This website is being developed so that information about the Prattsburgh/Italy wind “farm” projects can be shared by those of us who are concerned about the impact the wind turbines will have on the landscape of our towns and on the lives of the citizens of the two towns.  One hundred wind turbines measuring well over 400 feet, with blades that will be spinning over 100 miles an hour at their tips, will intrude on the lives of the people who live in sight and sound of the towers.  We question whether the electricity generated will make a significant contribution to the grid.  We are unsure about the financial impact.  We know that leaseholders are supposed to receive an income, but there are many unanswered questions concerning taxes, insurance, road repair and assistance to the fire department, which will need to be on call in cases of lightning strikes.

            It has taken awhile for people in Prattsburgh to find out about the wind towers and it is not clear that most people realize just how enormous the two projects would be.  A development like this requires long term thought and planning, and at this point in time all that the developers would have to do to get permission to build in Prattsburgh is to apply for the same building permit they would use to put up a shed.  The only setback is the ten foot requirement put on any other structure.  A petition with over 500 signatures has been presented to the Town Board, requesting them to declare a moratorium on continuation with the projects for six months, so that the issue can be studied.  So far, as of September 16, the Board has not responded to the petition.

            We will try to keep the site updated with information about town meetings and informational meetings that are being held. 

            While the original intent of this site was to present the reality of what it would be like to live with wind turbines clustered in our hills, it is equally important to remember that the complete disregard for our environment and our flagrant use of electricity and gasoline and is what has brought us to this point.  The air in many places of our country is dangerous to breathe, and we can no longer swim in countless lakes and rivers.

 It is easy to understand why wind energy would capture the imagination of lawmakers and conscientious citizens.  At first glance it seems as though wind energy will replace nuclear and coal plants.  The press releases make it sound as though individual households could go on burning lights all night and using electric appliances without a thought, while businesses could go on churning out useless products and building ever larger shopping malls that require huge amounts of electricity just for the air conditioning.

But, when one does the research, the reality is quite different.  Not even the developers claim that a single nuclear or coal plant will be replaced by the hundreds of wind turbines proposed for western New York State.  The wind turbines will be built, creating new environmental issues, and the original problems will remain.  The uncomfortable truth is that using alternative energy will call upon all of us to re-think the way we live.  We, as a people, have come to believe that we are entitled to live a certain way, and if we want to sincerely clean our air and waterways, then we need to question that entitlement. 

            Small wind turbines that feed the electricity directly to the homeowners in the vicinity and solar energy are options to look into for those who are serious about wanting to address the real issues of pollution and safety.  This site welcomes ideas for green energy that will not further compromise the environment.