Jordanville Wind Farm factions were expected to gather at Tuesday’s town of Stark board meeting, to discuss last month’s Public Service Commission decision. Proponents and opponents, along with town officials, were expected to discuss what should be the next step in the process. The PSC ruling approved the project, much to the consternation of opponents at the Holy Trinity Monastery and at Otsego 2000. So this should have made the proponents happy, right? Wrong. Not when the approval came with stipulations. One-third of the project was cut, according to the agreement, and with that cut a whole new battle could have ensued, but so far it hasn’t. That cut could have divided the community even further. It could have then split the proponents up between the “have’s” and the “have not’s.” It could have caused the landowners whose towers were not effected to venture off on their own and tell their fellow land owners, “Sorry. These are the breaks.” There could have been a survival of the fittest coup, but so far, there hasn’t been. Instead, what you see are dreams being destroyed. Dreams of pristine landscapes, dreams of historical integrity, dreams of retirement years where life is a little easier. The PSC has tried to appease everyone. But in actuality, all they have done is adhered to a standard of middle-of-the-road mediocrity. They cut and diced the proposal for reasons that just don’t make sense. In the end, if the project goes through as is, the only winners will be big business behind the turbines. The towns and counties will lose money, the farmers and landowners will lose money, the Holy Trinity Monastery, who settled on these lands more than 75 years ago, will lose the landscape that led them here. People south of the project, down to Otsego Lake, will lose the historic feel, the sense of sharing with one’s ancestors, that they get when turning their sites north. People say the farmers are being greedy, but who complains when milk or meat prices rise? Who pays the bills these farmers must pay to keep milk and meat on the shelves? People say the monks won’t even see the turbines, but will see the blades. And if they did not settle here anticipating blades, they have a right to be disappointed. If the project goes through as is, big business will develop the turbines and people will suffer. Neighbors will be pitted against neighbors even more so. Not only will there be opponents and proponents, but now the proponents will be divided up as well. There are more ways than one to slice up a community. And in the Jordanville Wind Project, all it could take is cutting the project by one-third. Let’s hope that Community Energy follows through on their initial promise to work with all members of the community, not just the ones who support them. And especially not just the owners of the turbines that were approved.
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