Upstate NY town bans ALL wind-energy systems

This is not an encouraging sign for alternative energy sources...........Much like the offshore wind farm that was proposed for cape cod that was tied up in politics at least they gave reasons (although not very good ones) for stopping it.
So why did this town ban them? I saw it vaguely mentioned it would be noise........... OK guy's I'm sure all those people that live near a Dam and get cheap electricity don't like he sound of the water, yeah I'd much rather hear the growl of a big old diesel generator instead of wind spinning a wind turbine.
What the he(( is wrong with people?
This should be posted to the BI website I wonder what they would say ;-P

Here's the link to the original article:

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2007/03/14/pbbovinawind2.html

Just some friendly advice. If possible, it's better to post a link than a complete newspaper article. It keeps craig out of "fair use"/copyright issues.

Just my two cents as a former small town newspaper reporter and definitely not intended as a flame. I participate on a sports board that ran into some trouble after copying and pasting complete articles from a major Wisconsin newspaper.

homebrewz said:

Nimbyism? Probably. I do know that this is in an area that has seen a lot of migration from downstate areas: NYC, LI. That might have something to do with it, but I can't say as to how much (they have their slice of heaven and now they don't want to look at big ugly turbines).

I googled the association instrumental in lobbying for the ban.

http://www.allianceforbovina.org/html/links.html


It seems a large wind generator project spawned their action. I don't know the details of the plan, but I think banning ALL devices is a bit, uh.. extreme. One section of their website shows pictures of a large chunk carved out of a mountain for turbine placement and a large wind turbine on fire. That probably swayed the opinions of a few.

http://www.allianceforbovina.org/html/Windplant-Ordinance.html

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nimbyism = not in my back yard syndrome ism......

Does that area have a high population of Saudis?

Thats the problem with wind power, many people just dont want to look at them for aesthetic reasons yet they champion hybrid cars and other means of heating our homes.

Affluence, relatively speaking, allows people the luxury of buying art (or being an artist), living in beautiful surroundings, and squelching alternative energy programs because oil is still flowing like water from the gas pumps and affordable by nearly all.

Economics and market pressures for things like this seem like a direct function of wide-spread, individual pain. No pain, no change in behavior or attitude. Before anything substantive in this area occurs that gets people serious enough about alternative energy to allow wind towers, backyard bio-diesel sheds, and PV panels in their neighborhood, or other visible individual efforts at energy self sufficiency, and a long overdue comprehensive energy policy to be addressed in Congress, I think it will take gasoline at over $5 per gallon for a few years, electric, NG, and heating oil bills in the $double-current-level per month range, with no reduction in sight.

Our town is currently looking into what zoning restrictions should be placed on wind farms. A compnay named Everpower Renewables is looking into building a windfarm in the area. I guess there is some concern about the effects of low low frequency noise and of course aesthetics. One of the prime sites is my backyard. I am keeping an open mind.

Meanwhile, far from NYC's bedroom communities, windpower seems to be advancing on NY's Tug Hill Pateau: http://www.mapleridgewind.com/

homebrewz said:

Thats right... public AND residential. Although, it seems there is a small provision for "small wind-energy conversion systems for farms".

I'm presenting this mainly as an FYI as many areas are looking at banning or limiting commercial wind-energy systems. I think its odd that they would ban residential systems too. Especially since this town is in a very rural area (town population, not including cows, as of the 2000 census: 664).


Edit: I had the article posted here, but to avoid copyright issues (thanks northwinds), heres a link to the article:

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2007/03/14/pbbovinawind2.html

If you're interested in wind energy, its worth reading.

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we are doomed

Yesterday it was OWB's getting banned...today it's windmills. YEP we are doomed!

I dunno...maybe there is something to it. I'm just glad the fight isn't in my locale. It's too bad GE doesn't/didn't have a bigger hand in PV (photo voltaic systems). I'm all for alternative energy...but I would rather see "solar panels" on the neighbors roof than those huge windmills. Dollar for dollar I don't think they (windmills) are worth it...I'm sure if you did some 'digging' for the 'truth' you would find windmills are just another way for huge companies like GE to rake in taxpayers money.
PV should be priority #1...then maybe windmills. I have "first hand" experience with PV...if the Government backed PV like windmills we would have a future in this country.
Logic always takes a backseat to financial gain though.

Anyone have the #'s about how reliable, cost efficient these windmills are? I have never heard anything "good" about windmill technology...it seems to be the "Nuclear Power" of energy alternatives...

The state and federal government should step in...towns like that don't want it because of the noise etc...the hell with it! Put one of those windmills in the median strip every 1/4 mile on the interstate highways! Give the latte' drinkin', SUV driving, blue tooth wearin', text messaging mow-rons something to think of!

Great Blackouts in History: November 1965, August 2004, and coming soon to a 'neighborhood' near you....lol

If the people of this country actually knew how out-dated, over worked, ready to fail overall horrible the electrical transmission network of this country was/is things would change.

"Beam Me up Scotty" lol

For those that might be interested about "Electricity Behaving Badly":

http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm

The transformer substation explosion is worth watching!

http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm#Blowup

Wow! Now that's something you don't see on the golf course every day! That's Hollywood material.

Hey elk, if you hit your ball into that bad boy, would you get a free drop? If so, from where?

I haven't signed up for wind energy in our area partially because I also have concerns about some of our most scenic areas being torn up for high power transmission lines and wind farms.

I like California's approach of encouraging modest PV systems integrated into new construction. They don't disturb any additional landscape other than the fabrication facilities required to build the PV arrays, which can be located in industrial parks away from sensitive areas, and the house itself which is likely to built in either case. Ideally, these houses would at least produce as much as they consume, if not a little more.

I am curious how much electricity can be generated by a windfarm as compared to the total lifetime production of a PV fabrication facility's panels... might put things in perspective.

keyman512us said:

Great Blackouts in History: November 1965, August 2004, and coming soon to a 'neighborhood' near you....lol

If the people of this country actually knew how out-dated, over worked, ready to fail overall horrible the electrical transmission network of this country was/is things would change.

"Beam Me up Scotty" lol

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Has anyone read the updated Olduvai Theory?

Whats really interesting is what they are going to do with Natural Gas power plants when there is not enough gas to run them during a prolonged heat wave. Or the pilot lights go out during an exceptionally cold winter. Nobody wants the LNG import terminals near them either.

But I guess there are more important things to worry about, like who will be the next American Idol.

That is scary about wind-energy being banned. I live about 7 miles from a large coal fired plant, which they want to massively expand, so I am totally keen on most other forms of generating electricity. We have been driving over every bit of our township recently, passing out leaflets asking people to vote for me (high school board.) Hubby is noting the location of every wind mill (he has found 4 so far I believe.) In our town there is no specific zoning about them, each person wanting to put one up needs to seek a zoning variance. I imagine that is because of the height being greater than buildings in our township are perhaps allowed to be. Anyway, he wants data on existing ones they have allowed, since he is wanting to put up a small wind mill someday and would need to get permission.

We live near the top of a hill and it is windy here much of the time. Helps with drying our firewood, but our clothesrack which goes outside in the summer blows over a lot unless we pile bricks and things on the bottom of the frame. The other bummer about living at the top of a hill - when you ride a bike or go for a walk, going home is always uphill!