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Thank you
for visiting the Springwater Preservation Committee’s website
We believe
the great natural beauty of Springwater is our town’s greatest asset for
future residential and recreational development. Please join us in our effort
to preserve and improve the future of Springwater, New York.
Be sure to check out What’s New? (Updates since your last visit)
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Important
New Development - Proposed wind farm canceled
(courtesy of
Messenger Post Newspapers http://www.mpnnow.com/)
December 27, 2006 - PPM Atlantic
Renewable has dropped its plans to build 14 wind turbines in Springwater. PPM
spokeswoman Jan Johnson said Tuesday that the company’s options on property
in the town have expired. “We decided to focus our efforts on the development
of wind projects in other parts of New York,” Johnson said. In early 2005,
PPM — owned by a Scottish parent company — proposed building the 397 foot
windmills along two miles of ridge east of Strutt Street. Informally called
the Bishop wind farm, it would have been visible from parts of Canadice in
Ontario County. The project raised objections in Springwater and prompted
officials in Canadice to start working on wind-farm regulations in the event
that an energy company started looking for turbine sites there. Canadice will
hold a hearing on that law as early as February. Earlier this year, PPM
Energy opened the Maple Ridge Wind Farm on the Tug Hill Plateau in Lewis
County — 120 turbines, each 320 feet tall.
What was
the Bishop Wind Farm Proposal?
The Scottish owned company, PPM Atlantic Renewable had plans to lease
farmland from three local landowners and erect giant industrial wind turbines
on the hills of Springwater, NY. The first phase included the construction of
14 giant towers almost 400 feet tall, visible for up to 50 miles. (In
comparison, the Xerox tower in downtown Rochester NY is 443 feet tall.)
The site of the previously proposed turbines is surrounded by residential
homes, as our most of the hilltop locations in our town. It was estimated
that PPM Atlantic Renewable would have received $20M of taxpayer funds (in
the form of federal and state tax subsidies) for constructing these huge wind
turbines. The three landowners would have received a fee for leasing their
land, and the Town of Springwater would have received only $5,000 per
generator. The town residents and visitors would most likely have received
nothing from this proposal but a destruction of their scenic landscapes, a
bombardment of strobe lights, unwanted noise, and a drop in their property
values.
Even though the project plans for the Bishop Wind Farm
have been cancelled, the SPC continues to remain vigilant and ready to oppose
any new proposals that diminish our quality of life or endanger the safety of
Springwater residents. We are also concerned about a number of other Town
issues and have been become actively concerned with the quality of our
general Town government.
But isn’t
wind power a good thing?
Perhaps when wind turbines are placed in appropriate
industrial zones away from residential locations, wind powered electricity
may someday make economic and environmental sense. But the reality
today is that wind power is NOT a reliable energy source and is not
economical (you pay more for so called “green” electricity in spite of the
massive federal and state subsidies). Even the U.S. Department of Energy
forecasts predict less than 1% of electricity will be produced by wind in
2025!
What can I
do to help?
You can make a difference in preserving the beauty and economic
future of Springwater. Take the time to get informed on the important
issues facing our town and region. We hope you find this website useful in
that pursuit. Then contact the Springwater Town
Board members and our other elected officials
to voice your concerns enabling them to make informed decisions on your
behalf. Do your own research and get the facts! Then talk to your neighbors
and friends to make them aware of this proposal, as well as how it will
negatively impact the quality of our lives and community.
Please write Elliot Spitzer today. Let our new governor know how you feel
about the placement of industrial wind turbines in scenic and residential
areas of our state. Let him know how you feel about using your tax
dollars to heavily subsidize the developers of wind energy. Make sure he has
the facts about how wind power developments can destroy communities, disrupt
the health and quality of life for residents located near these monster
turbines, and how they contribute little or nothing in solving our nation’s
energy and air pollution issues.
Governor Eliot Spitzer
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
or click here to send an email to
Governor Spitzer
You can also lend valuable financial support. Donations in any amount are
welcomed and greatly appreciated. For further information on
contributing to the Springwater preservation committee, please click here.
For
additional information and to lend support please contact:
Springwater Preservation Committee
P.O. Box 128
Springwater, NY 14560
info@springwaterpreservation.org
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The Springwater
Preservation Committee
