Galloo Island Wind Farm Enters the Article 10 Siting Process

The Galloo Island wind developer has entered into the State Art. 10 siting process for their wind farm.    A couple weeks back while debating the merits, or lack of,  of the Art. 10 process this comment came on my blog.  I believe this person is a friend of Cape Vincent JLL blogger Rick Wiley. 

"Take it from someone retired from the industry. The JLL Blog is right on when it comes to developer's fears of the Article 10 process. It is not a process they want to go through if there is even a hint of "bad information" being entered into the public record. There are plenty of places in NYS where wind might be accepted under 25M to avoid PSC review. Is your concern really with Article 10 or is it with the author of the blogger personally?"

Well if this person was in the wind industry he/she seems to be a bit out of touch in their advice about  the NYS Article 10 siting process.  

Apparently the Galloo Island wind developer has no fears of entering the Art. 10 process where there will be much more than a "hint" of  "bad information" coming from the opposition.


The developer on Galloo has to know they are facing major opposition from various organized   factions in the region, yet they went right ahead and started the Art. 10 process regardless.

So apparently the JLL blog was not quite "right on" either.

I don't want wind turbines on Galloo Island negatively impacting most of the Eastern Lake Ontario Basin either, and write all the letters you want to the NYPSC in this process.  But be cautious about advice that engaging in the Art. 10 process is going to be a pathway to actually stopping this project.

Of course if you think about it, it would make sense that Wiley's wind industry buddy would promote Art. 10 that gives the developer major advantages.

Wiley makes a big deal on his blog that the NYPSC has said the developer's PIP is incomplete and recommends changes to the PIP.  Of course recommends is the operative word here.  All the developer has to do is write why they don't think they need to follow the recommendations and move on.  Or worse...if the developer does follow the recommendations, he just makes the case stronger in the Art. 10 process for his wind farm.

I hope people comprehend that when you engage in a regulatory process like this, and you demand things of the developer, and the developer follows through, you basically have talked yourself into a wind farm.  It is a permitting process...the process is designed to PERMIT something and regulate it...not stop it!!!

Don't mistake a regulatory paper chase for a fair process, especially when the developer can basically ignore the recommendations.

Hopefully the opposition has something more powerful up it's sleeve because the Art. 10 process is stacked toward the developer and NYS's rabid renewable agenda.