Clayton, NY, Aug 06, 2010 — Save the River, an environmental group based in Clayton, NY, wants a three-year delay in development of more wind power along the St. Lawrence River.

A spokesperson for the group says there are proposals for some 400 wind turbines in the Thousand Island region. Preliminary numbers from a study at an 86-turbine wind farm on Wolfe Island, a Canadian island near Kingston, Ontario, show higher than usual mortality among birds and bats. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article

Wolfe Island, ON, Jul 07, 2010 — A recent study of bird and bat mortality at Wolfe Island's 82-turbine wind farm is raising concerns among environmentalists. Wolfe Island is Canadian territory, located where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River. The report found 600 birds and more than a thousand bats were killed by the windmill blades in a six month period. Nature Canada called the numbers "shockingly high." Ornithologist Bill Evans says the real question is which species of birds died. Evans directs Old Bird, Inc. in Ithaca and has consulted for both wind power companies and environmental groups. He told David Sommerstein Wolfe Island is a designated important bird area, so ornithologists predicted high fatalities. Evans says the number of hawks, owls, and other raptors was the most alarming.  Go to full article

Apr 06, 2010 — A decade-long fight over a proposed wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts could be over soon. It's called Cape Wind. U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he will make a decision by the end of April. What would be the nation's first offshore wind farm is bigger than a simple "not in my backyard" issue. Like wind development proposals in this region, it has divided communities and even neighbors. Reporter Curt Nickisch met two people who've come down on opposite sides - both for environmental reasons.  Go to full article

Hammond, NY, Mar 09, 2010 — The Spanish energy company Iberdrola wants to erect 75 wind turbines in the St. Lawrence County town of Hammond. Many would be visible from the St. Lawrence River. As with many other communities across the North Country, wind power has deeply divided Hammond. At a meeting last night, the town board tried to get a fresh start on the issue. But as David Sommerstein reports, the initial results were not promising.  Go to full article

Aug 19, 2009 — Governor David Paterson has released a draft of the new New York State Energy Plan. It will affect how we heat our homes, power our appliances, businesses, and factories, and how much it will all cost. The plan sets a goal of using 30% renewable electricity by 2015 and reducing energy usage by 15% over the same timeframe. Public hearings are being held statewide. The first one yesterday in Canton held symbolic and political significance. David Sommerstein explains why.  Go to full article

Oct 31, 2008 — Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has developed a code of ethics for wind power projects in New York. The guidelines announced yesterday cover conflicts of interest between wind developers and local officials. They set fines of up to $100,000. Noble Environmental Power, which operates three wind farms in Clinton county, is one of two companies to sign on to the ethics code. But the agreement doesn't end probes into potential wrongdoing. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Aug 29, 2008 — Iberdrola is one of the owners of the Maple Ridge wind farm on the Tug Hill Plateau. With 195 turbines spanning miles of ridgeline, it's the largest wind farm in the East. Bill Moore is an energy consultant for Iberdrola. Starting in the late 1990s, Moore was the man who went door-to-door to persuade local residents to welcome wind power. Today the project has been producing electricity for almost three years. David Sommerstein asked Bill Moore how it's been going. They talk about megawatts, bird and bat mortality, and the vicious debate over wind power in the North Country.

Since their conversation, the New York Times reported that Maple Ridge has been forced to shut down sometimes because regional electric lines have been too congested to send the power downstate. Moore wouldn't talk about the article on tape. But he did confirm that Maple Ridge has had to shut down its turbines "about half a dozen times a year." Moore said that happens during the spring and fall, when electricity demand is lowest. He said as more wind farms come online in Clinton and Jefferson Counties, the problem could get worse. He agreed with the basic premise of the Times story, that wind energy is hampered by "insufficient grid capacity" to deliver electricity from where the wind blows to where the most people are.  Go to full article

Jul 17, 2008 — New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is launching an investigation into a wind power developer in Clinton and Franklin counties. The probe will examine alleged conflicts of interest between Noble Environmental Power and local officials. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Jun 09, 2008 — Last week, the Spanish utility, Iberdrola, announced it wanted to invest $2 billion in wind power development in New York. Governor Patterson praised the company, saying the move would be an "unprecedented investment in clean energy" in the state. Big corporations are no strangers to New York wind power. Iberdrola is already part-owner of the massive Maple Ridge wind farm on the Tug Hill Plateau. JP Morgan owns the new wind farms in Clinton County. And BP Global wants to erect turbines in Cape Vincent. Many of the debates over wind farms in the North Country center around whether these companies give back as much as they reap in profits. A smaller company based in Minnesota is rolling out a different model on the High Plains of the Midwest. National Wind is developing 700 megawatts of wind power by inviting the host communities to become co-owners. CEO Leon Steinberg told David Sommerstein traditionally wind developers buy leases from landowners to erect turbines on their property. National Wind takes a different approach.  Go to full article

Apr 21, 2008 — In any discussion of producing and consuming energy, it can be incredibly difficult to sort out all the variables. A scholar with the National Research Council says we need a framework to make sound energy choices. David Policansky spoke with David Sommerstein. He says in the face of climate change and dwindling oil supplies, we have to learn to make better decisions on how we use and produce energy.  Go to full article