They Were Simply WRONG!!!

On Rick Wiley’s JLL blog there is a review of a meeting in Watertown several years ago involving state legislators to address the Art. 10 issue, particularly related to the siting of wind energy.  Wiley highlight a quote from Assemblywoman Addie Russell as if this was some type of gospel and validation.

Assemblymember Addie Russell:  

“I think you are probably better off if your community adopted regulations based on evidence based researching instead of a blanket ” No.”  I think that, if your what you ae concerned about is standing the legal test.  That is probably where you ought to go.  And that is just from a legal stand point.”

Of course I’m sure Wiley also highlighted this as validation that  Cape Vincent has done the proper thing to create a zoning law with regulations to accommodate industrial wind and   appease the Art. 10 process.  He is also a supporter of the Art. 10 process that removed community home rule on wind energy siting.

However, Mr. Wiley has also  been an ardent supporter of the state SASS scenic designation of our area.  This designation is supported by a detailed report by a highly reputable and experienced architectural and land planning firm with a positive reputation nationally in these types of issues.   The TIRAP report.

Unfortunately for Mr. Wiley, Ms. Russell, and the CV govt. that developed zoning with wind regulations to attempt to mitigate industrial wind development, those  highly respected land planning professionals who actually did very specific “research” of our area appear to significantly disagree with this approach to mitigate industrial wind  through zoning.  They in fact clearly imply the best approach would be to not allow such structures in our area.  

Geeee whiz… imagine that!!!  Here is the quote from that report about tall massive industrial structures. The TIRAP report indicates what Ms. Russell doesn’t seem to grasp in her limited conclusion.

" Consequently massive industrial and infrastructure projects should not be built within the SASS district or within its surrounding viewsheds. 
      There are presently no techniques to mitigate the visual impacts of these structures because they are so tall, massive, and frequently in motion."

Not only do they conclude these structures should not be allowed IN the SASS district…but not even in the surrounding viewshed!!!!

Where Ms. Russell’s logic falls completely apart is implying that anyone who would ban industrial wind energy in their zoning  is not using a well researched and analytical approach to reach their conclusion to  prohibit. A similar sentiment that Wiley and his blog commenters also endorsed.  Too bad they were so out of touch.

The fact is, if your intent is to truly protect your community and the surrounding area,  a thorough researching  of the significant and wide ranging impacts of industrial wind energy, the impacts of which defy zoning mitigation, then the conclusion to prohibit is far more rational than any attempt to mitigate what cannot be mitigated. 

In fact this is exactly what the SASS/TIRAP research concluded!!!

Seems that Wiley and friends and the CV govt who developed wind regulations that actually accommodates wind energy, now have a bit of egg all over their faces, since the SASS report they also heavily endorse, clearly indicates the zoning direction they followed with wind energy siting was in fact the wrong approach for our area!!! 

Not to mention that Wiley on his blog even indicated that CV was so experienced in this wind  zoning to appease Art. 10 that Clayton and other local communities should take notice and follow suit.  Great advice!  Too bad according to a reputable report it was the wrong advice!!!

Now keep in mind that the approach to prohibit wind energy development in CV and the area, promoted by myself and a very few others was heavily marginalized and criticized, sometimes with personal attacks that we didn’t have a clue what we were talking about, were only marginal voices, or lunatics screaming NO WIND!  Actually we had carefully researched our case.  In fact it was actually a no brainer, especially after the Wolfe Island Wind Farm visual impacts slapped us right in the face.

Well according to the TIRAP report by highly respected land planners who did do a very carefully “researched” study of our area …I guess we were right on the money.  And you will notice that the people supporting the wind zoning approach as gospel have not said much if anything about the TIRAP conclusion that tall structures like wind turbines should not be allowed.

Of course to me this has never been rocket science.  The State Art. 10 process created such irrational thinking and fear that many people and local govts miraculously came to the convoluted conclusion that somehow the way to stop wind energy was to write laws that actually allow it!!!!

Brilliant!!! 

 I have never understood that logic, but I am sure that is the exact logic Cuomo and the State had in mind to manipulate communities away from prohibiting wind development and into supporting the State renewable agenda!