Wind developer leaving Henderson

HENDERSON — Stony Point Wind Farm is dead.

In a Oct. 22 letter from Nixon Peabody LLP, Rochester, which represents developer United Wind Energy, Mahwah, N.J., the law firm told the town they were pulling out of the development.

"Based on the town's serial re-enactments of a moratorium prohibiting wind energy projects, stony wind has decided to direct its resources to other prospective projects elsewhere in the state," the letter states.

The developer gained approval to erect three meteorological towers in September, but they were never completed. The letter said the towers would not be built and the development would no longer be actively pursued.

The man doing the legwork for the development said the town was unwilling to even hear the plans. Sherret E. Chase, former vice president of development for United Wind Energy, said the town Council and Planning Board refused to hear presentations on the proposed project.

"We were never given an opportunity to describe what we were planning on doing," he said.

Mr. Chase recently left the energy development company to return to his own Chase Construction Management Inc. He said he will continue involvement in wind development, but will focus on private 10-kilowatt turbines or community 100-kilowatt developments.

Supervisor Clyde E. Moore said officials would not meet with Mr. Chase until they were done with the Planning Board review of local zoning laws related to wind farm law. The town later turned to a citizen's committee to create new zoning recommendations.

Mr. Chase said United Wind Energy offered to reimburse the town for experts as they worked on the law.

"They used no outside engineers, environmental experts, no wind industry experts," he said. "Right now, the only thing that's getting traction is rumor, hysteria and bad science."

Mr. Moore said, "People don't want them here."

Mr. Chase said Mr. Moore canceled a meeting with a presentation on the project without telling him.

"I had one set up with Mr. Moore, which was confirmed ... but when I arrived, no one was there," he said.

He said he brought an attorney and an engineer with him, too.

Alexander M. James, who is putting the citizen's committee together, said the departure of United Wind will ease the pressure on refining zoning recommendations.

"It gives us breathing room to stiffen our zoning law, which is what we're going to do with this time," he said.

Recent actions by the Town Council could lead to 8,000-foot setbacks and the inclusion of meteorological towers under the town's wind tower moratorium.

In spite of the rejection, Mr. Chase said he remains hopeful.

"I am still optimistic that Henderson will still be receptive to well-placed wind development," he said.

The local elections for town offices in Henderson on Tuesday have revolved around the potential wind development. Members of the opposition group, The Heart of Henderson, said they support candidates who have acted to prevent the development.

"Most of them were saying they don't agree with the project, but that needs to be taken with a grain of salt," Heart of Henderson President Deborah L. Fargo said.

The group sent mailings supporting members Karl R. Williams for clerk and Robert E. Aliasso Jr. for one Town Council seat. It also supports incumbents David E. Perry for the other council seat and Supervisor Moore as a write-in candidate.

The other candidates for supervisor are Democrat Steven C. Cote and Republican Raymond A. Walker. Town Council candidates include Republicans Frank W. Ross and Torre J. Parker-Lane and write-in James T. Wiggins Jr., also a Republican. Incumbent Clerk Charlotte R. Richmond, Republican, is running to keep her seat.

The mailings were sent using the bulk mail permit for Coalition for Smarter Government. Mr. Aliasso said it's a non-partisan group in Oswego and Onondaga counties that contacted Heart of Henderson. The mailer was developed and paid for by the candidates.

"United Wind's departure is a minor victory — we're not to let our guard down," Mr. Aliasso said. "There are still easements in place to allow the transmission line. The group is remaining vigilant to keep off further companies from coming in."