Editor:

Since Mr. Ray Burke publicly found it “hard to believe” I can have an opinion regarding what is going on in the Town of Gaines, I thought I would take the opportunity to politely remind him that the crux of my complaint was the negative tone of Gaines politics.

Mr. Burke responded by attacking mine and another letter writer’s character and credibility-which has become par for the course when a certain segment of the Gaines community is questioned. In many ways Mr. Burke proved my point even better than my own original letter did.

In his retort to my letter, Mr. Burke asked how many Gaines town board meetings I, and other people have attended and concluded his letter stating, “It looks to me that the only way to find out what wrong in the Town of Gaines (and it looks like other towns), is to go ask questions and demand answers rather than sitting back and writing Letters to the Editor.”

That sounds impressive, but there is a small fact that Mr. Burke omitted, according to the meeting minutes for the 2018 calendar year, Mr. Burke only addressed the town board once the entire year. He may have attended more Gaines town board meetings than I did last year, but we addressed the board the exact same amount last year. I addressed them in February, and from what I can gather, Mr. Burke does not live in Gaines year-round, so he was not at that meeting.

It should not matter how many board meetings I have attended, there is no prize. And while it may just look like I “sit back” I can assure you Mr. Burke, I am a very active member of this community and volunteer my time for multiple organizations and have paid taxes in Gaines for over 20 years.

I will conclude by saying that Mr. Burke, I respect your right to express your opinion, and I am happy you find time to attend meetings at your convenience. In the future I think we would all be better off if you stuck to the facts and left those of us who you think just “sit back,” out of your attacks.

Thom Jennings

Gaines

Editor:

Analysis of the fourth quarter 2018 comments to the state Department of Public Service regarding the proposed Lighthouse Wind project in Yates and Somerset continues to show overwhelming opposition.

In the quarter, there were 125 public comments received. Of these comments, 50 were found to be in favor of the project, 66 opposed, and 9 comments were actually found to reference the Heritage Wind project in Barre. In percentage terms, the comments related to Lighthouse Wind were 43 percent in favor, 57 percent opposed.

Since the inception of tracking the public comments, 339 comments, or 21 percent are in favor of the project, 1,260 comments, 79 percent, are opposed.

It has been suggested by other parties that multiple comments submitted by the same person be discounted, that is, each person’s opinion should be counted only once, not multiple times based on the number of comments submitted. Using that argument, during the fourth quarter of 2018, there were 43 commenters in favor of the project (45%) and 52 commenters (55%) opposed to the project. If anyone would care to go back to the beginning of the comments and perform a similar analysis on all 1,600+ comments, please feel free. I have better things to do.

It is interesting to note that only a few of the 50 fourth quarter comments in favor of the project contained any meaningful, substantive content.  Most of the in-favor comments were in the form of pre-printed postcards.

Also of particular notice during this quarter were the number of comments from persons living outside the project area and the immediate surrounding area, or who had no stated familial or recreational ties to the two affected towns. Strong weight should be given to the voices of those most impacted by this proposed project. Those living in other parts of New York State and even in other states may have their opinions, but those outside opinions cannot be given the same value as the opinions of those of us who would have to tolerate these industrial machines for the next 20 or so years.

Local comments in favor of the project numbered eight from seven individuals. Notable in this number is the fact that these in-favor comments came from four households, of which two are leaseholders who stand to profit from the project. A third is a relative of one of those two leaseholders. Of course these commenters would be expected to be in favor of the project.

Local opposition to the project was expressed in 60 comments from 50 individual commenters. In terms of percentages, 12 percent of local comments were supportive of the project, 88 percent opposed.

Whether or not you believe that climate change can be resolved through installation of hundreds of thousands of wind turbines across the country, and whether you support Governor Cuomo’s ambitious 50 by 30 plan or believe that it is a politically motivated, unattainable, unrealistic, economically wasteful boondoggle, the will of the members of the communities which would be affected by Lighthouse Wind remains clear. This project is overwhelmingly opposed.

Steve Royce

Appleton

Editor:

I will address some of Mr. Kent’s questions, having grown up in towns that bore the impacts of the Somerset power plant, but received none of the economic benefit. I only found out recently it was slated to be a nuclear plant, and in hindsight maybe that would have been better built then, than what we received instead.

In Newfane, for my childhood, we received a rumbling, noisy train… and no one complained incessantly about property values decimated or “infrasound” causing every manner of ailment imaginable. Behind my house was a creek so polluted from Lockport’s industrial “revolution” we couldn’t even swim in it. Down the road a chemical plant that regularly exploded, a saw mill that’s no longer there, and a harbor with a luxury hotel that ceased to exist long ago.

During my teenage years, I lived on 150 acres of naturally recovered farmland with woodlots dominating the center of the “block” in Hartland. During those years, Dutch Elm disease went through decimating the elm tree populations. No one told us what we could or couldn’t do with our trees, and no one complained when woodlots were turned into farmland or home sites either. Now our area, the entire Midwest through New England is seeing all the ash trees devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer, a beetle, that spreads faster as our winter’s warm.  Hundreds of millions of trees will die, without public outrage.

Recent fires in California were intensified by climate change aggravated droughts, beetles that thrive on weakened trees, and enormous fuel loads that resulted. We’re lucky in our area, due to regular moisture, incidental contact of trees with power lines (which is the norm driving around here) does not ignite fires, burn thousands of acres and kill people, albeit recent snowstorms did a number taking down dead elms and some residents’ power for over a week.

This region is in economic decline, honestly it has been for decades. I don’t know about Albion, but in Lockport the downtown has been in economic decline for decades (only recently we’ve seen some businesses take hold with focus on restoring the historic Erie Canal Locks area), while one discount store after another cleared woodlot after woodlot for ever bigger retail space, leaving empty buildings in their wake. I have seen nothing to indicate woodlots would be decimated by wind turbines.  Surely, nothing more than what has been accepted for decades without outrage or concern.

I reference Ms. Nacca, having watched some of the presentations she organized in Albion offering “alternatives” to wind turbines such as telling the audience nuclear fusion power is “just around the corner”. No it is not. It is 20 years out, just like it has always been since the promise of fusion power was first brought to us before I was born. Then, the same presenter claims he knows people whom have been killed by wind turbines. Prove it, would have been my response, at a clearly premeditated attempt to scare the audience with “little green men”.

For my mention of Ms. Nacca, she threatens legal action against me in her submission to the NYS DPS website? Are you kidding me?!

So what answer would satisfy you about setbacks (that have no data-derived merit to their determination), woodlots, street layouts or Warblers? I suspect there are none. Simply put, yourself, members of Save Ontario Shores, vocal town board members, etc., don’t want any economic development in these towns and unfortunately for other residents and our youth, their opposition to any and all projects in the area are dooming this area to continued economic decline.

There are lots of claims made, as to the importance of maintaining the “charm of rural life” for potential economic value in tourism. Gotta be honest, there’s a fine line between “maintaining” and “just letting things go”… tourists are not going to come to see the latter, and those that came to enjoy Golden Hill State Park all these years, didn’t turn around once the Somerset Power Plant’s smoke stack came into view, now did they? Claims that wind turbines in Somerset, Yates or Barre would drive tourists away are equally hollow.

It’s been over 25 years since I used to wait for the school bus along Route 104, watching “acceptable” economic development for the county pass by me one after another. Does Rochester still export its garbage to Niagara County, one tractor trailer after another? I don’t know. If they don’t anymore, maybe they should start again… need to bring money in one way, given all others are off the table.

As I wrote before, I have no interest in this area other than bringing to the attention of the readers the impasse and opportunity we have to bring energy projects to the area and benefit economically.

Respectively,

Hans Hyde

Lockport

Editor:

In response to Hans Hyde and Thom Jennings in the Letters to the Editor, I find it hard to believe that both of you (and I’m sure a lot more) have their own opinions of what is going on in the Town of Gaines.

But you won’t find the whole truth in the Letters to the Editor. My question to you is, how many Town Board meetings has you and other taxpayers gone to in the last year? I think most of the taxpayers will say none. And I say that because when I am home, I go to almost all of them.

It seems the same few tax payers are there consistently, and one or two will show up for their own issues. Such as one taxpayer asked a question as to why her water levy was always changing significantly, and so, the last Town Supervisor looked in to the situation. And I’m sure you’ll remember she found that the town was over levying the water districts more than the debt amount. The amount was $205,000 over an 8-year period.

One water district was so extreme the extra money paid off the whole debt and paid down the others. Then there was the 60 million gallons of water loss. No one to bill $170,000 worth of use and no one was looking. What is going on now without that watchful eye?

It seems to me that there’s a lot going on in the Town of Gaines that needs looking into. And now we find out there is over $250,000 owed to the Town of Carlton, so you’re right, there is something going on in the Town of Gaines – it looks like Carlton too and of course there is Murray. I’m sure there are a lot of questions that need to be asked by you and all taxpayers but, you need to get involved to find out the whole truth.

It looks to me that the only way to find out what wrong in the Town of Gaines (and it looks like other towns), is to go ask questions and demand answers rather than sitting back and writing Letters to the Editor. Of course, it is your Town and your money, but we will all pay the price.

Ray Burke

Gaines

Editor:

When Mr. Hyde addresses the question raised in my letter, perhaps his response to it will warrant further comment.

The question, essentially, is what price we are willing to pay for what he may think of as “progress”. And the issue is not nearly as complicated as some would have us believe.

Has Mr. Hyde witnessed the warblers in migration? Does he have long term trend data on our resident and seasonal bird populations?

It may be that his research is theoretical and technical in the extreme and inhibits his ability to reach conclusions about real places that are not found in reams of data. Has he mentioned the typical setbacks for what would possibly be perhaps the tallest wind turbines in the nation?

Has he looked at our road layouts and where woodlots typically are located? Does he realize, or care, where the turbines would have to be located as a result? Has he any calculations about the amount of farmland, wetland and woodland habitat that would be lost in the name of renewable energy generated by wind turbines more than three times as high as the Presbyterian church steeple in Albion?

As I noted in my earlier letter, he has valid points. Would it be asking too much to have equally serious environmental issues considered?

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

New York State leads the nation in population loss. The net loss is 48,510. Out-of-state migration actually approached 200,000.

Governor Cuomo blames the weather on this population loss. It has nothing to do with his progressive policies which leads to an unfair tax burden to those who happen to bear those costs.

Many families and young adults are forced to leave the state to find employment as companies relocated away from NYS. Those who can vote with their feet with the help of the moving companies.

Now with a majority in both the Assembly and Senate, these progressive politicians will find more ways to fund their brilliant ideas. Enter the new carbon tax which is now being contemplated. This proposed legislation sets CO2 emission goals at 0% by the year 2050.

A tax will be imposed to force compliance with these standards. Rural areas will be faced with an unfair burden. Manufacturers will look to more business friendly states that don’t impose a tax which could be as high as 25%.

This will only increase the migration away from this state. I only hope these politicians observed the events in France before imposing this burdensome tax.

Ed Urbanik

Lyndonville

Editor:

As the holiday season approaches, I would like to take this time to thank all the employees of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication and service to the department and our community.

I am so blessed to serve with such an outstanding group of people, and truly thankful for the opportunity. Please keep them in your hearts and prayers.

I am also blessed to have such a loving family and great friends who understand when the job calls me away. Their support means more than I can express in words.

Special thanks to our Veterans, First Responders, volunteer chaplains, PACT (Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation) and the many community volunteers. You make us that much better.

Most of all, thank you to the residents of Orleans County. It’s your continued support and willingness to work together that makes our county a great place to live.

During this holiday season let love fill up space in your heart. It’s a time of celebration, that’s all the reason you need to be happy and live happily. Peace, Love and Joy.

Sincerely,

Sheriff Randy Bower

Editor:

I read Mr. Grabowski’s recent letter, “Gaines ZBA chairman questions town supervisor’s actions with steering committee, push to revise zoning.” It reads like the latest chapter of  “The Sour Grapes of Wrath,”  and shows the sad state of political affairs in Gaines.

The fact that I don’t have a horse in the political infighting in Gaines should make the back and forth less annoying, but since I have a mailbox in Gaines, I have been subjected to anonymous mailers filled with personal and overblown attacks, both before and after the last local election. Even if the complaints may have some merit, it’s pretty hard to discern right from wrong when you don’t have a source of information.

In Mr. Grabowski’s case, he is at least willing to put his name to his letter, unlike many of the faceless attacks against Joe Grube, but the tenor is so angry and disjointed (what does a Carlton water bill have to do with zoning?) that it’s impossible to draw a conclusion as to who is right or wrong. The only thing that is transparent is that Mr. Grabowski clearly doesn’t like Mr. Grube on a personal level.

Some of the criticism that Mr. Grabowski levels at Mr. Grube is simply unfair. There is no legal requirement to use Robert’s Rules of Order, and just because they are not followed doesn’t mean any “disorder” has been created, so why should he be held “accountable” for not following Roberts?

And as far as “hand picking” committee members – if I had been attacked the way Mr. Grube has been attacked I would insist on working with people I trust – that’s fairly common in politics at all levels.

I also think stating that Mr. Grube has “verbally assaulted” Mr. Grabowski is a bit much. Political discussions can get heated, and if it really did rise to the level of verbal “assault” then Mr. Grabowski should press charges. If not, he should tone down the rhetoric.

I do know this, the national political discourse is already ugly, but the main difference is that in Gaines we are all neighbors and have to live with each other. Mr. Grube and I come from polar opposite sides of the political spectrum, but I have tons of friends who don’t share my political philosophy and we have all learned to respect our differences.

Letters to the editor questioning a person’s integrity, and loaded with words spelled out in all capital letters, don’t solve issues, they add fuel to an already angry discourse. Everyone involved should be embarrassed for how petty it makes our town look to outsiders.

If the citizens of Gaines don’t like the job Mr. Grube is doing, then they can run someone against him when he is up for re-election. In the meantime, people need to start acting like neighbors and base disagreements on facts, not personal attacks or vendettas. It’s OK to have differences of opinion, it’s not OK to engage in character assassination. The right thing to do at this stage is to offer Mr. Grube an apology and figure out a way to work together to find some common ground and start acting more like neighbors and less like political foes.

Thom Jennings

Gaines

Editor:

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, or moral uprightness; being whole and not divided.

As we come into a new year, I think it’s important to evaluate ourselves. Finding ways where they can better themselves for the upcoming year and years ahead of them. A self-inventory on our performance over the past year in all aspects of our life.

With strong divides in our country, state and areas close to home; I would like to urge others, as I am, to look at our performance when it comes to integrity. Are our goals to benefit ourselves more than others or benefit others as well as ourselves?

I feel that often, many lose sight of the reasons they are doing something or being with someone, more than not something or someone they love. Each day we should be planning to make the most of it and making it better than days past. We are all faced with challenges daily, some greater than others and some more plentiful than others. Our integrity should be that one thing that helps direct us and allow us to benefit other and ourselves, rather than ourselves alone.

Life is a challenge and that is what makes life so rewarding. All that we have today is not promised tomorrow. Let’s not focus on what wrong with something or someone but what we can do to make it or them stronger. What can “I” do with another or others to make it better than it was yesterday for us all? In 2019, let’s choose our thoughts and actions based on honesty and morals, rather than personal gain and drive our country, state, community, job and home to be better than it was yesterday!

Happy New Year!

Peter D. Hendrickson, Jr.

Kent

Editor:

I take Mr. Kent’s blazing fast response to my LTE published Friday evening as a compliment.  There were no “clever, selective [or] obfuscating” motives behind my submission, only that the myths spread by Mr. James C. Hoffman are often repeated, but never disputed, and far more is in play in NY and regionally, than just the Niagara Hydroelectric plant.

I did not prod a Hornet’s Nest intentionally, nor did I insult the intelligence of any of these communities’ residents – 99.99% of New York state residents have very little recognition, nor understanding of the complex energy systems within which we live. Unfortunately for me, I do not gain an income for sharing my knowledge of our energy landscape, it’s my passion like others love cars or horses or …

Mr. Kent’s response and viciousness however does appear to any moderate and rational reader as though I just kicked the Hornet’s Nest… so much anger. Over what? Helping all readers to better understand our energy needs and how they can directly benefit in their pocketbooks through advances in technology, such as electric cars and heat pumps? That is a cost-benefit analysis in itself, not a presumption of “hicks from the sticks” intelligence. Your local car dealership salesman is not going to tell you electric cars are cheaper in fuel and more importantly maintenance costs. I would hope local HVAC providers would be offering the option of heat pumps for residents to perform their own cost-benefit analysis… however, I suspect they are not.

While I was pushing for my LTE to be published, my niece informed me Barker Central School announced it will need to consolidate, closing down part of it in a plan yet to be fully detailed to students or teachers alike. All just before Christmas! I graduated from BCS over 20 years ago, back during the days when we lived “high on the hog” off the Somerset Power Plant $20 million a year tax base. Something I have acknowledged in appreciation openly in several open letters to the local communities. Something I have also made clear… even though our resources back then were the best in Niagara or Orleans counties, it didn’t stop rival students from calling us “stupid pig farmers.”

It is starting to appear, as the $20 million per year long ago dried up, and Supervisor Dan Engert blows Somerset’s “rainy day fund” on subsidizing residents’ garbage collection, and Save Ontario Shores saddles the towns of Somerset and Yates under mountains of legal fees, the lipstick has started to wash off the pigs that we were all along, and the reason I like many after me got the hell out as soon as we could.

If Mr. Kent, like Mr. Hoffman, like Mrs. Bronson, like Mr. Riggi, like Mrs. Barton, want to continue throwing the proverbial cow manure at the wall that is Apex, hoping any of it will stick, then please do. I have no vested interest in Somerset or Yates or Barre, none in Apex either. I could give two cow patties. I have no children, nor will I have any… business as usual suits me just fine, I’ll be dead before the impacts hit us. Can all those in opposition to Lighthouse, Heritage or Galloo Island say the same about their children’s and/or grandchildren’s future?

I actually support natural gas pipelines and new, highly efficient combined cycle plants… something most do not. I support the governor’s efforts providing ZEC – Zero Energy Credits to our upstate nuclear fleet, something replicated in Illinois, but not anywhere else in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and all other states with nuclear plants. I even support downstate Indian Point, contrary to most downstate residents.

There is no potential for new hydroelectric power plants in the Northeast US, especially nothing of the scale of the Niagara or Robert Moses projects. Quebec is offering us a lifeline, with the new Romain project coming online in stages. But of course, NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard, is fighting against new transmission in Vermont & New Hampshire too, just like in New York.

Mr. Kent suggests distributed “rooftop solar” as a solution to Orleans and Niagara residents. I have done the feasibility study… and the numbers are not there. Sure residents can benefit from NEM – Net Electric Meter, accounting, but on a cost basis for New Yorkers, they don’t solve our energy need problems.

Mr. Kent, is not throwing out a viable alternative to the situation New York faces as a net electricity importer and a far greater net ENERGY importer if we consider oil and natural gas.  He like many of his cohort is sowing discontent, moving people to react emotionally, and sadly, not by their own personal best interests. Keep the old ways going, don’t change anything and just leave us alone.

I encourage readers to look outside the Facebook echochambers where Mr. Riggi, Ms. Barton, Ms. Bronson, Ms. Atwater, Mr. & Mrs. Nacca operate and spread their vicious vitriol like a Hornet’s Nest just kicked. Information is available that is not so twisted and distorted by a very select group of people. All might just find, there are real direct benefits available to each of us.

Respectfully,

Hans Hyde

Lockport

Editor:

Instead of my usual pro-wind speech, this is what I shared at the Dec. 13, 2018 Town Board meeting:

Tonight I would like to speak to two points. With your permission Jim (Simon – Town Supervisor), I would like to address everyone in the hall, not just the Town Board. Again tonight finds us in the Christmas Season.

We opened the meeting tonight with the Pledge of Allegiance to this beautiful flag! There were differences of opinions during the meeting and throughout the year. The reason we can do these things at town, state, and national levels is because of one thing, our military.

This month we lost a past commander in chief and a true World War II hero. President George Herbert Walker Bush was a true patriot. The four days of TV coverage of his funeral was a great history lesson.

At age 17 Mr. Bush signed up for service in the U.S. Navy. At the age of 18 he became the youngest Navy Pilot. He flew 58 bombing missions over Japan, being shot down once and was rescued at sea.

My father also signed up and was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corp which is known as the U.S. Air Force today. Dad was a tail gunner on a B29 Bomber stationed in Guam. He too, flew many nighttime missions over Japan. He told me when they returned to their base in Guam in the early morning, they would go to the Chow Hall and pray that all their fellow airmen would return safely. Like most World War II vets, dad didn’t talk much about the war. We also lost many Army and Marines in Germany, France and the rest of Europe.

Because many young men and women signed up for military duty and the country backed them, we won the war. Shortly before dad’s passing I took him to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. Looking up at the cut-away of the B29 it’s hard to believe how these men carried out their missions in this equipment. One of my dad’s favorite quotes was, “better to fight over there than here at home.”

One of the most moving moments of the Bush funeral coverage was when he was in the Capitol Rotunda. Former Senator Bob Dole was rolled in, in his wheel chair to pay his last respects.  They stopped at the head of the casket and the man pushing the wheel chair stopped and helped Senator Dole stand up so he could salute President Bush. To see that was a reminder of the meaning of “World War II Heroes.” If these men hadn’t fought the war that they did, maybe we would be speaking German or Japanese tonight. That’s a scary thought.

During the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in order to fill the military ranks, the government used the draft. During that time we fought the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.

Then it happened. In 2001 we were attacked on our home soil, so we ending up fighting the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. What I think is so great is that so many people, me included, questioned our younger generation. One thing we must remember is that today’s military is the strongest fighting force in the world and most importantly, it’s all volunteers. To me that says a lot about our younger generation.

I would like to ask everyone here, not just at Christmas time, but all year long if you see a veteran please extend your hand and say, “Thanks for your service.” Without our veterans we wouldn’t have all the freedoms we have today. Having said that, would all of the veterans here tonight, please stand so we can say “Thank you.”

My second point is the same as last year. There are 75 beautifully decorated trees in the village park. Again, I’m partial to two, the tree decorated by Save Ontario Shores and the tree decorated Lighthouse Wind. To me this shows that beside all of our differences we can have something in common. We all like to celebrate Christmas. I would ask that we remember the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We can all agree that things have gotten pretty contentious this year!

At this year’s end and during the Christmas season, I would ask everyone to take a deep breath, take a step back, and for the next month or two enjoy this Christmas season.

Howard Pierce

Lyndondonville

Editor:

The Town of Gaines is for sale. If you have a political chip from the last election to turn in please see Supervisor Joe Grube immediately, because he has given away most of the Town and there’s not much left. Are you concerned about the Cobblestone, solar farms or farm labor housing? – Joe’s your man (if you have one of those magical chips). If you attended the last Steering Committee to address proposed changes to the Towns zoning ordinances you know exactly what I am referring to.

In addition to Joe, the meeting was attended by two other town officials – Councilman Tyler Allport and Councilman-elect Corey Black. Supervisor Grube added Mr. Black to his committee along with hand selecting 10 members from the Gaines community. Interestingly none of these members were ever interviewed by the Town of Gaines Board to create a committee that fairly represented the concerns and views of the entire Town or to work within the goals and policies of its comprehensive plan, they were just presented by Joe for inclusion – no discussion required.

If you didn’t know better you might think you were attending a Cobblestone Society meeting. Let’s call this Joe’s “VISION” for the Town. Looking back the comprehensive plan and former ad hoc committee had this fair representation overall – a concept foreign to this supervisor and his desire to make unilateral decisions for HIS board. As I’ve previously stated the purpose of this committee is to propose changes to the Town Board to revise its zoning ordinance so it does not conflict with its revised comprehensive plan. It’s important to note that a committee had been previously working on this same task for 18 months prior to Joe became supervisor – a body work that was NEVER provided to a highly paid professional consultant, again hand selected from a short list of one by Joe – a part of his “VISION”. You might ask why, but it will be clear as you read on.

As Chairman of the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals that Supervisor Grube is attempting to dismantle, I attended the last “STEERING” committee meeting and sat and listened to a consultant most of the night. At one point I addressed a question to Joe’s consultant, and before she could even address my concern, Joe jumped up to confronted me, saying and I quote “I’m going to throw you under the bus”, redirecting the conversation and did not allow the consultant to address or answer. No comment from the other town officials or other committee members present. It’s not the first time I have been verbally assaulted by Joe, but it really summarizes how this Supervisor runs the Town and his tunnel  “VISION” and his integrity as a person.

I personally found his actions to be insulting and not worthy of the office he holds. It should be clear that Supervisor Grube’s actions are yet another example of his desire to “STEER” the steering committee. But it doesn’t end there. Joe has directed the consultant to include items beyond her professional obligation and expertise to include bringing back a planning board and redefining the goals and policies of its comprehensive plan – sounds like more chips for everyone!

Another incident that should be made public is at that same meeting Joe did not find it necessary to follow any parliamentary procedures such as Robert’s Rules of Order in the election of a committee chair, instead choosing to follow “Joe’s Rules of Disorder”, and for that he and his fellow Councilmen and paid consultant should be embarrassed and held accountable for. This above all should highlight Joe’s “VISION” for the town and his integrity as a person. Truth be told Joe wanted to appoint the Cobblestone’s Executive Vice President as the chairperson of the committee, again a part of his “VISION”, A fact that can be substantiated by any current councilperson.

If you do attend the next “STEERING” committee you may want to introduce yourself to the Supervisor and ask him his role in the approximately $250,000 (that’s, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollar) water billing overpayment by the Town of Carlton that he is refusing to return.

It is well know by officials of both towns, Carlton civic leaders and U.S. government officials – speaks volumes to Joe’s integrity as a person. Who knows, maybe it was his “VISION” to use this found pay for the highly paid professional consultant or other expenses and items he has included in the Town’s budget.

You may not feel you need to get involved because this issue does not concern you, but I warn you to see for yourself and get involved before it’s too late, and you have no voice. You may want to attend the next “STEERING” or Town Board meeting and make Joe and the other town officials responsible for there actions and decisions. The next meeting is scheduled for December 17th at the Gaines Town Hall.

Michael Grabowski

Gaines ZBA Chairman

Editor:

Hans Hyde undoubtedly makes some important points in his clever, selective, obfuscation of matters related to renewable energy.

For example, he is likely correct that there will come a time when we will require greater amounts of electrical energy. Renewable sources such as wind, water, and solar—especially the latter—are arguably better for the planet than energy generated by coal, oil, gas, and nuclear.

As he denigrates opponents of 600’ wind turbines in Somerset, Yates and Barre, he conveniently avoids the “on-the-ground” and “in-the-air” realities associated with the actual erection of properly sited and set back monstrosities far better suited, for example, to abandoned oilfields in Oklahoma and Texas. Has Hans calculated the amount of land that must be clear-cut for each turbine and otherwise set aside for crusher-run access roads?

Although I suspect we are sometimes presumed to be ignorant and desperate “hicks from the sticks,” in fact, we were not “born yesterday” and many of us are not interested in selling our souls for the presumed “advantages” of inappropriately located industrial wind turbines unsuited to our lush rural landscape.  As noted before, at this juncture, Orleans County’s farmlands, wetlands, and woodlands are valuable assets to be protected from those who have no “skin in the game.” The game being played by proponents of turbines here is pure and simple exploitation.

Has Hans Hyde ever heard of a cost-benefit analysis? My guess—and that is all it is—is that roof-mounted solar panels make far more sense for Orleans County than even properly set-back, 600 foot-high wind turbines marketed as “harmless,” even though locating them appropriately would do a lot to wreck much of what our county has to commend it.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

The NYS Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter Executive Committee unanimously endorsed the Apex Clean Energy, Inc. wind project as environmentally sound. Apex’s October 2 presentation outlined issues of property values, siting, environmental questions, jobs, tax benefits to localities, and the lengthy approval process itself. These studies are available on the Apex website.

Some 47 Vestas 4.2 megawatt turbines are proposed for a capacity of 197 megawatts. Farmers and landowners will be paid substantial royalties for turbine leases which will help keep farming profitable and maintain the agricultural nature of the region. The agrarian productivity will be maintained up to the turbine towers. Apex must maintain a bond to cover the unlikely event that the turbines would need to be removed.

There have been over 10 major studies in the United States and Canada of property values near wind turbines, including a review of 122,000 home sales in densely populated Massachusetts. Wind farms are without effect, or a slightly increased home values. Wind farms expand the local economic pie driven by their tax and community benefit payments.

Setback distances of homes and businesses of non-participating landowners will be at least 1/3 mile, and their property lines will be more than 650 feet from a turbine. The Barker School would be located more than a mile from the turbines.

Non-participating landowners will experience – at most – a sound level equivalent to that emitted by an air conditioning system in a large school hall, or a babbling brook.

Apex is regulated by NYS requirements of Articles 10 and 11, the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Apex is using the results of over 250 studies – including their own 2-year study – of avian migration and habitat, to minimize impacts. These include reducing or halting operations during migratory periods, and continuous avian monitoring. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation are coordinating with Apex’s studies. The National Audubon Society reports that climate change is by far the greatest threat to birds. Independent studies find that fossil fuel production causes many more bird losses than wind turbines per generated megawatt of electricity.

The Sierra Club sees the development of sustainable, renewable energy as necessary. With the threat of climate change highlighted by the National Climate Assessment – written by 13 Federal agencies including the Department of Defense – Apex’s wind project is one of many important pieces to the solution.

Bob Ciesielski

Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter

Energy Committee Chair

Buffalo

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Editor:

Enough of this insanity and complete distortion of easily verifiable facts by members of Save Ontario Shores and Mr. William Nacca, who has buried the NYS DPS website with CAPS LOCKS ON “public comments” when it comes to electricity generation and needs within NY.

As posted on Nov. 29, 2018 by Mr. James Hoffman… “With respect to the project itself, the power is not needed. Western New York is not short of power. The Niagara hydroelectric power plant is under-utilized. An examination of the record reveals this. With a source of clean renewable power at our door step, why is Lighthouse Wind and other industrial wind turbine projects even being considered?”

There is not one credible power generation managing agency or energy reporting agency that would consider the Niagara Hydroelectric power plant to be “under-utilized.” Its capacity factor (hours that it generates electricity against 8,760 hours in a year) is 100 percent dependent upon the Great Lakes watershed above it.  NYPA, NY Power Authority, has the ability to pump water into the reservoir during the nighttime, then release it during the day when demand is higher.  That is the extent of how it can be controlled, which is also dependent upon international agreements with Canada over how much water flows over the falls itself… a loss of electric generation potential, but one Americans and Canadians agree is “worth it” due to the tourism potential it offers. We could increase the capacity factor by “draining the falls,” but no one wants that do they?

Any reader or interested party can go on the NY Independent System Operator’s (NYISO.org) webpage and see in real-time what the generation mix is within the state. More savvy observers can see real-time wholesale power prices as well as the status of imports/exports to our grid from Ontario, Quebec and Pennsylvania.

This can also be verified through the US Energy Information Agency, who keeps detailed records of all power plants within the US. This information is accessible online, with over 20 years of data available to all. One can also find the instantaneous capacity and capacity factor of all power plants across the US.

As far as local generation for local use is concerned, significant substation improvements were recently completed in Gardenville. NYISO has recently approved the addition of 345kV high voltage substations in Lockport and Alabama.  The former will fix the constraints and congestions that were built into the system when the Somerset coal plant was built almost 40 years ago. The latter will facilitate the local generation, local use aspect of Genesee County’s STAMP – Science Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park.

As residents of NY increasingly discover the direct economic benefit of electric vehicles via lower fuel costs and far less costly maintenance, as well as finding it cheaper and more comfortable to heat their homes and hot water with heat pumps, NY electric power needs will increase, not decrease. Economics will drive these changes, and New Yorkers will increasingly be able to source more of their energy needs from within NY… not from foreign or distant energy providers. New generation resources are required for all New Yorkers to benefit from this transition, not less. And thanks to technology advancement, new generation resources like wind and solar are becoming cheaper than fossil coal plants, and even high operating costs of our aging nuclear fleet.

NY is currently a net importer of electricity. That some upstate residents do not care for upstate having a generation surplus against our needs is regardless of the fact that it has been this way for decades, and communities like Niagara Falls, Somerset, Oswego and Ontario, NY have economically benefited from this relationship. Simply put, if we don’t want to have surplus generation and no longer benefit in jobs, tax base and economic development from sending electricity to downstate and NYC, we could shut down any of the nuclear reactors along Lake Ontario… end of story.

Sincerely,

Hans Hyde

Lockport