Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - NYSERDA says for several reasons, it will not move forward with plans to put in wind turbines in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Those opposed are pleased with the decision.
NYSERDA says in its feasibility study "with regards to the impact of Great Lakes Wind on wildlife species and the environment, this issue is exacerbated by the lack of data relating to the temporal and spatial distributions of wildlife both at specific locations and across the Great Lakes as a whole, including data on aerial fauna, fish habitats, benthic communities, and human uses. Further, sediment contamination is widespread but not well mapped to support least impact site identification."
NYSERDA adds the study identifies job and other economic benefits that could arise from Great Lakes Wind development, but without the strategic case for Great Lakes Wind as a critical contributor to the Climate Act goals, these benefits alone do not justify the high level of ratepayer cost.
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The news is good to Jim Hanley. "We've been waiting for rational thinking on trying to put something that just does not belong in the Great Lakes," says Hanley, among those opposed to the turbines. He says turbines would ruin the water system and the fish habitat, "Can you imagine if they had been in there over that storm we had there would have been turbine parts floating down the Niagara River going over Niagara Falls right now," notes Hanley.
Hanley adds turbines would disturb the sediment on the bottom of the lake. "You're disturbing the water quality of Lake Erie Buffalo's water system, it would have been infiltrated with with particles of mercury and all kinds of stuff, the leading edge of the turbine emits they flake in a flake goes in the water the smaller fish should be eating up a bigger fish meaning that and you will be consuming that eventually," explains Hanley. He says the fish habitat would have been destroyed because each turbine that's placed in the lake has to have a trench dug to its source where that that electricity would hit the at the lamp.
State Senator George Borello is also opposed to the turbines. "I'm certainly pleased to see that this study that was requested by the governor's office has shown that this is just not practical. It's not needed and the risks are too great," says Borello. He says it confirms what he and others who have spoken out against it, knowing all along this is not worth risking drinking water for 11 million people, the economic impact and quality of life in Western New York.
Borello says he can't take the foot off the pedal, as NYSERDA indicated turbines are not entirely off the table. "There are a lot of organizations out there that are pushing for this, the far left environmental groups. You've certainly got all those folks that stand to make big money off this," says Borello, as this would be a multi-billion dollar project. He says his colleagues in the state legislature have been silent on this, saying wait and see. "Well, now it's time for my colleagues to step up and stand with the people of Western New York in particular, and say that we are not going to allow this now that the study is in and it shows that it's not feasible," urges Borello.
Borello says he will reintroduce legislation to put a moratorium on the placement of industrial wind turbines in any freshwater lakes in New York State. That is being introduced in the Assembly by Brian Manktelow.