A Pro Wind View of Article X - A Guest Post

I opened up my email this AM to find this letter.  The sender asked if I would post if in fairness.  There was also a challenge in the email saying I had said many months back that I would post any pro wind view that wasn't just a wild pointless attack or incomherent.  They challenged me by saying  "now will you be fair and have the balls to post this"

I could not identify the sender, only that it appears to have come from around the CV area. Maybe it is from BP or Trieste. 

I have obvious disagreements with this person but I did find this letter interesting.  So after mulling it over today I decided to post it.

Here it is below for your enjoyment.

I am a proud supporter of BP and their Public Information Outreach efforts for their Cape Vincent Wind Farm that will bring exciting opportunities for Cape Vincent. I also credit New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his vision of a fair and balanced siting process like Article 10.   Article 10 carefully balances community concerns, with the need to address global warming, and also bring us energy independence from foreign oil and bring new American jobs and help save family farms.

But I am amused by the continued fringe voices of Art Pundt and his local soldier David Lamora who want to deny BP and the Article process in our community, and defend home rule.  They are out of touch, because I think the community and especially our Board and their supporters have moved on to a wiser path and I applaud the Town Board for not letting Pundt  and Lamora sway their thinking away from a fair balanced process, or denying BP into our community with a turbine ban. It is clear they do not agree with Lamora and Pundt.   Even the blogs have moved on and recognized Pundt and Lamora as the radical fringe for trying to ban BP turbines and deny the Board to participate in Article 10 and represent all of us. This Board has chosen a far more reasonable path for a community the Zogby poll says is more in favor of wind than not

That got me thinking.  Whose side am I actually on? We are not as far apart as some would believe and we should stop this deny, deny, deny, talk that separates us.

I did not vote for our current board nor do I support their anti - wind leanings and that of their supporters.  I have followed this Cape Vincent wind issue very closely and have been a strong advocate for BP and wind but I have not been particularly vocal.  

 But I was struck by something recently in a Cape Vincent town letter to the NY Public Service Commission (PSC) as part of the Article 10 process that made me step back from the shrill voices on both sides and try to take an unbiased look at what the Town Board and their supporters are actually doing.  I tried to cut through the rhetoric and instead look at their actions.  I am pleased that they are now fully engaged in the Article 10 process leaving fringe voices behind.

What struck me in the Town’s letter and letters from their supporters was an apparent willingness to have a detailed  dialogue with BP and the PSC to reach a better solution for all.  I was particularly struck by the Town’s expressed willingness in one  letter to support renewable energy on a large scale.  They indicated to the PSC and BP that they are not opposed to a large commercial renewable project for Cape Vincent, and felt BP could be the proper agent to bring us that project. One would have to surmise that this would also include a willingness to discuss local tax incentives to bring such a project to fruition. That too was implied in the letter.   They preferred solar, however, I would far prefer wind as a better solution. This is very positive!

But at least we are taking large steps toward each other rather than following the divisive voices of Art Pundt and David Lamora that would completely deny  BP into our community or the fair Article 10 process where our Board clearly recognizes they can better represent all sides in the community and possibly reach a potential compromise that is fair and balanced, despite having to put aside home rule on this critical issue.

 If the Board supports Gov. Cuomo’s and our direction  for  clean renewable energy, as they outlined in their letter, and in fact their comprehensive plan and zoning support as well, then we are more than half way there to an agreement and all we need to do is hammer out some details via the help of an unbiased knowledgeable Article 10 process taking a fair look at our zoning. A fair approach for BP as well.

I am also struck by the Boards acceptance of the PSC letter on potential conflicts at the PSC, and that they agree they now have assurances that the system is untainted and fair. This sets the stage from which we can now move ahead and trust the process for a fair decision for the entire Cape Vincent community.  I too had concerns and was hoping this potential conflict would not mar the process or turn the Board away from it. I applaud the PSC for their detailed response and I applaud the Town for recognizing it as fair and reasonable and not buying into the Pundt, Lamora hysteria that the Albany system is rigged.

 Former Cape Vincent Town Councilman Mickey Orvis was wise when he said we should give this problem to the State to decide and let the community heal. It appears in the end our board is now agreeing with Mr. Orvis by wisely ignoring Pundt and Lamora’s marginal voices to deny BP and Article 10 and committing to seeing that the Article 10 process works fairly  and brings us a final solution , and by participating are agreeing to that final solution as fair.  I now feel despite my differences with them and their supporters that they are coming around to recognizing by participating in the Article 10 that they have an obligation to represent me and are in fact doing so in a fair way with assistance they recognize and accept from the State. 

 And fortunately as I stepped back to examine it, it appears by the appropriate direction of our Boards we are almost to a solution ourselves, so let’s move forward and not let the fringe voices misdirect us from a compromise or a reasonable solution that you appear to support in the balanced Article 10 process.  This is where the Board and their supporters have moved on by participation in Article 10, and have wisely left the fringe voices behind to ensure fair representation of the whole community, and even me as a strong wind advocate. I hope my pro wind friends come to recognize we may have reasonable representation on the Town Board and should foster this relationship since they are finally moving on and leaving the fringe voices behind.  The Board’s continued support of the Article 10 process is critical to us now.

So despite my strong disagreements with this board, I at least strongly credit your reasonableness and willingness to recognize a renewable solution and participate and represent us all in a fair unbiased Article 10 process where even you recognize we can benefit from the State’s wise counsel by putting home rule aside.

 Sometimes like yourselves it is wise to recognize that individual rights should be trumped for the greater good.  Thank you!