BP's NON ~ OUTREACH OPEN HOUSE

The following letter was written to the New York State Public Service Commission by two Cape Vincent Town Board members that attended an open house in Cape Vincent NY, hosted by BP Wind Energy. BP has aspirations of erecting a 200MW plus wind farm in Cape Vincent NY; subsequently they hosted this open house as part of their Public Involvement Plan (PIP) a requirement of the Article 10 process, a newly enacted law in New York state law that regulates power plant siting
 November 12, 2012

Memorandum To: Urban Hirschey and John Byrne

From: Clif Schneider and Brooks Bragdon

RE: ARTICLE 10 OUTREACH – BP OPEN HOUSE

We both attended BP Alternate Energy's November 10, 2012 Open

House in Cape Vincent and we were both underwhelmed.

BP showcased their latest 124-turbine layout, the same map that

was on display at their October 23 meeting. Nothing was new in

spite of the widespread criticism from the Towns of Cape Vincent

and Lyme municipal officials.

We asked questions about what model turbine BP used in the

latest layout and we were told they had not yet decided.

We asked questions about wind turbine noise limits and we were

told they were not sure because they did not know which turbine

model will be used.

We asked questions when would the Article 10 Siting Board's

representatives come to Cape Vincent and at what time would they

begin to hear testimony. We were told they didn't know and that

these were good questions.

We asked why BP's projected economic impacts used a hypothetical

financial model that was not intended to be used for any other

wind project other than for Galloo Island. We were told the

Galloo Island PILOT was used because it was approved by

Jefferson County.

BP's presentation included Town Supervisor Joseph Kushner, who

discussed economic impacts from the wind project in the Town of

Eagle, NY. BP's poster stated that the Town of Cape Vincent

would receive 15% of the PILOT payment; yet Kushner noted that

his town gets 88% of the pie. On a benefit per MW basis

Kushner and the Town of Eagle are receiving nearly 6 times the

money that BP plans for Cape Vincent. Kushner's experience was

not a good example of what BP was offering Cape Vincent.

 

In summary, this open house never should have happened. The two

big pieces of information, the project layout and economic

impacts, were guesses and were not good examples for Cape

Vincent.

The Department of Public Service needs to revamp the Public

Involvement Program that is required under Article 10. There is

no sense having an Open House and disguised public outreach if

an applicant has nothing to say or offer other than

possibilities.