What is "Green Energy"?
The energy that is produced and used in ways that produces less air pollution and other environmental impacts. Green energy provides two kinds of benefits: i) reduces environmental impacts of production and delivery of the energy we use; and ii) reduces the environmental emissions from the energy we use.
What is the difference between a "Windmill" and an "Industrial Wind Turbine"?
A wind turbine is a machine for converting the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used directly by machinery, such as a pump or grinding stones, the machine is usually called a windmill. If the mechanical energy is then converted to electricity, the machine is called a wind turbine generator. Windmills normally will be 10-50kw and reach about 100 feet high. Wind Turbines produce 1500kw and higher, are normally about 400 feet high and weigh in excess of 400,000 pounds.
What is a "Wind Farm"?
It is a term used to soften the description of an industrial wind turbine project.
What are the benefits and negatives?
The benefits of green energy is to reduce CO2 emissions. Some short term jobs may be created but only one or two long term jobs which in
most projects are for night watchman only. We actually do not benefit monetarily as a whole and will actually lose money as property
values decrease, taxes increase and the local economy suffers. Some
landowners will receive income and the town will receive some money through a
pilot program, but most will receive nothing. If lessons from the past are
learned, we know that these wind companies will sue our town to reduce their
taxes. The Town of Meredith is sued by NYSEG constantly to keep from
paying taxes.
We actually do not reduce our dependence on foreign
oil. Oil makes up a tiny portion of electricity generation. The
negatives will be the potential risks to residents detailed below.
Are there alternatives?
Yes! We can do this ourselves locally with a community wind project using much smaller windmills and solar. The same benefits that are available to these industrial wind turbine companies are available to us. The advantages are that the money will stay local, the electricity will be used locally and we will not give up control of our land! Also, all the residents of Meredith can benefit!
Why are the wind turbine companies here?
They are here because we have mountain ridges that have higher average wind speeds than other areas. The other reason is because we have no zoning laws that may impede the installation of wind turbines. We have willing elected officials to write laws that essentially give the key to the town to these wind companies.
Don't we have zoning laws?
No! Meredith has no zoning laws. Our elected officials
passed an ordinance that is the weakest law on wind in NYS.
How
will I be protected?
Become active, voice your opinions and show your elected officials that you are willing to fight their ignorance. Stay informed! Stay active!
When are the town meetings?
The town planning board meets on the first Monday of every month. The board meets every second Tuesday of every month. The meetings start at 7pm and are at the town hall on Catskill Turnpike. You can call the town hall at: (607) 746-2431 for more information.
Where are these wind turbines installed?
They are usually installed on ridge tops where the best winds will be found. They are usually spaced about 600 to 800 feet apart.
Do we know how many and where they will be installed?
No! The turbine companies will not provide the town board, town planning board or residents with this information! We have seen documents from wind companies that show over 100 potential sites in Meredith!
Will these turbines effect hunting, hiking, snowmobiles and 4-wheelers?
We do not know. This will be up to the agreement between the landowner and the turbine company. If the turbine company wishes to restrict these uses, they will not be allowed.
Will we be able to use this electricity locally?
Indirectly Yes, Directly, No. The electricity produced is too high voltage to be used locally. It is sold to electrical companies and placed into the electrical grid. It then maybe purchased by NYSEG or REA and then used locally. This is however doubtful.
Will this reduce my electrical bill?
Probably not. Airtricity has stated that they look to sell the electricity for $.08/kw on the wholesale market. Current retail rates through REA are about $.07.5/kw and NYSEG is about $.12/kw. REA is looking to sell the projects and make a profit and also look to obtain long term electrical contracts. Even if they succeed, electrical rates will probably increase.
How will these turbines effect real estate values?
This is one of the main debates. The wind industry says it
has no effect on the downside but actually has shown an increase in real estate
values (REPP Report done in
2003). This study has been greatly dismissed as
flawed, due to a methodology that skewed the findings towards a positive outcome
for the wind industry!
Opponents say
the exact opposite. If you owned a house and one or more 400 foot, 400,000
pound wind turbines with 250 feet plus propellers spinning at 150+ mph were
placed within 1000 feet or less of your house, what do you think would happen to
the value! Common sense should tell you, you
have a BIG problem.
Will these wind
turbine facilities pay real estate taxes?
Maybe or maybe not. If a PILOT program (Payment in Leiu of
Taxes), is granted by the IDA, no real estate taxes will be paid. The
payment will go to the IDA and it will be paid directly to the town, school
districts and any other entity that may be involved in the pilot program. This money is then used at the discretion of the town and other entities as they
see fit. It may or may not be used to reduce taxes. If a pilot
program is not granted, the turbines will be taxed the same as any other asset
in the town. This would reduce taxes directly because the money collected
would go directly into the tax payments. The argument here is that if the
companies were treated the same as everyone else, they will go elsewhere and the
money offered in the pilot would be lost.
In addition, when the
economy is affected in a negative way by a wind facility, sales taxes, transfer
taxes, mortgage taxes, permits and many other revenue streams will be
significantly reduced. We can also assume that the wind companies will sue the town to reduce taxes in the future!
How else can my real estate taxes be effected?
The net tax effect on the town tax base can affect every taxpayer. What is the overall effect on the town's tax base over time if a wind turbine facility was installed. If residents perceive that property will be worth less, they may not improve their property. Potential buyers may not purchase here because of the turbines. Potential vacant land may not have a house built on it because of the turbines. All of these examples and others would have a negative effect on future real estate taxes. If these things did occur, future taxable assets would not be present in the town. This would mean that the existing properties would have their taxes increased because the overall taxable base within the town did not increase.
How are real estate taxes calculated and paid?
To keep this simple. A total bill is given by the town, school districts and county. These bills have to be paid regardless of what the real estate values are. The bills are divided up based on each landowner's value. If a specific landowner's property assessment is lowered for one reason or another, the lower taxes paid by this landowner is then shifted to the other landowners.
Won't these turbines affect the vistas?
This is a matter of opinion. If you are a true preservationist, you will perceive the turbines as a negative and that they will have a disastrous effect on the natural beauty of the land. You may be a person who believes we need to do it to reduce CO2 emissions. Others see it as a way to preserve large open land and farms. Everyone has a valid point. The question is, do we continue to put a band-aid on the problem and hope it goes away or do we finally start to address the problem! We can only build so many wind turbines.....what happens when all the ridge tops are used and our use of electricity has not slowed down! Wouldn't the government spend this money better elsewhere....maybe on conservation practices and really address the problem!
Will wind turbines increase tourism?
The industry uses Fenner, NY as an example. It could be said that tourism has increased there for a few reasons. The first is that the wind industry buses people to the site to show it off. It is a small project of 20 turbines. The second is that the turbines are presently a novelty. This novelty will wear off if all the turbines that are presently being proposed in NY are built. They are proposed from Long Island to Malone (northeastern tip NY), to Buffalo and will allow anyone to see these turbines without traveling a long distance. They will also become common and not much of an attraction. The wind companies are only projecting at best a short lived tourism increase.
What about the local economy....will the effect be positive or negative?
We predict that it will have a negative effect, businesses will close and people will lose jobs. We cannot afford to make a mistake on this one, once these turbines go up, they are not coming down!
What is a decommissioning fund?
This fund is established by the turbine companies for the dismantling of the turbines once their useful life (about 25 years), is over. In today's dollars, this would amount to millions of dollars. The wind turbine companies talk about salvage value being equal to the decommissioning cost. It may be true, but we need to hire an outside firm to establish the decommissioning cost and the salvage value. We then will know how much money will be needed. The wind turbine companies should pay for hiring this firm.
What happens if the wind turbines are abandoned?
If we have properly funded the decommissioning fund, this will not be an issue. If we allow the turbine companies to fund it their way and it is under-funded, we have a problem! In one contract it states, "Any part of Wind Turbine Facility that is not removed within 12 months period after termination (This also would include abandonment), of the agreement will become the Property of the Landowner."
What does this mean and what ramifications is this to the landowner and town residents if it does occur?
If the landowner becomes owner they would first need to buy a liability insurance policy. The landowner would be responsible for the real estate taxes if no pilot program was in effect. The landowner would have to pay to have the turbines removed. The town would lose its stream of income. Residents may incur higher real estate taxes to make up this shortfall!
How do we protect ourselves against this?
REA and Airtricity have said; don't worry, this will not happen. Sorry, there is too much at stake here. We must demand the proper funding for decommissioning and an outside firm should hold the money and have complete discretion to use the money if and when the turbines are abandoned.
Do these turbines produce noise?
This is one of the debates. The wind industry says that do not make any significant noise above the ambient sound. Residents who have lived near them have complained of very loud noise levels. One contract used by a wind company seeking to put up turbines in Meredith, clearly states that that the"Landowner understands and has been informed by Lessee that the Wind Energy Facility on the Leased Property may result in some nuisance, and hereby accepts such nuisance and waives their right to object to such nuisance." This clearly shows that this company agrees that they can produce noise that may be offensive!
What is ambient sound?
It is the constant DB level that is found in a specific area at a given time. An example would be, in a country setting, at night, would generally produce an ambient sound of around 30-35 DB (Decibels).
How are Decibel Levels calculated?
A unit used to express relative difference in power or intensity, usually between two acoustic or electric signals, equal to ten times the common logarithm of the ratio of the two levels. What does this mean? If a sound is 30db and is increased to 40db, the sound is not 25% louder, it is 100% louder. At all levels of loudness, increasing the decibel level by the same amount creates approximately the same increase in perceived loudness — humans perceive the increase from 20 dB to 25 dB as being about the same as the increase from 90 dB to 95 dB.
What is "Shadow" & "Flicker"?
Wind turbines, like other tall structures will cast a shadow on the neighboring area when the sun is visible. If you live very close to the wind turbine, it may be annoying if the rotor blades chop the sunlight, causing a flickering (blinking) effect while the rotor is in motion.
Why should I be concerned about bats being killed?
Bats are highly beneficial to people, and the advantages of having them around far outweigh any problems you might have with them. As predators of night-flying insects (including mosquitoes!), bats play a role in preserving the natural balance of your property or neighborhood. Although swallows and other bird species consume large numbers of flying insects, they generally feed only in daylight. When night falls, bats take over: a nursing female little brown bat(Myotis lucifugus) may consume her body weight in insects each night during the summer.
Will this affect migratory birds?
The impact of wind power facilities on wildlife varies by region and by species. Specifically, studies show that wind power facilities in northern California and in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have killed large numbers of raptors and bats, respectively. Studies in other parts of the country show comparatively lower levels of mortality, although most facilities have killed at least some birds. However, many wind power facilities in the United States have not been studied, and, therefore, scientists cannot draw definitive conclusions about the threat that wind power poses to wildlife in general.
Can these turbines collect and throw ice?
According to the industry, ice normally falls within the diameter of the blades. If this is the case, why are the turbines completely open so people and animals can walk underneath the diameter of the blades?
Who is liable for any accidents?
As is in most lawsuits, all parties that have or had an interest in any way with the turbines may and probably will be sued if a lawsuit is filed. This could be the turbine company, the landowner and possibly the town.
How will the construction affect us?
The construction process will invariably inconvenience residents, disturb regular business activity, and impact traffic flow in the town. The town should require a complete plan showing times and roads that will be used. The wind turbines companies should fund an escrow account as a contingency to supply funds to the town for any unforeseen costs associated with closing roads and manning sites or providing any town hours towards managing traffic on construction routes. Also, construction must have daily work time limits. This will ensure residents are not disturbed too early in the morning, nor too late in the evening. Normal working hours should be set at 7am-5pm.
I have heard that most people who oppose wind turbine projects are NIMBY's (Not in my backyard) and spread myths about wind turbines?
This is a common attack made on those who question wind turbine companies. They use their sources to defend their position and totally disregard or ignore the sources provided by the opponent or questioning resident. Keep an open mind and make sure that any answer you receive makes sense and can be backed up. Do not accept anything as fact until it is verified! This goes for both the wind companies and the opponents.
Why is REA looking to sell the project?
REA is a for profit corporation established pursuant to the Cooperative Corporations Law. These projects are financed through banks, equity investment, depreciation and federal tax credits. Since REA cannot use the depreciation, interest
deductions or the federal tax credits, they would not be able to install a project and own it themselves. They need private companies to
assist them. That is why they formed a company, Delaware Energy, LLC, which formed a for-profit
LLC, Delaware Wind Energy, LLC which is a 50/50% partnership with Wind Works,
LLC. This company is signing up landowners to lease their property for
wind turbine installation. This company will take the project to some
point of construction,(we do not know how far), and then sell the majority
ownership to an outside entity, probably another LLC, most likely Invenergy,
LLC. At this point REA may keep a management position and may receive some
income from an electrical purchase agreement.
Who is Wind Works, LLC?
Wind Works LLC is a privately held company based in Vermont. This is the company that formed a 50/50% partnership with REA's LLC's.
What is an "LLC"?
It is a Limited Liability Company. The idea behind an LLC was to allow small businesses to start up without all the filings and complications of a C or S corporation. It acts just like a corporation by protecting its members from personal liability. There are no stockholders, the investors are called members. The LLC works like an S corporation by providing pass through benefits to its members. This allows all income, losses, depreciation, tax credits, etc... to pass directly to the members and be taxed at the members level and not at the LLC level.
Do I need to be concerned about an "LLC"?
Why is it important that we understand what an LLC is and how it works? Major corporations found ways to use LLCs that I do not think was the intentions of the lawmakers who wrote and passed the bills. Large companies started to use LLCs as a way to shield the main corporation from liability, still get all the benefits and if things are not going well, declare bankruptcy and walk away. Usually an LLC has only one asset, and in this case it will be wind turbines. Remember, all income & losses pass through to the members and do not remain with the LLC. Another important point to note here is that large corporations also found out that the trading of LLCs like stocks has its advantages. In the industry, these types of investments are called deals, a word that speaks for itself and carries with it implications beyond the surface of its basic meaning. To go into an agreement with an LLC increases risk to the other party accepting the offer or deal; these risks must be defined, clarified and properly addressed.
Are these projects federally subsidized?
Yes, these projects receive substantial federall benefits through tax credits and accelerated depreciation. The reason the federal government has passed laws to offer tax benefits to the wind industry is to develop renewable wind energy in a fashion that is beneficial to the communities giving up valuable assets, the country as a whole, and the companies taking on the endeavor - all while doing as little harm to the environment as possible. This is why it is so important for the town of Meredith to view this decision with a keen and critical eye rather than opt for a quick grab at a few dollars. If we do allow wind turbines in Meredith, all of Meredith should benefit and all of Meredith should be protected from any risks that allowing wind turbines into our town might cause.
Aren't you painting the wind industry in a bad light?
No! All I am doing is pointing out issues and potential risks. It is up to the wind turbine companies to provide answers with supporting studies and documentation, money to pay for studies, properly funded accounts to pay for road repair, complaints and decommissioning. They want to use Meredith's assets...prove to us that is good for us. Start being open, answer questions, provide funds and most of all be honest to the residents of Meredith!
What should I do?
Become informed. Be Vocal, Do your homework, Donate time and money & Attend all town meetings. Become pro-active. A decision about wind turbines will be made and if you do nothing and do not like the decision, it will be too late! Stay informed! Stay active!