
abbylynn says
I bet that many people have not considered what will happen to water wells. If wells are destroyed, is North East Township prepared to extend public water to those homes? How much money will it cost for those homeowners to connect to the public water system? (The disputed North East Sewer Project now comes to mind.) And, should the wind turbine leaseholders and/or Pioneer Green Energy pay for those connections to the public water supply when they are the ones who ruin a well? I guess that would be something for the courts to decide.
Tom Wasilewski says
Thank you for your above editorial about recent North East Township meetings on the industrial wind turbine project. I attended several such meetings including the last Planning Committe meeting on the evening of May 6, 2013. I observed exactly what you reported: almost every time a question was asked the Commssion members they asked the Pioneer Green Energy company representative to respond. And based on my knowledge of industrial wind turbine projects after more than nine years of reading about them, seeing them, attending meetings etc. I can say the PGE representative had many misleading (not factual) responses.
I am very concerned that this project and many similar ones in the Great Lakes region will kill enormous numbers of raptors, songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, bats, butterflies, bees dragonflies which pass through this flyway-both along the Lakeshore and inland (north/south and east/west depending on the season)-It is reported that 90 % of migrating birds fly at night. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency and New York State Department of Conservation and Environment (NYSDEC) both issued critical reports of the proposed Ripley-Westfield, NY industrial wind turbine projects because they were to be built in major bird migration flyways and important wetlands. The proposed PGE project is in the same general flyway these federal and state agencies opposed the Ripely-Westfield, NY industrial wind projects.
Your photo of an industrial wind turbine (IWT) shows the real scale of these massive structures–go to http://www.wind-watch.org to see videos, photos, posted health studies, bird mortanlity reports, newspaper articles, land contracts, letters to editor from people living near IWTs and from regretful landowners who signed up etc. See the award winning film WINDFALL when it is shown in North East area or buy it. Save North East!!!!!