WCCS LEGO ROBOTICS TEAMS-WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!!!

MS Robotics wraps up a successful season!


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Thanks to the generosity of numerous community sponsors, the Middle School Robotics Club has wrapped up it second and successful competition season.

Three teams, Yield!, The CrissCrossers and Transporters worked hard since September putting in a regular five hours a week with up to 13 hours a week in preparation for the competition season. The teams designed and built three robots to complete a number of tasks designed by the First Lego League tournament. Students also developed a presentation solving real-world issues surrounding this year’s theme of transportation. All three groups worked on challenges in their own school district.

The groups made outstanding this progress with this year’s lowest qualifying score beating last year’s high score by an incredible 40 points. The Transporters earned the Innovative Design Award and the Robot Performance Award for earning the most points at the robot competition table, qualifying them to advance to the University of Rochester Semifinals, where 34 teams were vying for one available slot to the World tournament. This year’s team earned 8th place in the robot competition out of those 34 teams, improving upon their placing from the year before. Their presentation was a merged version of all three teams and they were thankful for the assistance they received from the Yield! and CrissCrossers members. Although there are three separate teams, all three groups worked together throughout the year.

The Wayland-Cohocton community has been generous in supporting this program which requires a great deal of technology and equipment. Please look for a list in the near future of the 2009-2010 community sponsors. Remember to patronize local businesses as they are certainly the cornerstone for so many organizations in our communities.
All three teams would also like to thank Paul Holubek who coaches tirelessly and works extensively with the programmers and builders to create some of the best ‘bots around. Likewise, the group’s appreciation goes out to John Kerr who provides tremendous support to the presenters and researchers in this complicated process.
Look for these kids out in the community this winter and spring as they share their robots and creations.

COHOCTON WIND WATCH CWW -WHERE'S THE MISSING MONEY?

Steuben County Arrest
Reported by: WROC TV
Thursday, Nov 26, 2009 @12:36pm


A Steuben County man has been arrested for allegedly stealing funds from the Cohocton American Legion.


New York State Police charged Jeffery Palmiter, 32, of Wayland, with Grand Larceny 3rd degree.


Palmiter was charged as a result of an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Cohocton American Legion, where Palmiter served as an officer of that organization for approximately two years (2007 -2009).


Palmiter is alleged to have stolen the funds in his capacity as Treasurer. The defendant is specifically charged with the larceny of approximately $14,000 over the two year period he served as treasurer.


He was arraigned before the Town of Wayland Court, and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to reappear in the Village of Cohocton Court on December 8th.

FIRST WIND, COHOCTON OPERATIONS DONATES 200 TURKEYS TO THE LIGHTHOUSE PANTRY, AVOCA, N.Y., FOR THANKSGIVING.

Rick Towner, Ben Wolcott and Jane Towner, employees of First Wind, Cohocton helped the Lighthouse Pantry, Avoca, N.Y. distribute Thanksgiving dinner fixings to 200 families in the local area. The turkeys were donated by First Wind Operation & Maintenance of Cohocton and Hubbard Potatoes of Avoca supplied 200 -10 lb bags of potatoes for the event.

We have never been able to do anything for our pantry people at Thanksgiving. Your turkeys have been given out to households with a total of 759 members. When I went through the line to register the people and to hear their Thanksgiving plans, I got an estimated 1500 – 1600 individuals who will be eating your turkey this Thursday.

THANK YOU! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.



Carol Preston

Lighthouse Community Panty

8593 Jacob’s Ladder Road

Avoca, N.Y. 14809

ALL THE TRIMMINGS AND THE TURKEY, TOO!

RICK TOWNER, ASSISTANT OPERATIONS MANAGER, FIRST WIND -CPP I & CPP II, COHOCTON

BEN WOLCOTT, BALANCE OF PLANT SUPERVISOR, FIRST WIND, CPP I & CPP II-COHOCTON

200 TURKEYS WAITING TO BE DISTRIBUTED

LIGHTHOUSE FOOD PANTRY, AVOCA BEING SET UP FOR THANKSGIVING DISTRIBUTION

Three Mile Island radiation leak investigated
November 22, 2009 1:52 p.m. EST

Three Mile Island nuclear plant, seen in March 1979, was the site of the worst U.S. nuclear accident.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Airborne radiological contamination alarm sounded at 4 p.m. Saturday
Radiation was confined to a single building and no one was in danger, company says
In 1979, Three Mile Island was the scene of the worst U.S. nuclear accident



RELATED TOPICS
Three Mile Island
Nuclear Energy
(CNN) -- Authorities at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island nuclear plant were investigating what caused a weekend radiation leak that resulted in 150 workers being sent home, officials said Sunday.

An airborne radiological contamination alarm sounded about 4 p.m. Saturday in the Unit 1 containment building, according to a statement from Exelon Nuclear, which operates the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania. The unit had been shut down since October 26 for refueling, maintenance and steam generator replacement, the company said.

"A monitor at the temporary opening cut into the containment building wall to allow the new steam generators to be moved inside showed a slight increase in a reading and then returned to normal," the company said. "Two other monitors displayed normal readings."

Three Mile Island was the scene of the worst U.S. nuclear accident, a partial meltdown in 1979 that resulted in the plant's second reactor being shut down permanently.

Tests showed the contamination in Saturday's incident was confined to the building itself, and none was found outside, Exelon said. There was no threat to public health and safety, but the workers were sent home because they could not continue until the area was cleaned, Bill Noll, Exelon vice president, said in the Saturday statement.

One worker was found to have received 16 millirem of exposure, and others received lower levels of contamination. The annual occupational dose limit for workers at Exelon plants is 2,000 millirem, the statement said.

Radiation exposure from a chest X-ray is about 6 millirem, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Although Noll said it was hoped work would resume at Unit 1 on Sunday, Exelon spokeswoman Beth Archer told CNN on Sunday it had not resumed, as the cause of the leak was still under investigation.

Two radiation specialists from the NRC were scheduled to investigate Sunday. "Numerous work activities were going on in the building at the time the alarm sounded, and Exelon engineers are working to determine the cause of the incident," the statement said.

The March 1979 accident at Three Mile Island brought the nuclear industry to a standstill. The partial meltdown of Unit 2's nuclear core resulted in no injuries to plant workers or nearby community members, but it triggered changes in nuclear power plant operations and emergency planning and led to tighter oversight of the industry by the NRC.

The Unit 2 reactor is permanently shut down and defueled, the NRC said. In 2001, FirstEnergy acquired it and contracted its monitoring to Exelon, which owns Unit 1. The companies plan to keep Unit 2 in "long-term, monitored storage" until the Unit 1 operating license expires, at which time both plants will be decommissioned, the NRC said.

A new generation of nuclear reactors is being considered in the United States as environmental concerns have intensified about coal-fired power plants.

TOWN OF COHOCTON
November 17, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

The Town of Cohocton is sending out this release because the anti-wind group (Cohocton Wind Watch) headed by Steve Trude, the unsuccessful candidate for Town Board, issued a statement that the Town of Cohocton was missing $600,000 out of its budget. Even after the budget was explained, they continue to insist that there are missing monies. It is their mission, since the beginning of their existence, to discredit officials of the Town of Cohocton and the work that they do for the Town.

The Town of Cohoctons’ budget is developed by the fiscal officer of the Town (Supervisor Jack Zigenfus) with the assistance of an independent financial consultant (Baldwin Financial Services) who does work for over 25 Towns and Villages in Western New York. The Supervisor presents his budget proposal to the Town Board and the Board holds public workshop meetings on it to discuss and make changes. After this is done, there is a public hearing on the budget and after the public hearing, the Board Votes on the budget. It then becomes the adopted budget for the following year.

One must remember that a budget for the upcoming year is really a best estimate as to what the Town expects will be the expenditures and revenues. In our Town most, not all, revenues come from the Host Payment to the Town from the Wind Project, property taxes (which were reduced 60% over the past 2 years) and Steuben County Sales Tax. There are other miscellaneous revenues (see attached budget sheet).

Revenues and Expenditures balance the budget. This, as said earlier, is the best guess estimate for the ensuing year. Monies that are not spent from the current years budget, at the end of the year and not appropriated for in the 2010 budget goes into fund balance. This fund balance is again a best guess estimate of what will be left at the end of the year. I estimated that there would be approximately $600,000. To make it clear, think of our budget as you would your home accounts.


Our Budget is like your checking account, you make deposits (revenues) and you pay the bills (expenditures). Our Fund Balance is like your savings account, where you put money away for some type of unforeseen purchase that might come up (for example you need a new roof or new furnace).

As you are aware the State of New York and The Federal Government are in serious financial trouble. If you talk to any County Administrator they will tell you that the next few years will be a financial disaster for many Counties, Towns, and Villages. It is prudent at this time to make sure this Town is prepared for such a disaster. Huge increases are headed to every municipality in New York State. Fortunately, for our Town we will be in good financial condition to meet these challenging times. This Town Board is using its revenues and fund balance to ensure our Towns taxes remain stable, remain debt free and that we are prepared for what lies ahead.


Submitted by: Jack Zigenfus, Supervisor and Budget Officer

Massa used campaign funds to pay himself and wife
By Jerry Zremski
News Washington Bureau Chief
Updated: November 15, 2009, 12:48 PM / 17 comments

WASHINGTON -- Eric Massa paid himself and his wife $33,000 in salary out of campaign funds during his successful 2008 race in the Southern Tier's 29th district, federal records show.
Massa's payments highlighted a review of the personal financial disclosure statements of the area's federal lawmakers.
That review -- which found Rep. Chris Lee, R-Clarence, to be the House's 25th-richest lawmaker -- also showed that Massa and several of his colleagues took the same kind of huge financial hits that most Americans took during the 2008 economic crisis.
While that loss was to be expected, it's highly unusual to see a congressional candidate paying himself out of funds he or she raised for a campaign. Such payments are legal under federal election law, but ethics experts take a dim view of them.
"Voters should be concerned," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, a good-government group. "When they donated to Massa, they didn't expect that he would be pocketing the money."
Yet that's just what Massa, a Democrat from Corning, did with $15,000 of the $2.16 million he raised in his second bid to unseat Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport.
"Eric did draw a meager salary at the end of the 2008 campaign to cover expenses after campaigning full-time for four years," said Jared Smith, Massa's spokesman. "There aren't many people who have spent more time or effort working for the privilege of serving the families of their congressional district's than Rep. Massa."
Massa paid his wife, Beverly, $18,000 to work as the campaign's treasurer, accountant and compliance officer. Smith said Beverly Massa is not serving in those roles for Massa's 2010 re-election bid.
A retired Navy commander, Massa is by no means one of the wealthiest members of Congress. He ranked 283rd in wealth among the House's 435 members, the Center for Responsive Politics found in an analysis of the disclosure forms that lawmakers must file annually.
The value of Massa's investments was somewhere between $31,039 and $674,999. Those estimates are grossly imprecise because Congress wants it that way, only requiring lawmakers to report the value of an investment in a dollar-value range rather than a specific amount.
Averaging those two figures, the Center for Responsive Politics pegged Massa's net worth at an estimated $353,019.
What's more, Massa's net worth declined by an estimated 31.2 percent last year, according to the group's figures.
That's comparable to the estimated 30.2 percent hit that Lee -- by far the area's wealthiest lawmaker -- took last year.
With an estimated net worth of $13.46 million, Lee ranked as the House's 25th richest member, the study showed. Lee made his wealth through the family business, Enidine Corp., a motion-controls equipment manufacturer based in Orchard Park, where he served as an executive before running for Congress.
Lee was heavily invested in stock funds early in the year, but his financial disclosure form shows that he shed many of them in favor of less volatile investments, presumably often at a loss.
Acknowledging he took "a huge hit," Lee also said voters should not look at his considerable remaining wealth and consider him out of touch.
Saying he's in Congress "to help improve the lives of other Americans," Lee noted that he spends so much time with constituents that he knows very well how they are suffering economically.
"I've always felt that, if you're not talking all the time with people, in any organization, you won't be successful," he said. "It's very simple, if I'm not in touch with my constituents, I won't be re-elected."
The review of personal financial disclosure statements also showed:
-- Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport, suffered an estimated 36.6 percent drop in the value of her investments, which are concentrated in investment funds and savings that she has held for a long period of time.
With an estimated net worth of $1.7 million, Slaughter ranked 122nd in the House.
-- Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, enjoyed an estimated 10.4 increase in the value of his investments. Higgins keeps almost all of his money in savings and retirement accounts, meaning any increase in his net worth likely resulted from increased savings from his income as a congressman and his wife's income from the Buffalo schools.
Higgins remains one of the House's least wealthy members, ranking 341st.
jzremski@buffnews.com


Reader comments
There are 17 comments on this article.

My husband and I both maxed out on Massa's campaign. He told us in early 2007 as he was deciding whether to run again that the only way he could do it was to draw a salary from the campaign. He said he hated having to do it, but there was no other way to support his family and run again. We wrote our checks to his campaign long after he told us that, so obviously, as donors, we have no problem with it. Let me say that again, it was MY MONEY he paid himself and I'm fine with it. (For those of you who are still upset, you might want to look up how much Randy Kuhl paid his son...)

I find it funny that one of the people who thinks this is evil also thinks career politicians are evil. Massa was taking on a career politician. He's not one. That's why he had to campaign full time and draw a salary from his campaign. It's the very fact that this practice is legal that makes it possible for the non-wealthy to take on career politicians.
Posted by: MariaW on Nov 16,2009 at 07:26 am
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I didn't say he was a JAG Officer I said they would be investigating HIM. If he had to retire because of cancer that is his problem. What he does in office and with politics that is our forum Comrade. If you read my lips republicans were a joke too. Most politicians do it for one thing control over people and money. The whole political system is flawed because of CAREER POLITICIANS ruling the roost. There needs to be people stepping up to the bat and getting this playing field pretty level. Instead they just seem bent on lining their pockets from campaign funds or taxpayer funds. All to stay in political control. Do you know the retired salaries most of these POLITICIANS GET. some get better benefits and salaries that would make some of the top 10 businesses CEO's eyes beam with jealousy. Look up any public records of some of these guys if you can find them. These should be available under the freedom of information act. But I'll bet if you try it will take an act of congress to get them available. He's but one of the flunkies trying to REPRESENT their constituients and pass some of these flawed laws to help him line his pockets. So take your playboy with two shotguns and vote him in if he's so good. Just make sure he's above board and does a good job while in office. I don't care what these politicians do in their private time. It's when they are on public time and their funds that's where I draw the line. BTW I served in the NAVY too so It takes one to know one.
Posted by: Repairman on Nov 16,2009 at 12:30 am
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"There aren't many people who have spent more time or effort working for the privilege of serving the families of their congressional district's than Rep. Massa." - according to spokesman Jared Smith. With a statement like that this clown is ... "
He ran a full time campaign, twice. Was proud to vote for him twice too. Glad we got rid of what we had. He was a joke.
Posted by: parmm1 on Nov 15,2009 at 11:47 pm
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"A NAVY retiree at Commander level and he's billing his campaign contributions for wages. double dipping eh. Sounds like JAG would looking his way if he was still serving. As far as these political cronies go I ... "
I take it you would rather have a playboy who pointed 2 shotguns at his wife and threatened her at a fund raising party? Right Comrade, the Republicans didn't offer much!!! I really can not figure how he got re-elected over and over again.

BTW, Massa was not a Jag, and he would still be serving it it were not for cancer that is now under control. Had to retire.
Posted by: parmm1 on Nov 15,2009 at 11:44 pm
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"Should be removed from office immediately. He is a Democrat though so he will probably be rewarded with a committee chairmanship."
Or as a Republican given life long standing, a yacht, cocaine, some wars to start to help his buddies......
Posted by: aldo23 on Nov 15,2009 at 11:43 pm
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A NAVY retiree at Commander level and he's billing his campaign contributions for wages. double dipping eh. Sounds like JAG would looking his way if he was still serving. As far as these political cronies go I trust none of them. Especially poor Louise she really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Whats bad are the republicans really don't want to offer any good candidates just clones of those in office. So we're basically in a no win situation. Maybe we need some good independents to stand up and fight the good one against these INCUMBENT and clones trying to serve. After all they are supposed to be serving us taxpayers not themselves. Obviously this guy is just trying to get all he can from our dime. Did any of you notice it that congress doesn't want to be precise on any of their finances? Only within Vague ranges? Like they want us to be precise but somehow they seem to be exempt. Sure try that at an IRS audit. Politics are getting to be too big and people like Louise are trying to rule the roost and keep her throne in DC. No wonder our Government is into debt for over 12 trillion dollars and that is not to us. Look at Obama now he's over in China kissing up to the Chinese to let them know their investment (US) is safe and not to worry. With Politicians like these boy there really is a double standard and it's not in our favor. No wonder we are in such deep trouble as a nation. Small businesses like mine and yours Mr Freeze don't have to worry because we'll be taken over by the government and they will decide what we can and can not do. Right Comrade!
Posted by: Repairman on Nov 15,2009 at 11:16 pm
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I am not rich now and I think that way because I want to be wealthy in the future. I understand that letting me spend more of the money I earn and is rightly fully mine I will be able to spend it on my business and investments. Small business people like me will be able to create far greater wealth than pouring into the black hole of government. Even a ham and egger can understand this fact.
Posted by: mrfreeze on Nov 15,2009 at 07:51 pm
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I mlike Higgin's but come on! BOTH INCOMES, his and his wife from the public sector?
Posted by: Seenenough on Nov 15,2009 at 07:42 pm
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Lee is out of touch with reality. Constantly his legislation is "tax breaks" while a vast majority of Americans are making the more basic decision "can I afford it" not "how it will reduce my taxes". ONLY THE RICH THINK THAT WAY!
Posted by: Seenenough on Nov 15,2009 at 07:39 pm
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Should be removed from office immediately. He is a Democrat though so he will probably be rewarded with a committee chairmanship.
Posted by: abbie66 on Nov 15,2009 at 07:09 pm
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And we are wondering where political corruption comes from. Boy do we need an education. This is just kindergarten for these guys. Where's our ethics guys when we need them. May be legal but then most politicians are legal just not ethical.
Posted by: Repairman on Nov 15,2009 at 07:03 pm
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I find it very comical that anyone would find it objectional that Massa paid himself out of campaign money when ex Representative Kuhl was being paided by the taxpayers! I, for one, gave to Massa's campaign and do not object. Very happy to see Kuhl gone. Massa is a breath of fresh air when compared to the man I paid thru taxes to run against him.
Posted by: parmm1 on Nov 15,2009 at 01:34 pm
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If Massa raised money in the stock market without disclosing his intent to pay himself he would be in violation of securities law. Funny how congress exempts itself from the laws it imposes on others. Don't expect congress to be subject to the new health care bill: they'll just vote themselves more of our taxes for cadillac care. They exempt themselves from labor law, EEOC law, etc. Our imperial congress: don't you just love them?
Posted by: Obmanation on Nov 15,2009 at 11:52 am
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"There aren't many people who have spent more time or effort working for the privilege of serving the families of their congressional district's than Rep. Massa." - according to spokesman Jared Smith. With a statement like that this clown is either a lawyer or practicing to be one.
Posted by: LloydSokorski on Nov 15,2009 at 11:49 am
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This article seems to be slanted, even with the chosen headline that Rep. Eric Massa did some wrongdoing. This is NOT an example of impartial reporting.
Posted by: pjrobbins on Nov 15,2009 at 11:37 am
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Expect to see Brian Davis run for congress once he becomes aware of this procedure.
Posted by: GSBILL on Nov 15,2009 at 11:18 am
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Look at who (JK) ran against Collins a few years back, he did the same thing.
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Its common in Buffalo:)
Posted by: bullitt424 on Nov 15,2009 at 10:37 am
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A map illustrating where wind turbines will be placed in Howard.

By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Thu Nov 12, 2009, 05:00 PM EST


While Howard town officials have not been contacted recently, the company planning a 25-turbine wind project is moving forward with development.
Kevin Sheen, head of business development for EverPower Renewables’ Howard project, said Wednesday the company is pushing for a springtime groundbreaking on the project.
“Given that the financial and power markets have started to recover, our goal is to break ground on the Howard Wind Project next year,” Sheen said. “We are currently working on the final details for construction including the transportation routing. We are hopeful that all will go according to plan and we will begin construction in May of next year.”
The Howard town planning board issued the company a conditional use permit, but several more agreements are needed before the company can finalize its project application with the town board, Sheen said.
“From a permitting point of view we need to complete the county road use agreement, the town road use agreement, the PILOT agreement with the county and the host community agreement with the Town of Howard,” he said in response to an email from the Tribune. “All of those are being worked on and should be resolved in the coming months.”
Along with permits, getting turbines to put on the site also is a challenge.
The project includes 25 turbines, each rated for 2.5 megawatts of power production in optimal wind conditions. Sheen said the company is looking to buy German-based Nordex turbines, but the final deal has not been set yet.
Nordex currently builts its model N90 turbines in Rostock, Germany, the company’s Web site states, but a new plant in Arkansas is under construction, scheduled for a mid-2010 opening.
The most-important step in the project is getting funds to pay for the construction.
“We are still researching the different options that would allow us to finance the project,” Sheen said via email. “Typically, these projects receive a construction loan that is converted into longer-term financing once the project becomes operational.”
Sheen added the company is working on a power purchase agreement, which would help finance the construction.
Also helping the firm will be its purchase by Terra Firma, a private equity firm, that is in the midst of a $350 million buyout of EverPower, according to the Reuters news service in August. Sheen said the firm will help near-term projects move ahead, including Howard.
EverPower also is developing a 65-80 MW wind project in Allegany, as well as projects in Oregon and Ohio. The company operates a 62.5 MW project with 25 Nordex N90 turbines in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

Again, the local Cohocton election shows overwhelming support for wind energy in our community. Despite the negative attacks from the opposition, the lies, the innuendo they tried to spread, the incumbents were re-elected. How many years, how many elections does it take to send the pro message to CWW? Your strong-arm tactics are not working, the Township of Cohocton has, again, spoken.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Steuben County Election Results 2009
2009SteubenCountyElectionResultsgen_ur.pdf

Cohocton
TOWN SUPERVISOR (2 Year) (Vote for ONE)
5A Bonnie Palmiter - DEM 217
5B W. Jack Zigenfus - REP 388
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Cohocton
TOWN CLERK (2 Year) (Vote for ONE)
6B Sandra L. Riley - REP 565
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Cohocton
TOWN JUSTICE (4 Year) (Vote for ONE)
7B Ronald C. Snyder - REP 515
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Cohocton
TOWN COUNCILMEN (4 Year) (Vote for ANY TWO)
8A Joseph Dyckman - DEM 379
8B Jeffrey F. Wise - REP 430
9A Beverly J. Kota - DEM 158
9B Stephen Trude - REP 238
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Cohocton
SUPERINTENDENT OF HIGHWAYS (2 Year) (Vote for ONE)
10B Brian Kuhn - REP 470
10C Douglas Byington - IND 116
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Cohocton
ASSESSOR (4 Year) (Vote for ONE)
11B David A. Domm - REP 487
Blank - 0
Void - 0

Rep. Massa Attacks Wind Farm Stimulus Funding (VIDEO)
Ted Fioraliso


October 6, 2009

Rep. Eric Massa has sent a letter to President Obama urging the Government Accountability Office to investigate stimulus funds awarded in Steuben County.
The government gave First Wind nearly $75 million in stimulus money for the wind farm project in Cohocton. But Massa calls the transaction "alarming."
In his letter to the president, Massa writes, “Constituents in our region see these projects as criminal actions."
Massa says the government should *not* be rewarding first wind, because he says the company has abused the public's trust.
“I am very concerned about the award of these monies when there are so many other projects and requirements throughout the Southern Tier that I believe are higher priority than that $75 million grant to a private and potentially foreign-owned corporation,” said Massa.
In response, First Wind spokesman John Lamontagne tells WENY-TV News, “There were very strict standards in the recovery bill, and our project met them…The funds will serve as a stimulus for further investment in renewable projects -- not just by First Wind, but by others in the industry as well."
Cohocton town supervisor Jack Zigenfus is angry with Massa's letter to the president. He says the wind project has brought in jobs and lowered taxes -- the town has even paid off its debt.
“We’ve bailed out automakers, we've bailed out banks that do business all over the world, and now we get money locally for something that has created something in his own congressional district – I don't know what the guy is thinking,” said Zigenfus.
No word yet if Rep. Massa's heard back from the White House.

Video link below:


http://www.weny.com/News-Local.asp?ARTICLE3864=9148228

Atlanta teen wins Cohocton contest

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By Justin Head
The Evening Tribune
Mon Oct 05, 2009, 03:08 PM EDT

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Cohocton, N.Y. -

After all the ‘hangin’ around three remained.

Three of the nine people participating in the annual Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival Tree Sitting Contest proved they could endure the worst weather possible and stay put for two consecutive days over the weekend, according to Keryn Shaver, chairman of the tree sitting committee.

“The weather was horrible Friday. It rained for eight to nine hours and into Saturday and that was the worst. Three people quit the first night because of that, but we had a group hang on like always,” said Shaver.

Shaver said when the 480-hour time limit expired only Rick Denley, 48, of Wayland, David Lucas, 15, of Atlanta and Vanessa Howard, 15, of Wayland were still suspended from a tree in front of the Wayland-Cohocton Elementary School.

Howard and Lucas were in a tie for first place with perfect 48-hour time. Denley took an instant third place finish because of a three-second subtraction to his final time for a bathroom break.

In the end, Howard and Lucas were pitted against each other again in a three-event, two person final show down to determine the winner.

According to Shaver, the pair competed in a basketball court free throw event to see who could make the fastest shot, completed a 11-piece jig saw puzzle and played a plinko-type game in which they had to drop a ball on a maple leaf.

After all of the events were completed they added their completion times together and the person with the lowest time was declared the winner.

Lucas beat Howard’s time by three seconds and was proclaimed the 2009 Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival Tree Sitting Contest champion.

Lucas was awarded a $300 cash prize provided by the First Wind company, Howard was awarded a $250 cash prize awarded by the Wayland American Legion and Denley was given a $200 cash prize from Five Star Bank and the Laf-A-Lot bar on Loon Lake.

Cold, wet night weather no help for tree sitters - Hornell, NY - Hornell Evening Tribune

Cold, wet night weather no help for tree sitters - Hornell, NY - Hornell Evening Tribune

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Fall Foliage Festival about more than leaves - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader

Fall Foliage Festival about more than leaves - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader

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September 1, 2009

Treasury, Energy Announce $500 Million in Awards for Clean Energy Projects
Initial Round of Cash Assistance for Wind, Solar Projects in Eight States Will Create Jobs, Increase Development
WASHINGTON– Marking a major milestone in the effort to spur private sector investments in clean energy and create new jobs for America’s workers, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced $502 million in the first round of awards from an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) program that provides cash assistance to energy production companies in place of earned tax credits. The new funding creates additional upfront capital, enabling companies to create jobs and begin construction that may have been stalled until now.

“The Recovery Act is investing in our long-term energy needs while creating jobs in communities around the country,” said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. “This renewable energy program will spur the manufacture and development of clean energy in urban and rural America, allowing us to protect our environment, create good jobs and revitalize our nation’s economy.”

Said Secretary Chu: “These grants will help America's businesses launch clean energy projects, putting Americans back to work in good construction and manufacturing jobs. The initiative will help double our renewable energy capacity over the next few years and make sure America leads the world in creating the clean energy economy of the future.”

Created under Section 1603 of the Recovery Act, the program is expected to provide more than $3 billion in financial support for clean energy projects by providing direct payments in lieu of tax credits. These payments will support an estimated 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities in all regions of the country over the life of the program. As a result of this first round of funding, more than 2,000 Americans will have access to jobs in the renewable energy industry – both in construction and in manufacturing – while moving the nation closer to meeting the Administration's goal of doubling renewable energy generation in the next few years.

The Treasury Department opened the application process for the 1603 program on July 31, 2009 and is today making the first awards in half the statutorily mandated turnaround time of 60 days. The following is a chart of projects funded as part of today’s announcement. Additional awards under the program will be announced in the coming weeks.

STATE PROJECT LOCATION AMOUNT
CO Movement Gym PV System (Solar) Boulder, CO $157,809
CT Solaire Development, LLC Danbury, CT $2,578,717.00
ME Evergreen Wind Power V, LLC Danforth, ME $40,441,471
MN Moraine II Wind Farm Woodstock, MN $28,019,520
NY Canadaigua Power Partners, LLC (Wind) Cohocton, NY $52,352,334
NY Canadaigua Power Partners II, LLC (Wind) Cohocton, NY $22,296,494
OR Wheat Field Wind Farm Arlington, OR $47,717,155.00
OR Hay Canyon Wind Farm Moro, OR $47,092,555
OR Pebble Springs Wind Farm Arlington, OR $46,543,219
PA Highland Wind Farm Salix, PA $42,204,562
PA Locust Ridge II, LLC (Wind) Shenandoah, PA $59,162,064
TX Penascal Wind Farm Sarita, TX $114,071,646
Total awards: $502,637,546


CONGRATULATIONS FIRST WIND---PROJECTS IN BOLD

Opinions & Letters August 9, 2009 Search Archives: Steuben Courier


What noise? I don't hear a noise.


To the Editor,

It is too bad some of the turbines installed in the Cohocton area were faulty and created a lot of noise. The responsible company repaired the generators, thus eliminating the noise.

I traveled the road between Cohocton and Naples stopping several times, where the turbines seemed the closest, to see if I could hear any noise. There was none. This is also true of another wind farm I am very familiar with. Every year for many years I have been traveling to Madison County for our family reunion. A small wind farm of seven turbines was built and is operating there. The road I use passes very close to the wind farm, so I stop every year to look and listen. I enjoy watching the blades turning majestically against the skyline, and I have never heard sound one coming from them.

Some of my relatives live in the area. They tell me there is never any sound or anything coming from the wind farm to cause anyone to be against them. My nephew (who lives there) assures me there is never any noise from the farm. Two years ago I drove up to the home of the owners of the land. They were not home that Sunday. I was amazed, standing there in front of their house, at how close I was to the nearest tower. There was nothing between it and me but about 250 to 300 yards of grassland. I stayed a short while listening for a sound. There was none. I noticed that the house windows were not rattling, so I concluded that there was not any of that earth shattering, window rattling "noise that you can not hear" either.

There is a couple that live at the place where I always stop, so I paid them a visit to get their opinion of the wind turbines. They said there was never a sound, and they enjoyed sitting outside on a cool evening, watching the blades turn.

May I make a few suggestions to the Bath and Prattsburgh people who want to place restrictions on the building of wind farms: [1] Do not waste money on an expert who wants a job to investigate noises you can not hear. There may be sound waves of various frequencies; the air is saturated with sound waves at all times. They are produced by all radio and TV stations as well as cell phones, to name the most common ones. [2] Visit several wind farms. [3] Talk with several people who live the closest to each of the farms. [4] Now you can write recommendations based on knowledge rather than hearsay.

Clesson L. Cook

Project online despite report from grid operator
________________________________________
By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Tue Feb 24, 2009, 11:39 AM EST
Cohocton, N.Y. -
Despite reports from the operator of the state’s power grid, the 50-turbine project in Cohocton is online.
The New York Independent System Operator, the not-for-profit organization that runs the state’s power grid, stated Friday the 125 megawatt project in Cohocton was not operational, a claim refuted by town officials and later by NYISO itself.
Kenneth M. Klapp, the senior communications and media relations specialist with NYISO, Monday said the information provided by his own agency Friday was incorrect.
“Unfortunately, you were given information on the status of another wind project in Steuben County, which has been proposed for interconnection to the grid,” he said. “In answer to your original question, both phases of the 125 MW wind project in Steuben County (known as Cohocton Wind and operated by First Wind) are currently in service.”
That comes in contrast to what officials at the organization had said previously.
Richard Barlette, manager of government affairs for NYISO, said Friday no power generated at the site has been sold for consumption.
“They’re currently under the connection process,” he said at the time. “As far as ‘flipping the switch,’ a ball park figure is December 2010.”
Others contacting NYISO had received similar information, including U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, D-29, who responded to the mistake during a press conference call this morning.
“What you’re saying is it’s hard to get a straight answer out of anybody,” Massa said. “There is a lot of misinformation out there.”
Massa added much work is left to do on the project, including sound studies that were the topic of discussion at a Cohocton town board meeting Monday night.
Jack Zigenfus, town supervisor in Cohocton, provided The Evening Tribune with a spreadsheet from NYISO showing the project was in service as of the most-recent update of the document, recorded as Feb. 5.
Cohocton officials applauded First Wind for “throwing the switch” on the 50-turbine wind energy development in December, while according to John Lamontagne, director of corporate communications for First Wind, the project was believed to be up and running in 2008.
“The time frame was to be by the end of the year,” he said in a Dec. 16, 2008 phone interview.
According to company officials in 2007 — when the company was known as UPC Wind — the project was expected to be up and running about a year after construction began.
Dirt first started moving on the project Sept. 18, 2007, with tower construction commencing in November. Work on the first two towers, complete with turbine blades, was finished Jan. 3. Of the 50 towers, 47 are spread across Lent, Pine and Dutch hills, dominating much of the view around Cohocton, North Cohocton and Atlanta. The three remaining turbines are on Brown Hill to the south of the village, where the project connects to the regional energy grid.
First Wind officials did not immediately return a call requesting a comment.
Comments (1)
sammy3459
19 hours ago
Ohh man!! What are you idiots in the media gonna whine about now? Common sense told most of us that they would not have paid out all that money and had them running unless the power was going somewhere for $. How does your foot taste!!

Three Article 78 suits against special use permits for wind development

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By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Sat Jan 31, 2009, 08:13 PM EST

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Cohocton, N.Y. -
The last remnants of lawsuits that threatened to shut down the $230 million wind turbine development in Cohocton flew off like dust in the wind this week.

According to documents provided by the Town of Cohocton, the Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department of the state Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed the appeals of three Article 78 lawsuits brought against the town following its approval of special use permits on the project.
According to the documents, the case was through out, “on the ground that appellant has failed to perfectly timely the appeal.”

Town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus was pleased with the decision.

“They actually filed to appeal, but they failed to perfect that appeal,” he said. “Basically, what they did was throw away their right to appeal.”

Jim Hall, head of Cohocton Wind Watch — the anti-wind development group which levied five separate lawsuits against the town and First Wind — , said he did not know about the decision when contacted Saturday.

The appeal stem from three lawsuits filed against the town on Aug. 30, 2007.

The suits attempted to have the issuance of First Wind’s special use permit overturned on 13 points, including the town board and planning board did not follow the appropriate laws for granting the permit, failed to insure the safety of the community and violated the state Open Meeting Law by holding “secret” meetings.

After more than a year — on Sept. 16, 2008 — Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Marianne Furfure dismissed the lawsuits on three points:

l CWW failed to file an injunction against the town and First Wind to halt the development.

l The town’s oversight and approval of the project followed all applicable laws.

l The $230 million project was almost completed, and the impact to the local economy and governments would have been great.

The 50-turbine, 125-megawatt project covers more than 7,000 acres on the hilltops around Cohocton and Atlanta, as well as additional real estate on Brown Hill to the south, where three more turbines are located in addition to the project’s connection to the New York State Electric and Gas power grid.

Developer UPC Wind — the predecessor of First Wind — was interested in developing wind projects in northern Steuben County in 2003. Construction on the project in Cohocton began Sept. 18, 2007, but stopped Sept. 20 because of issues involving the project’s use of county roads. Construction resumed Sept. 27. The first turbine was completed Jan. 3, 2008, and the project began producing a limited amount of electricity by the end of 2008.

The question now is what, if any, recourse do those opposed to the project have.

At this point, Zigenfus believes little can be done.

“From our law firm’s (Albany-based Whiteman Osterman and Hanna, LLP) perspective, they’re done,” he said, adding the deadlines for appeals have passed since the decisions on the special use permits were made in 2007.

Hall said he and other members of CWW are still considering additional legal action against the town and wind developer.

“At this particular time, we’re looking to see what other people in the community are doing and what the other people in our group are doing,” he said. “I would not be surprised to see some kind of legal action.”

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON.......

WISHING ALL A HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Wind project online

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By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Fri Jan 02, 2009, 11:09 AM EST

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Atlanta, N.Y. -
More than three years of planning, negotiations, construction and lawsuits are now at an end.

But it’s a new beginning in Cohocton, as the latest green power generating station starts cranking out the megawatts of power.

According to Cohocton town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus, the 50-turbine industrial wind development north of Cohocton is up and running.

“It’s my understanding they are indeed selling power to the grid,” he said.

The project’s operational status also means the town received almost $1 million from developer First Wind.

“By the end of the day (Wednesday), they transferred the money,” Zigenfus added.

The payment came as promised, he said, but there was a fear that it might not come.

“I was a little nervous,” the supervisor said. “Nervous as the economy kept going downhill.”

As the economy continued to slide, he said, several large banks needed bailouts from the federal government this fall, including some that fund wind developments, causing some developments to be shut down or delayed indefinitely — including the project First Wind is considering in neighboring Prattsburgh.

While Zigenfus did not belive it would be implemented, he prepared a contingency budget that did not include the payment from First Wind, just in case.

“I always like to have a backup plan,” he said.

If the project was not online, Zigenfus said, the company would not have had to make the payment. On the other hand, he said, the company would have lost much of its subsidies from various agencies — the subsidies that helped bring the project to town.

As the blades spin, Zigenfus said he wants to look at what the town can do to improve itself with its revenue stream.

“Now we’ll look for other things to fix up,” he said, adding the town highway department shop is under an engineering review to see what improvements can be made, or if a replacement is needed.

The town and county highway departments also are getting ready to fix the last of the roads damaged by the huge turbines, Zigenfus added.

“The remainder of those are going to be done in the spring,” he said, adding many repairs to roads were completed this summer on First Wind’s dime.

The other step remaining is to keep an ear on the turbines.

“We’re going to set up our noise monitoring system,” Zigenfus said. The town board approved to contract the monitoring to Massachusetts-based firm Tech Environmental at the board’s Nov. 17 meeting.

The few odd and ends represent the completion of more than three years of headaches and development.

The firm — then known as UPC Wind — began developing the project in 2005. In 2006, the town board approved two laws regulating wind energy.

After the first law was passed, the project came under fire from several quarters, including officials of area school districts who felt they do not receive enough money from the project, union officials who wanted local workers building the turbines, Congressman-elect Eric Massa for a lack of oversight and town residents opposed to the developments.

The opposing residents formed the group Cohocton Wind Watch and filed five lawsuits against the town in connection to the project and the local laws that enabled it to begin. All of the lawsuits were dismissed, with the last being thrown out Sept. 16, 2008.

A sixth lawsuit, involving the Naples and Prattsburgh school districts over the distribution of funds from Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements, is still in court.

The first bulldozer went rolling through the farmlands on Dutch, Lent and Pine hills on Sept. 18, 2007, with tower construction commencing in November. Construction on the first two towers on Dutch Hill were finished a year ago Saturday. Of the 50 towers, 47 are spread across Lent, Pine and Dutch hills, dominating much of the view around Cohocton, North Cohocton and Atlanta. The three remaining turbines are on Brown Hill to the south of the village, near where the project connects to the regional energy grid.

John Lamontagne, director of corporate communications for First Wind, was not available for comment this morning. Lamontagne said on Dec. 16 the project would be completed by the end of the year.

THANKS TO THE COHOCTON TOWN AND VILLAGE BOARDS AND THE SHPO MITIGATION FUNDS FROM FIRST WIND, THE LARROWE HOUSE HAS A NEW ROOF! Look for more restoration coming, thank you First Wind!

The aftermath of a retention wall collapse is seen Monday in Harriman, Tenn. A retention pond wall collapsed early Monday morning at a power plant run by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public utility, releasing a frigid mix of water and ash that flooded 15 homes nearby.

December 23, 2008
Flood of sludge breaks TVA dikeCollapse poses risk of toxic ashBy Anne Paine and Colby SledgeTHE TENNESSEAN
HARRIMAN, Tenn. — Millions of yards of ashy sludge broke through a dike at TVA's Kingston coal-fired plant Monday, covering hundreds of acres, knocking one home off its foundation and putting environmentalists on edge about toxic chemicals that may be seeping into the ground and flowing downriver.
One neighboring family said the disaster was no surprise because they have watched the 1960s-era ash pond's mini-blowouts off and on for years.
About 2.6 million cubic yards of slurry — enough to fill 798 Olympic-size swimming pools — rolled out of the pond Monday, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleanup will take at least several weeks, or, in a worst-case scenario, years.
The ash slide, which began just before 1 a.m., covered as many as 400 acres as deep as 6 feet. The wave of ash and mud toppled power lines, covered Swan Pond Road and ruptured a gas line. It damaged 12 homes, and one person had to be rescued, though no one was seriously hurt.
Much remains to be determined, including why this happened, said Tom Kilgore, president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
"I fully suspect that the amount of rain we've had in the last eight to 10 days, plus the freezing weather … might have had something to do with this," he said in a news conference Monday on the site.
The area received almost 5 inches of rain this month, compared with the usual 2.8 inches. Freeze and thaw cycles may have undermined the sides of the pond. The last formal report on the condition of the 40-acre pond — an unlined, earthen structure — was issued in January and was unavailable Monday, officials said.
Neighbors Don and Jil Smith, who have lived near the pond for eight years, said that nearly every year TVA has cleaned up what they termed "baby blowouts."
Ashen liquid similar to that seen on a much larger scale in Monday's disaster came from the dike, they said.
"It would start gushing this gray ooze," said Don Smith, whose home escaped harm. "They'd work on it for weeks and weeks.
"They can say this is a one-time thing, but I don't think people are going to believe them."
The U.S. Coast Guard, EPA, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation were among agencies that responded to the emergency.
Toxic irritants possible
Coal is burned to produce electricity at the Kingston Fossil Plant, notable for its tall towers seen along Interstate 40 near the Harriman exit in Roane County.
Water is added to the ash, which is the consistency of face powder, for pumping it to the pond. The ash is settled out in that pond before the sludge is moved to other, drier ponds, Kilgore said.
Coal ash can carry toxic substances that include mercury, arsenic and lead, according to a federal study. The amount of poisons in TVA's ashy wastes that could irritate skin, trigger allergies and even cause cancer or neurological problems could not be determined Monday, officials said.
Viewed from above, the scene looked like the aftermath of a tsunami, with swirls of dirtied water stretching for hundreds of acres on the land, and muddied water in the Emory River.
The Emory leads to the Clinch, which flows into the Tennessee.
Workers sampled river water Monday, with results expected back today, but didn't sample the dunelike drifts of muddy ash.
That could begin today, officials said, and the potential magnitude of the problem could make this a federally declared Superfund site. That would mean close monitoring and a deep, costly cleanup requiring years of work.
"We'll be sampling for metals in the ground to see what kind of impact that had," said Laura Niles, a spokeswoman for the EPA in Atlanta.
"Hopefully, it won't be as bad as creating a Superfund site, but it depends on what is found."
Stephen Smith, with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Knoxville, said those concerned about water and air quality have tried for years to press for tighter regulation of the ash.
The heavy metals in coal — including mercury and other toxic substances — concentrate in the ash when burned, he said.
"You know where that is now," he said. "It's in that stuff that's all over those people's houses now."
Chemicals and metals from coal ash have contaminated drinking water in several states, made people and animals sick in New Mexico, and tainted fish in Texas and elsewhere, according to Lisa Evans, an attorney with Earthjustice, a nonprofit national environmental law firm that follows the issue.
"It's discouraging because this is an easy problem to fix," she said.
Ash could be recycled by using it to make concrete and at the very least should be placed in lined, state-of-the-art landfills, she said.
Plant is still operating
TVA's Kilgore said that chemicals in the ash are of concern, but that the situation is probably safe. The power plant is still operating, sending the ash to a larger pond on the site.
"There are levels of chemicals in there that we are concerned about," Kilgore said. "We don't think there's anything immediate of danger because most of that's contained, but that's why we have sampling folks out."
Officials were monitoring a water intake that serves Kingston City and is only a few miles downstream from the Kingston plant, but said no problem had been noted there as of Monday afternoon.
The power producer, which oversees the Tennessee River system, had slowed river flow in the area, releasing less water from key dams, so the pollution might be better contained for possible cleanup.
TVA has insurance for an event like this, spokeswoman Barbara Martucci said, but what the cleanup cost is and how much insurance will pay remains to be determined.
Otherwise, ratepayers in Tennessee could bear much of the costs. TVA provides virtually all the electricity in the state, along with parts of six others.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081223/GREEN02/812230370/1001/RSS6001

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS-Tennessee

COAL SLUDGE SPILL 50X WORSE THAN EXXON VALDEZ

Environmental catastrophe could be the worst in southeastern US history

to view videos and more comments:

http://www.cejournal.net/?p=183

ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO ESTABLISHES CODE OF CONDUCT FOR WIND ENERGY COMPANIES OPERATING IN NEW YORK



Noble Environmental Power and First Wind first to sign Wind Industry Ethics Code
New Task Force to monitor and ensure compliance includes: District Attorneys Gerald Stout, Michael Green, and Derek Champagne, Executive Director of the NYS Association of Counties Stephen Acquario, Executive Director of the NYS Association of Towns G. Jeffrey Haber, and NYPIRG’s Legislative Director Blair Horner
ALBANY, N.Y. (October 30, 2008) – Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new Wind Industry Ethics Code that establishes guidelines to facilitate the development of alternative energy in New York while assuring the public the wind power industry is acting properly and within the law. The Code calls for new oversight through a multi-agency Task Force, and establishes unprecedented transparency that will deter any improper relationships between wind development companies and local government officials.
The first companies to sign the Attorney General’s Wind Industry Ethics Code are Essex, Connecticut-based Noble Environmental Power, LLC and Newton, Massachusetts-based First Wind (formerly known as UPC Wind). Both companies currently operate wind farms in New York and have several others in development.
“Wind power is an exciting industry for the state that will be a cornerstone of our energy future. But it is important to make sure that this alternative energy sector develops in a way that maintains the public’s confidence, and that is what this new Code of Conduct does,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “I commend Noble and First Wind for taking the lead by adopting this Code, and we fully expect other companies that want to develop wind farms in New York to follow suit.”
The Wind Industry Ethics Code is a result of the Attorney General’s investigation into, among other things, whether companies developing wind farms improperly sought land-use agreements with citizens and public officials, and whether improper benefits were given to public officials to influence their official actions relating to wind farm development. Both Noble and First Wind fully cooperated in the inquiry and their assistance was instrumental in developing the Code of Conduct that is being announced today.
The Attorney General's Wind Industry Ethics Code prohibits conflicts of interest between municipal officials and wind companies and establishes vast new public disclosure requirements. The Code:
Bans wind companies from hiring municipal employees or their relatives, giving gifts of more than $10 during a one-year period, or providing any other form of compensation that is contingent on any action before a municipal agency
Prevents wind companies from soliciting, using, or knowingly receiving confidential information acquired by a municipal officer in the course of his or her officials duties
Requires wind companies to establish and maintain a public Web site to disclose the names of all municipal officers or their relatives who have a financial stake in wind farm development
Requires wind companies to submit in writing to the municipal clerk for public inspection and to publish in the local newspaper the nature and scope of the municipal officer’s financial interest
Mandates that all wind easements and leases be in writing and filed with the County Clerk
Dictates that within thirty days of signing the Wind Industry Ethics Code, companies must conduct a seminar for employees about identifying and preventing conflicts of interest when working with municipal employees
Attorney General Cuomo is also establishing a new Task Force that will monitor wind companies to ensure they are in compliance with the Code of Conduct. Members of the Task Force will include: a representative from the Office of the Attorney General, Franklin County District Attorney Derek P. Champagne, Monroe County District Attorney Michael C. Green, Wyoming County District Attorney Gerald Stout, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Counties Stephen Acquario, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Towns G. Jeffrey Haber, and New York Public Interest Research Group Legislative Director Blair Horner.
The New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) estimates that wind power has the potential to provide 20 percent of the state’s electricity demand and a 2005 report by the state Comptroller’s Office estimates the alternative energy industry could add 43,000 jobs in New York by 2013.
Noble Environmental Power, LLC, has three active wind farms in New York; the Noble Clinton Windpark and Noble Ellenberg Windpark in Clinton County, and the Noble Bliss Windpark in Wyoming County. Other possible future locations include Allegany, Chautauqua, Clinton, Franklin, and Wyoming Counties.
First Wind has one operational wind farm in New York, the Steel Winds wind farm in Erie County. Possible future locations include Steuben and Chautauqua Counties.
Franklin County District Attorney Derek P. Champagne said, “This common sense approach by Attorney General Cuomo will help ensure the promise of clean, renewable energy is not tainted by shady deals and improper relationships between wind power companies and local government officials. I look forward to taking part in the new task force and applaud the Attorney General for his leadership on this important issue.”
Wyoming County District Attorney Gerald Stout said, “Wind power not only provides us with clean, renewable energy, it can also serve as an economic engine for New York. Attorney General Cuomo’s Code of Conduct and the introduction of the new task force are both important steps in making sure corrupt influences do not put this growing industry in peril.”
Monroe County District Attorney Michael C. Green said, “I commend Attorney General Cuomo for establishing this new Code of Conduct for the wind-power industry. When properly developed, wind power can and should play a vital role in our state’s energy future, but it cannot happen in a way that erodes public confidence with allegations of self-dealing and corruption. The Attorney General’s new code of conduct and task force will ensure that wind companies stay in compliance without unduly burdening the companies’ ability to do business in New York.”
Senator George Maziarz, Chair of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee said, "Attorney General Cuomo has again proven that the best way to tackle challenging issues is through cooperation at all levels of government. By working together we can ensure that this promising industry will continue to flourish in New York."
Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, Chair of the Assembly Energy Committee said, “Wind power will play an important role in achieving energy independence through a growing reliance on clean, renewable resources. In order to reach that goal effectively, it is essential that all parties involved play by the rules and adhere to the highest standards of ethics. I applaud Attorney General Cuomo for his efforts on this issue.”
New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario said, "Local governments have taken the lead in siting wind energy generating facilities, which provide essential renewable energy into the electrical grid. Simultaneously, county ethics boards continue to take their role in policing conflicts of interest pertaining to the siting of wind power very seriously. Attorney General Cuomo's Code of Conduct is an important step in helping make sure public confidence remains strong as this burgeoning industry develops across our counties."
Executive Director of the New York State Association of Towns G. Jeffrey Haber said, “This is a new rapidly growing industry with exciting potential - as well as new challenges - for all of us. Attorney General Cuomo, working with all interested parties, has taken a strong leadership role in developing guidelines to help us all as the industry develops and evolves across New York state.”
Blair Horner, Legislative Director of the New York Public Interest Research Group said, “Good ethics requirements helps build a better business climate. Companies that play by the rules should never be put at a competitive disadvantage. And the public should know that private-public deals are made in the public’s best interest. This Code will help ensure that this important industry grows and prospers in New York.”
Walter Q. Howard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble Environmental Power said, “Noble has always been fully committed to the ethical and transparent development of renewable resources, and has supported the work of the Attorney General and his staff in the development of the new Wind Industry Ethics Code. We are gratified that going forward there will be clear guidelines with respect to ethical behavior and conflict of interest, and are committed to continuing to operate in conformity with the principles laid out today in this Code."
Paul Gaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Wind said, “We are pleased to have cooperated with the Office of the New York Attorney General in its efforts to bring clarity to the wind industry in New York State. We have always held ourselves to high standards, and we hope that other firms will join us in signing on to this Code of Conduct. We believe it is good for us, good for the industry and good for New York.”
Any complaints about wind development companies should be sent to the newly created Task Force by e-mailing them to WindTaskForce@oag.state.ny.us. Complaints about other industries or local officials should be made to the Office of the Attorney General by e-mailing them to public.integrity@oag.state.ny.us or by calling 1-800-428-9072.
The matter is being handled by Special Deputy Attorney General Ellen Nachtigall Biben, who oversees the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau, Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Stamm, Assistant Attorneys General Andrew Heffner and Robert Vawter, and Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice Robin L. Baker.

Cohocton taxes to go down 30%... again
//

By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Wed Sep 24, 2008, 02:30 PM EDT
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Atlanta, N.Y. -
Cohocton town officials are looking at another double-digit tax cut this year.
While the budget is in its workshop phase for the Town of Cohocton, Supervisor Jack Zigenfus is pleased with how the budget is shaping up.
Zigenfus presented the town board with a draft budget at Monday night’s meeting, with a 30-percent tax cut — for the second year in a row.
The town is expecting $937,500 from First Wind by Jan. 2, 2009 as part of a community host agreement. The agreement, Zigenfus said, came as the town negotiated with the company over a proposed a 50-turbine wind power system.
As some other towns are looking at cuts or higher taxes next year, Zigenfus said the payments have been a significant boost to Cohocton.
“We’re not in that position (of), ‘where do we cut? Where do we cut?’” he said. “In my proposed budget, I didn’t cut anything.”
Zigenfus did not have specifics on exactly what the budget totals will be for this year, but he said taxes will be cut, funding for current initiatives will be kept in place and some money from the payment will be put away into savings.
To get the budget ready, the board will host a budget workshop at 9 a.m. Saturday in the town hall.
In 2007, the town was scheduled to receive a total of $725,000 from UPC Wind, which was renamed First Wind. The town’s tax levy for 2008 dropped from $226,000 to $158,000, with the remainder picked up by the fees and agreements with First Wind.
A public hearing on the budget will be hosted by the board at its next regular board meeting, scheduled for Oct. 20, followed by the budget’s approval.
In other business, the board hosted a public hearing on a proposed adult entertainment zoning law.
According to Zigenfus, there will be certain sections of the town where adult entertainment businesses will not be allowed, including residential areas, in downtown areas or near churches.

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Comments (3)


notcool
17 hours ago

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Wow, a 30% tax cut. I wonder if all those who opposed the windmills are refusing to accept this tax cut? I may move to Cohocton!!!!! Wooh Hooh!


steuben-native
13 hours ago
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I say let's put someone from COHOCTON on the ticket for Sheriff in November!!!! There's some wonderful creative thinking going on up there! I'm all behind Dave Cole/Jim Waight--big-time--but...these Cohocton folks know their stuff!


gregoryhodges
4 hours ago
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As an electrical engineer and as a graduate of Cohocton in 1992, I have had the opportunity to work with doing research for Virginia and the Department of Defense in studying the feasibility of offshore wind power. Renewable energy has a lot of great benefits but like anything else there are some downsides to it too. However, in today's geo-political environment it is very important invest in domestic produced power generation especially in sources of power which its fuel costs is virtually free. The fact that Cohocton has allowed the wind turbines make me very proud of my hometown.

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Turbines Get the Green Light in Cohocton (VIDEO)
Laura Hutchinson

September 18, 2008

COHOCTON-- An advocacy group in Cohocton tried to stop First Wind from turning on 50 turbines in their community. The turbines in Cohocton are 420-feet tall; they're the largest in the country and have the ability to power 54,000 homes. While there are neighbors against them, the landowners with them on their property say they're happy with them. “You’ve got to start somewhere with energy, you cant just depend on foreign oil all the time,” landowner, Susan Schwingel said. Susan and Doug Schwingel have 4 of the 50 wind turbines on their property. They say First Wind, the company that built the structures, gave them more than just an energy producer. “We got a nice new field road out of this, we had one like everyone has, farmer roads with bumps and potholes, now we have almost a super highway,” Susan added. They say the structures are huge, but only take up a small parcel of land. “Next year we're going to be able to plant right up to them, we're not going to loose any ground and it seems like its going to work pretty good,” Doug said. Town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus says he knows members of his community are against the wind project, but regardless, everyone is now saving money. “We were able to reduce taxes by 30% which is almost unheard of in this economic climate,” Zigenfus said. He says he's proposing to do it again next year. That's because of a financial agreement that will bring in $20 million dollars over the next 20 years. Something he says is great for the town and the environment. “The wind just blows and we need to capitalize on that and other natural resources,” Zigenfus added. NYSEG still needs to get the turbines connected to the grid. They are expected to turn them on by mid-November. Members of the advocacy group, Cohocton Wind Watch” didn't want to speak with us on camera. They are meeting next week to discuss a possible appeal. We will have the very latest.
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Lawsuits blown away: Steuben judge dismisses Cohocton Wind Watch efforts to halt $230 million First Wind project

By Lynn Brennan
Two windmills are reflected in a puddle at the top of Pine Hill Road in Cohocton Tuesday afternoon.

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By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Wed Sep 17, 2008, 01:14 PM EDT
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Bath, N.Y. -
Cohocton town officials are breathing a sigh of relief today after three legal challenges to the $230 million wind turbine development in the town have been dismissed.
Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Marianne Furfure sided with Cohocton town officials, developer First Wind and leaseholders Tuesday morning, dismissing three lawsuits filed by local advocacy group Cohocton Wind Watch to halt work on the 50-turbine wind development in the town.
According to Cohocton town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus, Furfure made her ruling from the bench. No written copy of the decision was available Tuesday afternoon, according to employees at the Steuben County Supreme Court Clerk’s office.
“She just dismissed it without comment,” he said.
Zigenfus said the decision was made based on three points:
l CWW failed to file an injunction against the town and First Wind to halt the development.
l The town’s oversight and approval of the project followed all applicable laws.
l The $230 million project is almost completed, and the impact to the local economy and governments would be great.
“The town board members are just elated over Judge Furfure’s decision,” he said, adding he hopes the decision will help “pave the way for future wind development in Steuben County.”
The three lawsuits were the latest filed against the town over the wind development. CWW previously sued the town over Local Law No. 1 and No. 2 of 2006, but both cases were previously dismissed by Furfure.
The three lawsuits dismissed Tuesday were initially filed Aug. 30, 2007. The suits attempted to have the issuance of First Wind’s special use permit overturned on 13 points, including the town board and planning board did not follow the appropriate laws for granting the permit, failed to insure the safety of the community and violated the state Open Meeting Law by holding “secret” meetings.
According to Zigenfus, one lawsuit over the project — between the Naples Central School District and the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency — still remains.
“That’s just they (the school) think they should get more money,” Zigenfus said.
Naples school officials filed the lawsuit against SCIDA and First Wind over the Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement approved by SCIDA, First Wind, and other agencies, but the school district was not involved in crafting it. Three of the project’s 50 turbines are located in the Naples school district.
Cohocton Wind Watch leaders Jim and Judy Hall did not comment when reached by phone Tuesday and this morning, saying they were on the other line and the calls would be returned.
Zigenfus said he does not expect an appeal from the group to be successful.
“Personally, I think the way it was done (Furfure's ruling),” he said, “I would guess that they would be foolishly wasting their money.”
“They had their day in court,” he continued. “Basically, they lost ... they need to get over it. It’s time to move on.”

Wind lawsuits against Cohocton project dismissed

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By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Tue Sep 16, 2008, 04:00 PM EDT
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Bath, N.Y. -
A legal roadblock attempting to sideline wind development in Cohocton was dismissed Tuesday morning.
Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Marianne Furfure sided with Cohocton town officials, wind development company First Wind and leaseholders Tuesday morning, dismissing three lawsuits filed by Cohocton Wind Watch to overturn the special use permits that allowed the 50-turbine project to be built.
According to Cohocton town Supervisor Jack Zigenfus, Furfure made her ruling from the bench. No written copy of the decision was available Tuesday afternoon, according to employees at the Steuben County Supreme Court Clerk’s office.
A complete story will appear in Wednesday's edition of The Evening Tribune.

September 16, 2008–


The hearing for a motion from First Wind to dismiss the Article 78 proceedings, brought by CWW supporters, challenging their special use permits for the Cohocton Wind Project took place this morning at the Supreme Court in Steuben County. Attorney, Ruth Leistensnider appeared before Judge Furfure to argue First Wind's case and the judge dismissed the proceedings from the bench.

DEDICATION OF THE VETERAN'S HONOR ROLL
JULY 20, 2008

PARTICIPATING IN THE CEREMONY :


CONGRESSMAN RANDY KUHL

ASSEMBLYMAN JAMES BACALLES

REPRESENTING SENATOR WINNER-DAN FERRAND

HONORED WORLD WAR II VETERANS

WAYLAND AMERICAN LEGION COLOR GUARD

STEUBEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. COLOR GUARD

COHOCTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

HATCH HOSE FIRE DEPARTMENT

LOCAL SCOUT TROOPS