by Bob Ciesielski, Chapter Energy Chair
New York State has enacted some wonderful laws promoting renewable energy sources such as land-based and offshore wind power and solar arrays. These sources of electricity, along with energy efficiency, are absolutely needed to stop ever increasing global warming and climate change.
New York’s new Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) is governed by regulations which would require review of the same twenty-five environmental, community health and economic benefit factors as does the older Article 10 proceeding for siting power plants. The ORES regulations require developers to fully review many environmental and community issues prior to their filing an application for a project with the State. New York has also identified some of the most stringent environmental and community issues, which must all be met prior to approval of an application. The combination of heavily frontloading the work of developers before an application is filed, coupled with clear requirements which must be met, have significantly reduced the timeframe for approving applications. The ORES process does not ignore environmental or community review but does establish the methodology for timely approval of projects.
For many years, the oil, gas and coal industries have spread misinformation about climate change and have allowed the State and local governments to pass laws restricting renewable energy development. It is well known that fossil fuel industry representatives, such as the Koch Brothers and Exxon Mobil have funded front organizations that have drafted legislation to prevent the development of solar and wind energy, electric vehicles, and trains – all the while working to expand our world’s dependency on gas, oil, and coal.
One of the most effective scare tactics used in opposing wind and solar projects is to claim that property values will decrease. Yet ten major studies in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain have shown that wind projects do not cause a decrease in property values. In fact, property values often increase because of the additional income brought to towns and municipalities by clean energy, jobs, increased tax revenue, and substantial lease payments to farmers and landowners, all which keeps energy-related money local.
Claims that towns will actually pay more in taxes, utility bills or fees when renewable energy projects are installed have also been proven to be incorrect. Lewis County in Upstate New York has seen farmers maintain their lands in agriculture because of lease payments from renewable energy developers. The County has been able to build a community college, a new library and install a countywide energy communication system from the additional tax revenue derived from the three wind turbine projects in the area. Another example is the Town of Sheldon in Western New York, where residents have not had to pay town taxes because of income derived from their wind facilities.
Other angry, fear-based statements demanding that developers of wind and solar projects must pay full taxes on their projects and not be allowed to “take advantage” of towns are also misleading. Energy generation facilities in the State of New York generally pay Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) instead of full taxes on projects. Full property rates based on the value of facilities would make any power generation project economically unfeasible. As an incentive to develop solar and wind projects, New York State passed its Real Property Tax Law Section 487, which exempts new renewable energy power generation facilities from any town property taxes for 15 years. Towns can opt out of this exemption by passing a local law. Some towns have passed laws opting out of Section 487 to prevent renewable developers from “taking advantage” of their town. However, for a town that wants renewable energy facilities but also wants tax revenue, its option is not to opt out of Section 487. Towns subject to Section 487 retain the right to negotiate Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs), allowing a town to secure substantial annual payments from interested developers. Towns that do opt out of Section 487 are not able to negotiate PILOTs. Financially, the best path for a town is to negotiate a favorable PILOT Agreement that can last longer than 15 years, often with the assistance of local Industrial Development Agencies. Thankfully, towns that have opted out of Section 487 can reverse the decision.
As for claims of “wind turbine syndrome” causing adverse health effects to humans and animals from wind turbines, turbines exist in high density population areas in northern Germany and Denmark. In these areas the term Wind Turbine Syndrome is unknown. Complaints about wind turbines are most prevalent where negative publicity has preceded the construction. The alleged disease of Wind Turbine Syndrome is an “English speaking phenomenon,” and health cases have not been reported or substantiated in peer-reviewed journals.[1]
Concerning loss of birds, studies show that fossil fuel energy production, waste pits, hazardous extraction chemicals, transportation and combustion cause significantly more injury to birds than do wind turbines or solar panels. The National Audubon Society has consistently supported the development of wind turbines and solar arrays in order to protect birds from climate change. Bird losses to wind turbines are less than 1/10th of those caused by fossil fuel production and combustion per Gigawatt hour of electricity.[2] Scientific siting of turbines minimizes their effects on birds and wildlife. Radar and cameras connected with modern turbines are also able to locate birds and then slow down, halt, or feather the blades of turbines when birds are nearby. More severe weather events, temperature extremes, fires, and droughts worldwide are significantly harming birds and other wildlife.
The rapid electrification of our state’s energy system, including transportation, heating and cooling, and manufacturing coupled with energy efficiency and improved agricultural practices are needed now to halt and mitigate climate change.
[1] Wind Turbine Syndrome: A Communicated Disease (Chapman, Simon, 2017)
[2] The Avian and Wildlife Costs of Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power (Sovacool, Benjamin K., Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, December, 2012)