Cohocton Planning Board January 21, 2008 Letter by Judith Hall

January 21, 2008

Cohocton Planning Board
15 South Main Street
Cohocton New York 14826

Dear Mr. Schrader and Planning Board Members:

At the Cohocton Planning Board meeting of July 11, 2006, Ray Schrader and attorney Todd Mathes assured us that SEQR would be reopened if there were any substantial changes to the UPC/CPP/CPPII project as proposed.

At this time the transmission line routes are not finalized. Transmission lines require a SEQR review.

We now know that there are significant problems with the Clipper 2.5 Liberty turbines which are in the prototype stage only. One needs to ask what turbines are being erected at this time on Dutch Hill. Why would a company intending to produce safe reliable electricity be erecting turbines which do not work? The media and press has widely reported that the Steel Winds project in Lackawanna, NY, allegedly using the same Clipper 2.5 turbines have failed gear boxes and blade defects. All eight of these industrial machines must be disassembled and taken down. The extent of the re-engineering has not been disclosed.

If the turbine is not a Clipper 2.5 Liberty then the lead agency as well as the PSC should have been notified in advance and a public review should be necessary by those agencies.

Until a review under SEQR concerning the turbine reliability and the actual transmission line route is finalized the Planning Board as lead agency should mandate a stop work order immediately.

Until a review under SEQR concerning the turbines reliability and the actual transmission line route is finalized, the Cohocton Planning Board as lead agency should mandate a stop work order immediately. The Cohocton Planning Board must address this significant problem forthwith. SCIDA is put on notice that SEQR must be reopened.

Cordially,


Judith Hall for CWW

cc: Cohocton Town Board,
SCIDA,
Governor Spitzer,
AG Cuomo,
Senator Winner,
Assemblyman Bacalles,
PSC,
DEC