It's all about the wind . . .

DELAWARE COUNTY WIND FARM PROPOSED:

Details of a plan that calls for 34 industrial wind turbines to be erected on a 6-mile ridgeline between Stamford and Roxbury will be reviewed at a public meeting here Wednesday.

Chicago-based Invenergy Wind, an energy development firm, wants to construct the 3.0 megawatt wind turbines on the Moresville Range between the two towns. Local residents have been divided over whether wind farms would be an asset or a detriment to their communities and to the Catskill region in general.
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A press release issued by Invenergy noted the proposed "mid-sized" wind farm, named the Moresville Energy Center project, is expected to produce 268 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, or enough to power 45,000 "typical New York homes." On-site transmission lines and existing roads will be used in the construction and operation of the farm, Miller said.

Miller called the Moresville Range "a great location for a medium-sized wind project."

The company also predicted the project could pay about $800,000 in taxes to local governments annually and employ five full-time workers. Miller said the firm expects the local operations center to generate an annual payroll of $200,000 and pay an estimated $600,000 a year in royalties to landowners, for a total of $1.6 million in "direct economic benefits to the host communities."

They announced few specifics, but Empire State Wind Energy representatives last night offered to help develop local wind power projects and return the profits to Wayne County communities.

Tom Golisano, the billionaire founder of Paychex and the money behind Empire State Wind, said the newly formed company is interested only in projects beneficial to the communities they're built in and acceptable to residents.

The scope of any projects would depend on what people in the community want, said CEO Keith Pitman.

"We're for real, we're sincere and we want to help you," he said. "Learn more, and let us know what you think."
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Although information on the size and site of the project wasn't on the agenda last night, Pitman did discuss Empire State's business model. The company would assume the risk and responsibility of development and return most of its profits to the community, he said.

A wind turbine can cost around $3 million and generate about $150,000 a year in profit, Golisano said. Empire State plans to keep enough money to cover the company's expenses plus "a little bit more" in profit, he said.

Most of the money, however, would go back to host communities through taxes, payments in lieu of taxes and fixed-rate energy sales, Pitman said. And towns involved in the project could eventually decide to purchase the turbines for themselves.

The merits of an Article 78 proceeding filed against the Town of Howard by a group of residents were hashed out in Monroe County Supreme Court last week.

The outcome of that is still likely a couple weeks away, as Judge Joseph Valentino reserved judgment in the case. The attorneys also have another week to get in any final comments in writing for him to use when making a decision.

In addition to the town, the suit also is filed against Howard Wind LLC, EverPower Global Corporation and the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency. Among the additional respondents listed in the suit are councilmen William Hatch and Robert Palmer, who have signed lease agreements with EverPower.
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The residents brought the suit against the town asking a local wind law be stricken, alleging “three of the town's five councilmen had conflicts of interest which disqualified them from voting on the law.” The complaint also states the board did not “comply with the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act” before it adopted the law.

The suit was transferred to Monroe County Supreme Court after three Steuben County judges recused themselves from the matter.

A proposed ordinance that would govern how wind turbines are placed in Cherry Valley is unworkable, according to David Little, project manager for Reunion Power.

"It basically would guarantee there won’t be a wind farm in Cherry Valley," he said Monday.

The Fenner Renewable Energy Education Center is quickly on its way to becoming a major tourist attraction.
The addition of a wind turbine blade on Thursday is just the beginning.

The 115-foot blade weighs 14,000 pounds and was donated by GE Energy. Delaney Brothers Construction donated the crane and Southern Tier Express provided the flatbed to transport the blade to its new home.

"We love our wind farm and the contribution our community is making to improving this country's energy independence, the environment and our children's future," said Joan Livingston, president of the FREE Center's board of directors.

The Town of Fenner donated the land for the facility.

The FREE Center began as a result of the number of visitors who visit the Fenner Wind Farm.

Friends and neighbors decided to establish a visitor center to educate the public about the benefits of renewable energy like wind power, solar power, hydro power, draft power and ethanol.