Janice Pease
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JANICE PEASE March 15, 2018 Via Email Honorable Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary to the PSC Re: Case 16-F-0268, Application of Atlantic Wind LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Pursuant to Article 10 for Construction of the North Wind Energy Project in the Towns of Parishville and Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County. Dear Secretary Burgess: Please add the attached pdf compilation of various questions which have not been fully answered by the corporation Avangrid/Atlantic Wind/Iberdrola. We, the “stakeholders” in the North Ridge Wind Project Zone do not feel that this process is in any way transparent. There are many details which the public are not privy to that fall under the categories “trade secret” and “proprietary Information”. I have emailed the representatives of this company in an effort to better understand some of those details. My emails have not been answered. I posted these questions in the local paper, North Country This Week, in the hopes that others would understand that we as a community can not enter into a venture with such an entity until we have the answers to all of these questions. The specifics of these questions effect the compatibility of this project. The stakeholders have a right to understand all of the contracts that are being signed within the project zone and how those contracts effect the community. The stakeholders deserve to know the extent to which the variables effect the actual calculations of financial incentives that are being advertised. As it stands now residents within the project zone have signed numerous contracts without all of the facts, many did not know to ask these questions. I would hope that officials would recognize the moral implications of binding a community in such contracts and as such would further investigate this issue. 130 Beebe Rd Potsdam, NY 13676 (315)328-5793 [email protected] Page 1: Is an email to Scott McDonald with 15 questions relating to the North Ridge Project. Pages 2 & 3: Is a North Country This Week letter to the editor with 40 questions that most stakeholders do not have the answers to. Page 4-27: Is a huge list of questions from another project, some of the questions may not apply directly however it demonstrates the real lack of understanding that most people have of the full scope of a wind farm project. We share many of these concerns and the questions transfer over easily to the North Ridge Wind Project. Page 28: Is a notice by Concerned Citizens For Rural Preservation which is asking questions relating to an ad posted by Avangrid into the North Country This Week Paper. Sincerely, ' 1.”I .. J rjgnaz .4‘ :.€.a._ Janice R. Pease Party to Case No. 16-F-0268 janis pease <[email protected]:> Feb 15 at 5:15 PM To [email protected], Susan Wood, Kelly Puiiano, Douglas Withereii, Sandy Maine, and 6 more... The stakeholders in the Hopkinton North Ridge Wind Facility Project have many questions we need and deserve to have answered. Being that there is an upcoming vote our board needs all of this information to accurately make a detennination as to the proper stipulations in the wind law. Things we do not know about the North Flidge wind Facility... 1. Where is the possible location of the substation in Hopkinton? 2. What is this "newest technology‘ Paul Coleman keeps stating in the papers? Vilhat model, size, individual MW turbine? 3. Will the transmissions lines he underground or transmission towers? 4. Will the transmission lines go down the current transmission route that exists in Hopkinton {it runs through the Beebe rd 8. Santamont}? 5. How many Ieaseholders are currently signed up? Will that number decrease as the project footprint decreases? 6. Where are "Good Neighbor‘ agreements flied? is the a memorandum filed with the state? 7. How many "Good Neighbor" Agreements have been signed for the North Ridge Wind Facility so far? 3. when will the next question.u‘Answer public meeting be in Hopkinton for the stakeholders? 9. How will we be compensated ifiwhen wells are compromised? 10. How long will Ieaseholders continue to get 5 after the Panshvilie project has been terminated‘? 11. What is the fire suppression equipment that will be installed at the turbines? 12. How will our fire department be trained to deal with tires relating to the turbines? vrrrr they have jurisdiction? 13. Where is the projected location for the sound monitoring station? 14. How will complaints be handled? A hot line? An onslte person? 15. if a personfpersons have a complaint and the personal go to the site (possibly days later] how will the next compiaim be handled? who pays for this "service'? We look forward to your response. Thank you, Janice Pease NORTH COUNTRY Opinion: Questions for Hopkinton wind farm developer before vote To the Editor: The stakeholders in the North Ridge Wind Farm have many questions we need and deserve to have answered. With the upcoming vote, our board needs more information to accurately determine what are proper wind law stipulations. 1. What is this "newest technology" Paul Coleman states? What model, size, individual MW turbine? 2. Will the transmissions lines be underground or towers? 3. Will the transmission lines go down the current transmission route that exists in Hopkinton? 4. How many leaseholders are currently signed up? 5. Where are "Good Neighbor" agreements filed? Is the memorandum filed with the state? 6. How many "Good Neighbor" Agreements have been signed for the North Ridge Wind Facility so far? 7. When will the next question/answer public meeting be in Hopkinton for the stakeholders? 8. How will we be compensated if/when wells are compromised from piledriving (as in Whitelee, Scotland & Chatham-Kent, Ontario)? 9. What is the fire-suppression-equipment that will be installed at the turbines? 10. How will our fire department be trained to deal with fires relating to the turbines? Will they have jurisdiction? 11. If a forest fire occurs (Iberdrola’s- Pedregal Mountains-1 hectare burned, Tule Wind California-367 acres) on the edge of the Adirondacks and crews are not large/quick enough to fight it, how will the fire be dealt with? 12. Since turbines do catch fire will the insurance be enough to cover damage/cost to town/county if it gets out of control? 13. If the estimated road cost after the project is completed is large, will the company baulk at the cost (as Iberdrola did Providence Heights Wind Farm, Indiana) 14. Where is the projected location for the sound monitoring station? 15. How will complaints be handled? A ho line? An on-site person? 16. If a person/persons have a complaint and the personal go to the site and finds the sound to be in compliance at that moment (possibly days later) how will the next complaint be handled? Who pays for this service? 17. Is it true that if the company comes out to listen/ check if the sound is out of compliance and they wait too long (and therefore the sound is different) the next visit will cost the person who complained? 18. If the World Health Organization states that health issues occur above 30-40dBA why is the town considering 40-45 dBA for the sound limit? Shouldn’t it be 30? 19. Why is the sound measurement not done for the full spectrum? Shouldn’t the sound be measured in dBL, dBC,dBG, dBA, etc. and readings accounting for fast peak pressure changes? 20. Why is yearly averaging of sound allowed? If there are many days where the turbine stands still (no sound) and then large spikes that occur on other (72dBA for example) days then the sound could be averaged out and equal compliance despite the turbines being loud. 21. Will the Wind Company sue our town if the town has more protective setbacks and sound limits? 22. If 2 miles has been the limit some scientists have suggested for a setback to properties why do we only get 2500 feet? 23. Since the project is being seen as “unreasonably burdensome” by many land owners in Hopkinton shouldn’t there be some form of compensation for such a drastic change, especially for non-participating land owners? 24. If infrasound is not attenuated inside/outside a building and can actually increase in homes, how will a reading 10 feet from the residence protect those who are affected? Wouldn’t a reading at the property line and inside the home would be more accurate for measuring the noise? 25. If Hopkinton has issues, as residents within the Hardscrabble Wind Farm have, and they cannot afford an attorney how will their problem be resolved? Will the town set up an account? Will a state agency step in to force compliance? 26 With the documented issues in other “projects” shouldn’t there be more discussion on trespass zoning? 27. Being that everyone who signed a lease agreement, easement agreement, transmission line agreement, and “Good Neighbor” agreements signed a private contract with confidentiality clauses, how many residents can actually file a complaint if the turbines are too loud? 28. What protections do the agreement signees have with provisions such as Non-interference and quiet enjoyment provisions & automatic renewal clauses -- which seem to give unlimited scope of powers over the property to the wind company? 29. Is the $350 fine going to be enough motivation for the multibillion dollar company to fix non-compliance issues they are fined for? 30. When will phase 2 begin? (Maple Ridge has seen a major increase in turbine #’s) 31.