The Town of Middleburgh took the next step toward banning large-scale wind Thursday when it voted to extend its existing moratorium through July 31.
A vote on amendments to the zoning law that would prohibit large-scale wind throughout the town could come as soon as May.
The County Planning Commission has already recommended approving the change.
Both the moratorium and the local law come in an effort to manage a two-turbine project Borrego Energy is proposing off Lawton Hollow Road in Huntersland.
Neighbors oppose the project on the grounds that it would lower their property values, destroy their quality of life, harm wildlife and the environment, and open the door to more turbines—all charges Borrego disputes.
But as he’s said before, Borrego’s Dave Strong said Thursday that the firm would just be developing the project—not running it afterwards.
When does he bail out?
“I bail out when the blades turn,” Mr. Strong said, answering a question from the crowd of about 50.
“Borrego doesn’t do wind. Their background is in developing wind. We will not construct, we will not own [the proposed project.]”
Who would run the project then?
“A qualified company that operates them for a living,” Mr. Strong said.
That was a red flag for Gus Wade, one of the organizers of the grassroots group, No Turbines Here.
Mr. Wade shared articles detailing $8 million in fines and restitution levied against ESI Energy for killing at least 150 eagles over the past decade at its wind farms in eight western states.
ESI pleaded guilty to three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act on April 5.
ESI Energy is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy—the Florida-based company building the 50-megawatt solar project in the Town of Sharon.
The highlight of Mr. Strong’s presentation was photos of what the turbines would look like from seven spots in town, including Main Street, Lawton Hollow, and Vroman’s Nose.
Only in one—Vroman’s Nose—are the turbines clearly visible; in others, you can just make out the blades through the mostly-bare trees “if you squint,” Mr. Strong said.
Borrego has offered to do the simulations for anyone who requested them, but opponents said the photos were hand-picked.
Max Sainsbury, who lives on Huntersland Road and has worked on visual impact assessments professionally, said he’s never seen a presentation like Mr. Strong’s.
“Generally, we use all historical sites,” he said. “These were very hand-picked. There’s no way they represent what’s really going on here.”
Others also disputed the photos with some of their own.
Bobbi Ryan, who lives on Route 145 next to the Middleburgh Winery—also one of Mr. Strong’s photos—said she’ll definitely be able to see it from her home.
Schoharie Central School graduate Andrew Hahn, who works as a wind turbine technician and at 22, said he’s making $80,000-$90,000 a year after graduating from a six-month training program, was about the only one defending the Borrego project.
Mr. Hahn likened them to cell towers and said they create jobs and are good for the environment.
“I think they’re pretty cool…like a great big fan in the sky. It’s a really cool job,” he said.