Silver Lake Daily Newsletter.com

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A Guest Opinion; Comments are Welcome:
Letter: New Green Energy
Deal is not so ‘green’

Editor's Note -- Guest Editorials do not necessarily express the ideas or opinions of this publication or its owner(s). Questions, agreement or disagreement are welcomed.

Residents of rural New York State find themselves today amidst the onslaught of an assault on our countryside, all in the name of “Green Energy.” Former Governor Cuomo, the Corporations and the corporate political supporters and investors have laid out the Green Energy blueprint that will surely befall New York and the rest of the country, all with the full support of now President Biden and his “New Green Energy Deal.”

The former Governor proposed that New York will reduce Green House emissions by 40% which equals 70% renewable energy in place by the year 2030 and 100% reduction in emissions by 2040. In order to reach this goal rural New York State will be blanketed with Industrial Wind and Solar Energy facilities that will affect tens of thousands of acres in the State.

He also suggests that the State of New York could eventually take these green energy companies over, becoming a State owned “Green energy company. From the beginning to the end it raises the question could this be nothing more than a State and corporate money grab under the guise of saving New York and the planet?

The permitting process has been streamlined by the Governor’s office, putting the decision making process in Albany’s back pocket by directing The Department of Public Service (DPS) and New York State Energy Research and Development (NYSERDA), to green light Renewable Energy Permitting through The New York State siting board.

There is, however, a time period for anyone to appeal their case contrary to the state’s decision making process after the approval of a project application but the validity of that appeal to be heard during the adjudication process is left solely to the discretion of the newly formed “New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting” (ORES). The proverbial fox guarding the henhouse.

There are three major laws and legislation that have been proposed and put into place by the Governor’s office. Article 10, Article 23 and most recently Section 94C. The objective of Section 94C, in its own words, is to do away with anything that could prove to be “burdensome” in the placement and approval process of these green energy projects, meaning, existing laws.

In the process the current laws set forth by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation will be gutted, along with other agencies such as, The States Historic Preservation Department, NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, the SEQOR process (State Environmental Quality Review Act) and our local town and County governments home rule laws.

Our group, “Save Our Environment Limited” (a not- for- profit environmental preservation organization based in Alexander, N.Y.) and its associated members and volunteers have recently been involved in an extensive Environmental Impact Study in the Town of Barre. Our findings have shown that the industrial wind turbines and solar fields projected for the town would have a devastating impact on the environment, wildlife and the residents of the town of Barre.

The Federal Fish and Wildlife Department recently made a public statement suggesting that this project was not right for the Town of Barre and the wildlife sensitive management areas adjacent to its borders.

The placement of industrial wind turbines and industrial solar facilities in our rural countryside will create an unprecedented State and corporate power move that would pave the way for projects of this magnitude in the most environmentally sensitive areas in New York State, potentially destroying laws and guidelines put in place to protect our local towns Home Rule, environment, wildlife, culturally historic and scenic sites and some of the richest agricultural land in the country.

Sincerely,

Chris Krtanik

And board members of “Save Our Environment Limited”