While Thursday mornings are often not the best time to conduct a public meeting, roughly 30 constituents took time out of their day to see and hear from their rookie state representatives, Assemblyman Sean Hanna and Sen. Patrick Gallivan, in an hour-long town hall -style meeting in Springwater last week.
“Are windmills an issue here?” He asked next.
Wind turbines caused an upheaval in Springwater a few years ago, as well as more recently in neighboring Cohocton. Gallivan spoke about how turbines have divided communities across the state, and that Article 10 legislation was passed to effect power projects more than 25 megawatts, the equivalent of about 17 turbines.
“The negative is the loss of 100-percent local control. The positive is that more people can have a say in what takes place.”
According to the legislation, Gallivan said that residents in a neighboring town could have a say in the placement of the turbines if they are potentially effected.
The floor was then opened to comment and questions. James Hall of Cohocton, was the first to speak.
Hall was a vocal opponnent of the wind turbine construction in Cohocton, and said that he is now part of a new organization called, Coalition On Article X (COAXNY).
He said the Article 10 legislation is “a direct assault on home rule,” and that across the state, municipalities will lose control of land use.
“This is about usurping the ability of towns like Springwater to have a say,” he said.
Gallivan said he did state there is a down side to Articl 10, and said he would be happy to meet with Hall to hear more on the issue.
