This One Is For the International Hypocrisy Hall Of Fame!!!

Sometimes the things Rick Wiley tries to get away with saying on his JLL blog just floors me! He either is so arrogant to think that we are all really stupid, have no capacity for memory, or maybe we are completely asleep!  Well I certainly have my senior moments but you ain't getting away with this one buddy!

Below is a comment from Wiley's recent post.

"It is very possible that Article 10 legislation WILL turn the beautiful Thousand Islands into a massive industrial wind turbine sacrifice zone. Iberdrola and British Petroleum intend to turn the Towns of Clayton and Cape Vincent into industrial wind turbine sacrifice zones. This is no time to back off, shut up and apologize for being anti wind!"

So let me see if I get this BS straight.  He is admitting that Art X is very likely going to allow the destruction of the Thousand Islands, yet he is a rabid supporter of the very CV govt. that absolutely blindly refuses to do anything other than faithfully follow the very system Wiley apparently is now getting a grip on will most like destroy our community and our region.  What a mastermind of logic!!!
However, the last sentence of Wiley's statement is the one that takes the cake.  Let me repeat that quote because it is just precious and  belongs in the hypocrisy hall of fame!!!

"This is no time to back off, shut up and apologize for being anti wind!"

Really Mr. Wiley?  You have got to be f!!!king kidding me!!!!

And of course you can demonstrate a squeaky clean record on making sure that all those anti wind voices have been heard, right?   You have never done anything to shut up or back off staunch anti wind voices right?   Anyone who is stupid enough to believe that...well I have a good price on a 500 ft. BP wind turbine for you too!!!

So is that why when someone who has been consistently one of the most staunch anti wind voices for 7 years, that you and Pandy on her blog as well have routinely shut those voices up like mine and others by blocking our anti wind comments simply because they don't agree with your favorite new govt and Hirschey??  And other of the Hirschey supporters like you and Pandy have routinely tried to back us off with repeated marginalizations when we commented that we didn't think the Hirschey govt was truly anti wind or anti wind enough.  

So what you meant to say was anti wind voices that agree with YOU and the soft touch anti wind approach!!!
When you try to pass off this bullshit and swallow your foot all the way up to your knee how does that taste!

I distinctly remember a time when YOU directly referred to strong anti wind voices, particularly mine and Dave Lamora's, and others who have been staunchly anti - wind as hysterical whining marginal voices because we didn't agree with the approach of the Hirschey govt, and didn't immediately fall in line like good goose stepping soldiers. Gotta shut those voices up and sweep them off to the margins!!!

The Hirschey WPEG govt by the way who, other than Michelle Oswald before the last election HAS NEVER ONCE THAT I CAN RECALL SAID THEY WERE ANTI WIND!!!!  And just like WPEG who previously and I think right up to this day refuses to say they are anti wind. They apologize and back themselves down and shut up on being anti wind all by themselves!!!

In fact my blogging friend... here once again is your favorite town supervisor spouting off his deep anti wind sentiments!  Seems he is very definitely apologizing to the reporter and a news story trying to label him anti wind!   Oooohhhh Noooo don't want any of that anti wind stuff!!!  Oh No I love wind, just put them over by Lyme and the poor suckers in the CV interior!

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Cape-Vincent-Supervisor-Urban-Hirschey-Wins-Republican-Primary-129775248.html

Pretty sad when the town supervisor of a town on the brink of a BP and regional environmental wind disaster has to be so politically green correct that he can't even muster the courage to bring himself to say the obvious. 

Maybe Rick, instead of lecturing the rest of us on how we should be anti wind and speak up, maybe you should start with Hirschey and tell him to not shut up, back off or apologize!  maybe you should look in the mirror too.

Maybe it's time to cut the bullshit blogging and tell your govt to get a grip that their direction is going to take this town to it's ultimate destruction with their blind allegience to Cuomo's Art X process.  Well OK, tell them when you spit your foot out of your mouth!  

Oh yes...in case you missed it my name Mr. Wiley, it is Art Pundt.  It is the same name I have publicly put on virtually every anti wind message I have put out there for 7 freakin years with NO apology!!!.  

 And that would be the same devoted, consistent anti wind name you and Pandy and some rabid Hirschey supporters have repeatedly tried to back off and shut up!!!

BP Wants To Violate Our Comp Plan and Zoning- That Is No Secret! - Psssst, But Here Is a Secret...So Does Our Town Board!!!

I have been reading the Town of Cape Vincent's response to BP's scoping statement.  I am not posting the letter here since it is already on both CV blogs and at the NY PSC website where you can read it and I'm sure many have already.  Below is the link to the PSC comments website.

http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterSeq=40867

But here we go again with this absurd solar idea.  Here are some statements from the Town's letter to BP and the NYPSC.

"The Town urges BP and the Siting Board to consider a solar project to

demonstrate that solar is a better fit for not only Cape Vincent, but for all

New York communities with natural and community resources similar to the

Town of Cape Vincent."

"A solar renewable project alternative should be provided by BP to

demonstrate that solar is environmentally friendly while wind is an

environmental disaster."

First of all get a clue.  BP is OUT of the solar business!!!  Gee think that might be relevant if you are writing a letter so important?????? It makes the letter look ridiculous and badly out of touch.  Hey....maybe we could ask Ford to manufacture us an Edsall too!!!  Oh I forgot...we already have one of those in town!!!
 
 Now I have gone on and on about the town officials and their "green dream" and apparent willingness to spend your tax  dollars as subsidies to encourage BP or anyone else to put up a commercial solar project.  To sooth their apparent green guilt and appease Cuomo and the Art X board, they seem to have a willingness to spend your hard earned money to support these ridiculous industrial renewable projects, and I guess they have a green need to put up a solar project,  to prove how "reasonable" they are.   And apparently they are so eager or desperate ( or confused ) to go "green"  that they are willing to violate our very own comp plan that the town worked so hard on and takes so much pride in.

So read and look below and you be the judge!
Compare these statements from our comp plan, with these images I have taken of industrial solar projects in Nevada.  One owned by Acciona.  It is just as insane as wind development.  The town board without your input mind you, is just selling you another industrial renewable tax scam!  Keep in mind the scale of these projects and that they are large invasive INDUSTRIAL projects.  That is why in Nevada they sit on huge remote tracts of vacant land south of  Las Vegas ZONED for large scale renewable INDUSTRIAL projects.

It ain't Cape Vincent folks!!!!

Here is the vision statement of our comp plan.

Cape Vincent's Vision Statement:


“Cape Vincent is a small-town, rural community with unique scenic, historical and natural resources. We are committed to preserving these essential qualities that make it a desirable place to live, while seeking to improve the local economy by promoting compatible residential and small business growth.”

See anything in here about large industrial solar or other such projects??????

So when in the hell did the town officials suddenly decide, with out any community input or any science , or experts, studies or research, to back up this industrial solar nonsense, that solar was suddenly a "good fit" for Cape Vincent???? 

Believe me it is NOT, and if you experienced one of these industrial solar projects up close you would not want to live near them any more than you would a wind project, and they would do much the same to nearby property values as industrial wind would.  But in their apparent green arrogance to think they know better, they are selling BP, the State, AND YOU, a pointless solar project.  There is NO logic, or CONSISTENT thinking in this ridiculous solar scheme, and  in one of the least sunniest places in the nation to boot!! In their illusions that they can beat Art X they have now become irrational!

Here is what our comp plan says for the CV agricultural interior.

Discourage:

"Any industrial, commercial or utility development whose influence would have a negative impact on health, safety, scenic and natural resources, property values,recreational opportunities and tourism assets."

 Look at these pictures of industrial / commercial solar installations.  Do you HONESTLY think this is a "good fit" for CV and complies with our comp plan?????  Pure "green" nonsense.  Not to mention we have no provisions in our comp plan or our zoning for these types of large industrial projects, no matter if they stick up in the air like wind turbines or sprawl over hundreds of acres of habitat scraped clean on the ground fro solar.

The large building in this picture is not a direct part of the solar installation.  It is a gas plant zoned for the same energy industrial area, and apparently provides back up for the solar because it is intermittent just like wind energy.

       The large industrial structures in this photo ARE part of the this (Acciona's)
   industrial solar operation.  Want to live next to that?  Does that
     comply with our comp plan and zoning?  Do you think
this type of  industrial complex represents a "good

fit" for our community?  Get serious!!!

Here is another thing the comp plan says about the CV agricultural interior.

Encourage:

"Residential development along water district corridors. Agriculture as well as small, alternative agricultural development that might offset the loss of some dairy operations, for example, wineries and local produce. Commercial development, but with
development that will have minimal adverse agricultural, environmental and human impacts."
    Now let me see...when I took the pictures of these industrial solar installations there weren't any cattle grazing under or around them, or vineyards, or other produce being grown under or around them either.  There weren't any nice neighborhoods hooked up to residential water districts. Why? Because they are zoned as they should be as large heavy industrial zones!!!!   And the ground was scaped clean for hundreds of acres with nothing but flat dirt underneath.  Not exactly environmentally friendly to numerous bird and animal ground species and plants.     AND THEY SURE AS HELL WEREN'T SMALL!!!   So what about this do our town officers not get!  The town officers who are supporting this nonsense should go back and do some more research on zoning and how it is supposed to work in a rational mind! Because apparently they missed something fundamental in zoning school!  Does our com plan or our zoning have provsions for large sprawling industrial energy zones and projects???  I read them both.  Did I miss something?    So when did the town officials simply take it upon themselves to ignore our comp plan and zoning?  You know kinda like our previous old boards did!   The same zoning they are claiming will save us from Art X.   I guess you can't blame BP for wanting to preempt our laws when apparently our own town officials seem to lack a fundamental understanding of them and want to ignore them for their own favorite green project agenda.  They are strutting around telling BP and the NYPSC how they must abide by our zoning laws.  Maybe our town officials should take their own advice first before they start telling everyone else how to act. 

This is how idiotic and absurd it becomes in this Art X appeasement scheme to look "reasonable" instead of taking the simple obvious stand to defend our land and our rights.  One hand doesn't know what the hell the other is doing.

Tear apart wind energy with all these studies and experts, and lawyers and science and research, and then in this absurd move just start promoting another pointless unreliable, ineffective minuscule power producer,  tax dependent renewable scam like industrial solar.  Gee, does some solar company have a hand in our town officials pockets????? 

Did I miss all the numerous public hearings on solar development?  Did I miss all the town/BP sponsored fire hall presentations on solar?  Did I miss the committee to study it and it's land and economic impacts? Did I miss the expert's presentations, and the land appraiser experts?  Did I miss the experts on field nesting bird, animal and plant impacts?   Or did the town officials in their blatant arrogance and Art X delusions just decide for us without any detailed examination that solar was the "bee's knees" for Cape Vincent!!! 

The last town govt ignored our zoning and com plan for their renewable agenda.  Is this one doing the same? And isn't that why we removed the last town govt?  The last town govt wouldn't give us a wind zoning law.  or update our comp plan.   This one does but it appears they will just ignore it, or at least the most important intent of it!

And lastly in the context of Art X, the town letter would be a good one and well done pointing out all the issues and problems with BP, the PSS  and industrial wind on and on and on.  

Ahhhhhh.... but it seems to me they are badly missing the point.  If industrial wind carries this much impact baggage why the hell are we screwing around with it and a scheme that might allow it or even a compromise, and suggesting we replace it with another renewable tax scam, not to mention with no science or research to back their position on solar.  And people wonder why I question their judgement.

So how exactly was this solar decision made?   Oh,  BTW we had a couple glasses of wine over dinner and  we just thought in our "green" liberal delusions that solar would be nice and we can somehow cram it into a zoning law that has no provsions or vision for it!! Hey...maybe no one will notice.  Maybe we can throw in some butterfies and unicorns too!!!

 In their letter they have made a perfect case to BAN wind from our region and community.  Not to mention to oppose the entire Art X scheme since it removed our rights as a community.

The really sad part is that our town officials have sucked right into solar as the gereen answer Just like so many people and environmental groups have sucked right into wind with their ignorance as the climate energy answer.   The same thing so many of us have been trying so hard for so long to educate so many about the failings of these industrial scale renewable tax scams.

And BTW when did our town officials  ...  for ANY REASON ... become so anxious and irrational and desperate to want to get in bed with BP, one of the worst companies on the planet???

Confused and Still Is!!!

Our former town supervisor Tom Rienbeck submitted a letter to the NYPSC.  You can read it below. Then my commentary is below it.  Like many of the other moves he has made on behalf of the wind developers this is also confusing.

Honorable Jeffrey C. Cohen Acting Secretary, NYS Board of Electric Power Generation Siting and Environment Three Empire State Plaza Albany, New York 12223-1350


RE: Case-F-0410 Cape Vincent Wind Power, LLC

Dear Secretary Cohen,

RECEIVED
PUBLIC SERVICECOMMISSION
EXEC-FILES-ALBANY
2013 APR I 6 PH 2: Olt

I direct your attention to the marked passages in the letter dated April 4, 2013 from the Cape Vincent Town Board. It was approved at a Town Board meeting on April 3, 2013. Several statements in the letter are misleading

10Th ere would not be any leaseholders for the project if the project was "thoroughly unwelcome".

2.
Landowners were first approached by BP's predecessor Greenlight Energy in the
second half of-2005. "overwhelming opposition over almost a decade "is a
misstatement .

3.
a community survey in 2007 showed that 600/0 of the respondents supported
wind energy, a May 2011 Zogby survey showed 41 % opposed.

Hardly a "voice of the clear majority" nor has the community of Cape Vincent
"spoken in near harmony"

4.
The elections in 2012 had an approximately 700/0 voter turnout, the last Town
Board member was elected in a 52/480/0 split, hardly a "clear majority".

5.
The appointed officials who also signed the letter, with the possible exception of
one, have all been appointed by the anti-wind Town Board.

This only addresses one letter. What else have they misled you about?

Please understand that this Town Board does not represent all the citizens of Cape Vincent. They lobby very well for the opposition to wind turbines in our area. There is another side that supports this project. The Town Board does not acknowledge nor support this other side. 

  To me Tom Rienbeck is a very tragic character in this Cape Vincent wind mess.  Mind you I am not excusing his behavior, but I think he got snookered by the wind developers, his lease holding friends, and probably by Richie Edsall our former planning board chair as well.  And then once he was in the trap his behavior became more irrational, desperate, and entrenched. 

  If Mr. Rienbeck had taken another more measured path to listen to all the community, even if he was rabidly in favor of wind development, and not suckered into the idea of marginalizing his seasonal community, which brings in much of the town's taxes and income, maybe the turbines would be up and running and he might still be town supervisor.  He even went so far as to alienate many of the permanent residents as well. His apparent willingness to marginalize and wage war on the seasonal community on behalf of wind development was irrational and cost him dearly in many ways.   

The pro wind side likes to blame Mr. Hirschey and the "wealthy" anti wind seasonals for their troubles and Rienebeck's and his former govt's removal from office.  They will NEVER get it that Rienbeck's downfall and the problems it has brought them, like losing political control of their community were not anyone else's fault but Rienbeck's and his absurd political and leadership actions.  

  One prime example.  When you are handed a 800 + name petition, with both local and seasonal names on it asking for a 1 year wind moratorium, and even some lease holder names on it...you have to be out of your freakin political mind to just ignore it.

Gee why not in a small town where every vote matters just piss off 800 potential voters!!!  That's politically real smart!    

I wonder if Rienbeck, his board  and the pro wind side ever had a CLUE that such a list of names as a public record at a minimum could be used as a prime list of voters unhappy with Rienbeck's and the boards's actions. 

Geee do ya think!!!   It was a political and pro wind development disaster.  And the pro wind side just keeps up this absurd behavior, like still calling the seasonals "wealthy anti wind seasonal voters", or suing the bloggers, or trying to pass illegal voter laws. 

 THEY JUST DO NOT GET IT HOW THEY KEEP BURYING THEMSELVES!!!!   

  I believe in the end Tom Rienbeck was a very confused man significantly overwhelmed by circumstances brought to his town.    Let me give you an amusing example.   In 2006 Rienbeck and crew started down the road on a wind law. After a while they decided to scrap that wind law probably figuring out most likely  with the advice of the wind developers, and then Edsall  that it was too restrictive on sound and would have killed any wind project. 

Also in the process of amending our zoning for wind this would have required a full state SEQR environmental study.  This would have been costly and mainly time consuming and inconvenient for the developer trying to ram rod a project through, and for the lease holders.   Also the law after all did have two restrictive key provisions.   

So they decided to try to skirt these issues by simply trying to call wind turbines utilities which could then be allowed in any CV zoning district, and means they could just be shoved under our current zoning at that time.   Then the planning board under the control of Edsall, a BP lease holder, and his wind conflicted PB would completely control any wind project site plan review and would be in charge of the individual SEQR's for the projects and could ram rod the projects.  It would be out of the town boards control.  

Two of the provisions among others in the old draft 2006 wind law law were:.   Wind turbines were NOT to be considered as utilities.   And the sound restrictions were to be 5dba above ambient at the property line of non participating owners.  

For an interesting historical reference I have posted the draft law below from 2006 were you can see these provisions.  

But here is the amusing yet sad  part of all this that demonstrated Rienbeck's deep confusion in his rabid haste to assist the wind developers, and his lease holder friends.  

In 2006 there was a vote taken whether to move forward with wind zoning and the SEQR studies. Actually and very ironically that vote failed and the wind law efforts should have proceeded (that is another story) but in the end the effect was that all attempts at a new wind law and the SEQR studies were scrapped, despite a vote that officially failed in it's attempt to stop the wind law /SEQR process. Rienbeck's town board just scrapped that democratic vote too, and instead went on to calling turbines utilities under our current laws, and let Edsall and his planning board control it all. How convenient!!!  

Problem is that Rienbeck then told Edsall and the planning board to "adopt"  the old draft 2006 wind law that had just officially been scrapped as "guidelines" for the planning board's site plan review of the wind projects!   Really???? 

And guess what those "guidelines" said????  That's right!  Turbines are NOT utilities, and the sound restriction should be 5dba measured at the property line !!!   The sound restriction we now know would have been a project killer!!! 

 And here is where it becomes a real hoot!    Basically what Rienbeck did in his confused entrenched state of mind, and Edsall initially accepted in his quest for control of the wind projects, was to tell Edsall and the  PB to follow "guidelines" (the scrapped 2006 draft law) that were completely contrary to their wind agenda  They wanted to just call turbines utilities, and the "guidelines" that Rienbeck instructed Edsall and the PB to adopt for site plan review, said they WERE NOT to be considered urtilities!!!  These guys couldn't even get their own agenda scheme straight! 

 I remember in Aug 2006 before all this utilities thing surfaced, I had a conversation with Edsall on the street after a WPEG wind informational meeting. He was already struting around all puffed up that we weren't going to get a wind law because they thought they could just call turbines utilities under the current zoning law with no changes.  

Problem is that legally the PB can't "adopt " anything like the scrapped law as "guidelines" as a "defacto law", since they have no authority to do so.  Only the town board can pass laws. 

But during the site review process Acciona like fools actually agreeded to abide by these "guidelines" which Rienbeck told Edsdall to adopt and Edsall then forced on Acciona.   Guidelines that would have killed their project!!!  And once you force Acciona to abide by the "guidelines, to not be arbitrary you would have to make BP abide by the same guidelines.  Edsall was in effect killikng his own leases!!! 

 Duuuuh!  Do ya think there is any confusion here!  And these are the pro wind people along with their buddies that tell us how smart they are and how we should go along and trust their judgement.   And now like Rienbeck they are trying to convince the NYPSC with their same "genius" judgement they should listen as well...YIKES!!! 

 Of course once Rienbeck, Edsall, and the wind developers actually got a clue  what a screw up they had made with this wind law "guidelines' BS, they then started stepping all over themselves in denial.  Edsall at one meeting even tried to deny the guidlines were ever adopted to which I held up PB minutes that clearly showed they had been and the vote was unanimous.  CALL THE COPS MICKEY, MEETING ADJOURNED!!!  

Like I said, not to defend him, but Rienbeck was a confused man overwhelmed by circumstances out of his control. 

 But there is a sad follow up to all this.  One member of the planning board that followed and vote yes on virtually every Edsall /Rienbeck move was Karen Bourcy.  She was critical in conflcited votes she should not have taken that thrust this town into complete legal, zoning and social chaos, yet our current town board thought it was appropriate to re-appoint her to the PB as an alternate.   I guess the confusion continues!  Go figure! 

 Below is the old draft 2006 wind  law.  It's interesting that this thing ever made it before the old 2006 pro wind town board. Note the two key restrictions mentioned above.  Note also the ridiculous setbacks and how much we have learned since 2006. 

 Really what we should have learned and apparently haven't was to BAN this zoning disaster all  together.  the other major problem I got onto early on in 2006 was that this 2006 law would have NO WAY been in accordance to our 2003 comp plan, which the old board was trying to bury and ignore.  I believe it would have been a strong legal path to defeat that old law had it passed.    

  Just like I believe our current law to allow any wind development at all is not in compliance with our current comp plan.  

Guess we haven't leaned all that much!   

A Damn Good Letter!!!

Now as many know I am not a fan of writing letters to the NYPSC, especially the ones that beg and plead the powers that be to deliver us from the BP wind disaster and return our rights.  But as far a letters go this one is a damn good one with a real powerful point. I underlined what I think are the critical points.

First thank you LTC Oeschger for your service and the sacrifices your family makes as well for your service.

Judge Agresta,

It's refreshing to hear in your signature block that you work for the people. My name is LTC Mike Oeschger, Commander 3-6 FAR out of Fort Drum NY and I am a property owner in Cape Vincent and will retire and begin a business in this community when my service is complete with the US Army. I am currently stationed in Afghanistan while my wife and son remain in Cape Vincent improving our property and participating in the community.

As a relative newcomer to the area I find myself wondering why the decision to have wind turbines built in the community has been taken out of the community¿s hands. If this is indeed the case I find it abhorrent and in the strongest possible terms would like to offer my protest at this action which I believe falls under Title X. (Art X).

Regardless of how I feel about the proposed BP construction (I am against it by the way) I feel my community is being railroaded by the state and the decision has been taken out of the hands of the people who should make it. Having worked governance and reconstruction issues in a number of countries where we (US) have always advocated for rule of law and democratic principles it would appear that we as a State are disregarding these principles in our very own country.

I appreciate your service to our nation and our community and have the upmost respect for the duties of your office. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

LTC Michael T Oeschger
Commander 3-6 FAR
FOB Aryan
Afghanistan 

LTC Oeschger seems to get the real point of all Cuomo's Art. X crap  along with  the NYS Legislature that has removed our most basic American community  rights.  The very rights  he and others like him have risked their lives to protect for generations.  It is perfectly understandable with his experience with democratic efforts around world that this would be abhorrent, as he says,  right here in our own country, and state.  I couldn't agree more!  And I would add  for nothing more than the profit interests of large corporations at the cost of our basic rights. Many of them FOREIGN!!!  

To bad our town officers, some who have served in the military,  and the people who support them don't find this as abhorrent and disgusting as Mr. Oeschger does, and as I do as they patronize and appease the very system that stripped those rights away.  That too is disgusting!   To bad while LTC Oeschger and people like him risk their lives for those rights and against  tyrannies like this one that has surfaced right in our own State and communities that they aren't willing  right here in the safety of our own community and region to really put something at risk to fight this abhorrent removal of our rights by Cuomo's Art. X rather than safely play along with it like victims and pawns.  

But no...let's not fight back, let's just sacrifice or compromise our community so we look safe, reasonable, and respectable, to all those politicians down in Albany who had no problem within our own democratic country just stripping our community rights away.   

Oh yes and never forget that BP the company that wants to destroy our community with an industrial wind disaster, lobbied in 2010 for the release of a terrorist that bombed Pan Am flight 103 and killed numerous Americans and Syracuse Univ. students all to enhance the possibility for BP to get $900 million in lucrative oil drilling contracts in Libya .

 Yet Cuomo and his cronies are passing legislation taking away basic American rights to assist companies like this to do business in NYS!  Yet many in our town govt and town just sit back and play along and appease this disaster.   I wonder how LTC Oeschger would feel about that?  

It disgusts me!

             

   

Andy says New York State is open for business!!!

Now come on Cape Vincent...I  like home rule too, but let's be reasonable!!!!

So far you have played along like nice boys and girls!!!

Surely, Gov. Cuomo?????

In a recent letter of complaints by the Town of Cape Vincent to the NYPSC referenced in my last post below, the town officers made this statement.

"Surely Governor Cuomo did not envision Article 10 as a device to force a wind project on a community where it is thoroughly unwelcome."

That is interesting...I wonder exactly what they think Cuomo's Art. X is for and why it exists?

Let's examine this statement a bit. 

So what they are implying here is that any community that passes  very restrictive  wind zoning regulations or a ban, and shows some stiff opposition, and suddenly Cuomo just lets them skate away wind free?  Really??? that's it...that's all we have to do to convince the NYPSC and Cuomo to walk away?

WOW...I didn't realize it was THAT simple!   Do they honestly believe this?

Now let's see...virtually every community wind touches raises significant controversy, and in many an organized opposition of loud voices sufaces, and in some, a change in the town govt.  occurs as a direct result of the opposition to the industrial wind issue.   Just like in CV.

Sooooooo....where then does Cuomo and his large corporate wind and renewable clients plop down their invasive wind farms as this reaction has caught on across many  of NYS's communities? Where does Carol Murphy of ACE NY, who stood hovering  like a vulture over Cuomo's shoulder as  he signed Art. X, and Marion Trieste get to point their fingers at  their wind farms and tell everybody how wonderful it is and look at the screaming success of Mr. Cuomo's legislation to further, his and ours, and the State's renewable obligations. 

Oh, except in these prime little wind communities where a wind law and some  opposition defeated us by participating in the very same legislation we designed and passed overwhelmingly so we could defeat them and keep them under control!

If Cuomo passes on community after community in good wind resources, how exactly does this further his political agenda.  It doesn't, and he would look like a completely spineless ineffective weak fool of a politician if a little opposition and a few home rule laws fried his political cookies.

 Does the town REALLY think he is going to sit still for this????   REALLY????  My opinion is that political reality says he will give us at best a terrible compromise so he and his legislation can have a nice shiny example to scam everyone how wonderful this all worked out, and how we looked real hard at everyone's input, and by gosh everyone was "reasonable"!!!

Not to mention we are one of the first communities to come under Cuomo's Art X scheme.  You really think Cuomo and his PSC are just going to say...

"Wow they have a great responsible restrictive wind regulations, and it looks like the wind opposition doesn't  want our wind turbines, so let's set a huge precedent right up front with one of our first stabs at Art X for a big industrial wind client and just let this one pass and tell BP too bad go home"

Yup, I'll bet that is right up top on Cuomo's green energy job, Power NY  Energy Highway renewable political agenda.

Art. X exists in direct political response to relatively successful wind opposition that was building in NYS, and many many more people and communities becoming far more savvy and vocal about the industrial wind scam, and spreading the word and  turning that into direct home rule political action to restrict it or stop it.  This story resides in the vast majority of the towns in the NNY and 1000 Islands region and it had to be politically STOPPED on behalf of large corporate interests. And the quickest way was to screw democracy and community home rule rights and replace it with a tiddy little system where everyone feels so warm and fuzzy about their input....just like our CV leaders!!!!

Our town leaders quickly need to get a serious grip on harsh political reality and stop dangerously indulging themselves in this high school  civics class ra ra ra. go team go, American democracy fantasy.

For God's sake people, Cuomo and the NY legislature just blatantly ripped away your most significant community rights for corporate interests and their profits.

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!

And just a reminder of how important the rights were they took away...

NY Town Law on comp planning and zoning which they just stripped away to enhance large corporate and political interests and agendas.

1. Legislative findings and intent.


The legislature hereby finds and determines that:

(a) Significant decisions and actions affecting the immediate and

long-range protection, enhancement, growth and development of the state

and its communities are made by local governments.

(b) Among the most important powers and duties granted by the

legislature to a town government is the authority and responsibility to

undertake town comprehensive planning and to regulate land use for the

purpose of protecting the public health, safety and general welfare of

its citizens.

Yeah...well noooo shit...so let's just take that away!!!!

.

And the Answer Is!!! Never or Highly Unlikely!!!

Close your eyes...

...this won't hurt a bit!

The question promoting my answer comes from another in a  series of mind boggling pathetic whining letters from the Town of Cape Vincent officials to the NYPSC.  In the last sentence of the last paragraph  of the recent letter the question highlighted and quoted down below was asked.  We will get to that in a minute.

The basics of the letter is addressing the fact that the Town officials believe that there has been considerable opposition to BP's project for a number of years, and why isn't the PSC and the Art X system listening to that input.  Geee I don't know has anybody tried to tell the town and people going along with Art X that their letters would basically be a waste of time and effort?  It seems that in this town letter of complaints that the town is now on the fringes of starting to recognize that reality they should have recognized long ago. The letter also outlines and complains of numerous things that BP promised to do in its PIP and then did not do at up to this point.

Wait a minute...are you telling me these town officers are under the delusion that when BP promises something that it is a solid promise that they will actually follow through on?  Seriously?   Did these officials miss the news in the last few years on the BP Gulf oil spill?  Not to mention that the US Justice Dept. charged BP with LYING!!!!

Here is the quote from the town's letter.  It boggles my mind that some town officials are willing to sign this stuff!

"We believe it quite reasonable to require BP to submit a public involvement program that is considered adequate by any reasonable standard. I also believe it is reasonable to conclude that if BP tells the Siting Board it will make a certain outreach, that they do it. The community of Cape Vincent has spoken in near harmony. We have listened to BP representatives for several years, but a steady series of non-answers leaves us with many unaddressed concerns about the project's impact on their health, safety and welfare. When does this opposition actually have a "meaningful" impact in the certification process?"

Again the answer should be obvious to these officials and anyone politically awake in CV for the last 7 years and particularly since Cuomo signed his  Art X legislation destroying one of the most important aspects of NY community home rule.   

Never or highly unlikely the opposition will have the opportunity to significantly impact the certification process!!!

What the hell ...does the town actually think the Art X process is intended to be fair????  Do we have to remind  them that the BP lawyer is married to a NYPSC commissioner.  When Cuomo says we have to be "reasonable" he is not talking about the wind developers, that is nothing more than  political double speak code telling the opposition and the communities he wants to host his green agenda, that we can be patronized by being nice and playing in the process but we are going to get screwed by the same process anyhow.

Is this letter a joke, a spoof, or just grossly naive?  It is dated after all close to Aprils Fools day.  That must be it.  Good God, please don't tell me that after all this time these officials are just now figuring out the process may not be fair and adequate and they may not get fairly heard as result.

How  politically naive do you actually have to be  to believe that a process that has already stripped away your home rule rights is  also a process  that is somehow going to be adequate and fair to your needs and objections.

DUUUUUHHH ...the process stripped away your rights on behalf of large powerful corporate and political interests.  So what the hell do you actually expect!

HERE IS A NEWS FLASH FOR ANY TOWN OFFICIAL CLINGING TO THIS "FAIR AND REASONABLE" FANTASY....THE PROCESS IS ALREADY UNFAIR AND INADEQUATE THE DAY CUOMO SIGNED IT AND REMOVE YOUR RIGHTS!

Now if your are still insistent on clinging to the delusion that the process is fair and reasonable, it seems that would be on the premise that you or the town would be an equal partner in the process, and not being patronized like children at the children's table.

So when the hell is the town going to start acting as if they are an equal participant in the process and stop repeatedly whining about the obvious like a bunch of pathetic victims.

In the face of the blatantly and painfully obvious when is this govt. going to get a clue that it is time to put up a real political fight and get the hell out ofa process that is demcratically dangerous and obscene , grossly unfair, patronizing, has removed our home rule rights, and works for large corporate and political interests that have no intention of seriously listening to any opposition input?

Are they actually going to act like the three monkeys and cover their eyes and ears and mouth and continue to pretend this will all work because the system is going to work for us?

After all this time and what has happened to this community, for this govt. to continue on, and continue to encourage others to continue on in this process is now simply becoming delusional, and badly out of touch with political reality. 

And the scary part is the town of CV govt officials have been so blindly sucked so far into the system by BP, Cuomo, and his cronies and the NYPSC, that they are now actually acting like them, with their willingness to play along in this absurd game as if it matters.

What has actually happened is that Cuomo and his Art X process has effectively anesthetized the bulk of our govt. leaders and environmental groups into compliance and acceptance of the removal of some of our most basic rights required to allow us to function as a democracy in CV and the region.

BP - Beyond Petroleum????? Apparently Not!!!!

Have been away for about 2 weeks exploring remote areas of the Nevada "outback",  or shall we say way beyond Las Vegas.  Not much cell or Internet coverage where we were most of the time.  Just rattle snakes, solitude, and incredible scenery.

Mojave Rattle Snake  - One of the most venemous and aggressive.  To cold to be aggressive today.  Rather curl up under a sun warmed rock where a hiker can almost step on me!  Full length about 3 ft.

Nevada sunset.

Come to find out that BP is selling of its wind business.  Will have more commentary on this development soon after I get settled back in from our trip.

Hmmmmm  I guess that would mean that the old slogan for BP "Beyond Petroleum" has changed as the realities of wind sets in and now means BP's new slogan is...

BP = BACK TO  PETROLEUM !!!

Now wait a minute...didn't BP get out of the solar business too????  Yup, I guess when it comes to a choice and commitment to "save the planet" as BP and Trieste and their supporters VFW have claimed,  or make obscene profits I guess that "planet" thing wasn't all that important and it was time to get ...Back to Petroleum...where the real "Green" is! 

Maybe BP should change its slogan to.... BP = Obscene and $$$$ Green !!!

More later.  Pleae stay tuned!