Advocates for Prattsburgh does not oppose windpower. However, we do oppose the wanton disregard for the impact on residences, viewshed, and the ability of non-participating landowners to enjoy their land. The issues are LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION and PROCESS, PROCESS, PROCESS.

WHAT WE WANT....

1. Comprehensive windfarm zoning, developed with broad community participation, with strict enforcement of sufficient setbacks, and site requirements to protect all Prattsburgh landowners and residents. Key issues:

• Noise – Up to 90dB per tower, audible up to 3000’ and beyond, depending on site conditions. Low frequency noise with potentially serious health effects.
• Viewshed – 389’ towers 80’ taller than the Statue of Liberty with 230’ diameter rotors, dominating the skylines and visible up to 10 miles.
• Shadow flicker – Potentially dangerous strobe effect from reflections off the rotating blades at sunrise and sunset, which can cause seizures.
• Safety concerns – Ice throws as far as 1800’, lightning attraction and resultant fire hazard, and potential injury from disintegration of the rotating blades.
• Light pollution – Strobe lights atop each tower flashing 24 hours/day.
• Groundwater – Towers weighing more than 100 tons can damage the geological structure above the water table, leading to groundwater contamination by agricultural residues.
• Property values – Protect the value of residences, future home sites and recreational real estate from the inappropriate siting of these huge industrial machines.

2. Full transparency regarding the heavy potential financial costs for windfarms which will be borne by taxpayers, electric utility ratepayers and the Town – all to produce a small amount of back-up power.

• Massive tax breaks – Projected at 8.6 cents per kWhr of power generated, roughly twice the price the developers will get for the power.
• New York State cash transfer – Incentives from NYSERDA and other state entities for wind project developers.
• Higher electric utility rates – passed on to rate-payers through approval of the higher cost of wind-generated electricity as an allowable charge.
• Infrastructure costs – Damage to unpaved roads from heavy equipment and the high cost of upgrading transmission lines, both borne by taxpayers.
• Loss in property values – 20-40% in similar locations, with a potentially significant negative impact on the long-term Town tax base.
• Costs for dismantling and decommissioning wind towers – if they are abandoned once tax breaks end at Year 10 and maintenance costs rise.
• The gift that keeps on giving: windfarms may go insolvent – possibly abandoned – after Year 10, unless propped up by additional cash siphoned from taxpayers.
• Inefficient use of land with little tangible benefit – 100 wind towers circumscribing tens of square miles of land will produce on average only 50MW of power – equivalent to a gas-fired plant which can be sited on a city block. This also represents substitute power, not additional power generation, as undependable wind power will still need to be backed up by spinning reserves of current generating capacity.

3. Remove all potential conflicts of interest for Town Board members and Town officials.
Town officials who elect to sign windfarm leases – or whose relatives have signed windfarm leases – should have these leases withdrawn or resign from Town office. In addition, town officials who have taken money from wind farm developers should recues themselves from all decisions related to the wind projects or resign from Town office.