Cohocton Officials Blow Off Landowners

Cohocton landowners who have leased their land to FirstWind (the windfarm developer) will have to start complaining to someone new. The Cohocton Town Board has announced via press release that they will no longer be answering complaints regarding the wind farm from people who have entered lease agreements with the developer.

The decision primarily stems from the complaints of Hal Graham, who leased his property to FirstWind and has been very vocal, and has filed complaints with the Code Enforcement Officer, the Town Board, state elected officials, and FirstWind itself.

Did Graham honestly believe that the wind turbine(s) placed on his property would play "Bali Ha'i" during the day, remain silent at night, and emit the sweet smell of lavender? Of course not. His best recourse now would be to take his royalties from FirstWind and use them as a down payment for land in Hartsville or Prattsburgh, two towns who are watching the circus in Cohocton unfold very carefully.

Read the Hornell Tribune Article

Hornell Tribune Passes Wind

In a journalistic "oh, $hit", Bob Clark of the Hornell Evening Tribune erroneously reported on the infamous Cohocton wind farm in the article "Power Grid Operator: No Power So Far to State Grid From Cohocton" (2/23/09). The article claimed that despite the fact that the turbines were spinning away, the energy collected would not be harvested until December of 2010. Commenters on the newspaper's website displayed both rage and vindication, blaming the Town of Cohocton, Albany, Congress and FirstWind, the builders of the turbines.

In a "one-eighty" in today's edition, Mr. Clark reversed the story, explaining that the power grid operator mistakenly reported information for a different wind farm. The Cohocton turbines were and have been supplying energy to the power grid. Even Eric Massa wants to get to the bottom of things, stating in a news conference, "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."

To top it off, today the Tribune reports landowner outrage over the noise being generated from the turbines. Regulations state that the turbines cannot generate greater than 50db of sound at the closest non-participating property line. Unfortunately, the most vocal resident at the Town Board meeting was a landowner who sold a lease to his own property. “They’re making so much noise, I can’t sleep at night...The noise is so great that my windows are vibrating.” Perhaps he can stuff his ears with the $100 bills he received in royalties from FirstWind.

Read the Article