CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Oswego, NY -- It appears no wind turbines will be built in Lake Ontario off Oswego and Jefferson counties. New York Power Authority President Richard M. Kessel said Thursday if Oswego and Jefferson counties don’t want the project, it won’t be built there.

And they don’t. Lawmakers — and residents — from both counties have noted their opposition to such a project. “We don’t want to go where the project isn’t wanted,” Kessel said. “Whether their reasons are legitimate or not, we respect them, but we are not going to go there. We’ll focus on other areas.”

The power authority proposed putting wind turbines off shore in Lake Ontario or Lake Erie. It was considering an area between Richland and Cape Vincent on Lake Ontario. Residents have expressed concern placing the turbines in the water would hurt tourism and the economies of both counties by cutting off boats and fishermen from the area where the turbines are located.

Kessel said Oswego and Jefferson counties have “lost an opportunity for jobs” from the wind project. “They are going to be turning thousands of jobs away,” he said. “This project was going to make Upstate a center for the manufacture of wind components for the project. There are enough communities and counties who want the project so we shouldn’t waste our time here.”

(Click to read the entire article)