To the Editor:

On Monday morning the New York Water Environmental Association left a rainy Potsdam to visit the Maple Ridge Wind Farm in Lowville. The wind farm is the largest on the east coast, consisting of 195 wind turbines that span an area 12 miles long and 3 miles wide. Each turbine is capable of producing 1.65 megawatts (MW) and the whole farm can produce 321MW - enough to power 300,000 homes. We met with Bill Burke, one of 74 farmers who own land that now hosts turbines and an active member of The Lowville Academy school board. Bill Burke has been a supporter of the wind farm and has been immersed in its development since the beginning of the process, which made him an excellent candidate for answering our numerous questions.

In reference to the wind farm’s effect on the economy, no question was left unanswered. Burke said that during the year long construction process, the wind farm provided a boost for certain sectors of the economy because each of the 70 employees received one hundred dollars for each day they spent in Lowville, which was used mostly for lodging and eating. Even now, the farm employs fifty permanent workers, most of them “local kids.” The presence of the wind farm also brought in funds that aided the Lowville Academy in a 32 million dollar improvement on the school, when other New York schools are being forced to cut teachers and even whole departments. Furthermore, Burke knows from personal experience the economic benefits of having a turbine on his land. He called it a third crop because of the money he earns for simply allowing turbines on his land: $50,000 a year.

Of course, in addressing the benefits of the turbines, questions came up as to the drawbacks of having them on his land. Burke stated that the turbines use less than two percent of the farm area he has and that, if he wanted to, he could grow his crops within inches of the turbine, like a few other farmers do. Another worrisome topic was the turbine’s effects on birds, or as one local put it, “What about the lead goose on a foggy day?” Research done by the farm and other sources shows that windows are the leading human-caused death of birds, followed by automobiles and domestic cats. A large discussion developed on the topic of noise pollution. Burke stated that even though there is a turbine a mere 1100 feet from his house, the noise from it is not audible. Burke recalled one of the groups that came to see the wind farm that included skeptics. In response to their questions about the “obnoxious noise” the turbines create, he invited them to his kitchen to listen for themselves. Seven members of the group could not be bothered to take him up on his offer, but those who did saw for themselves the lack of any overwhelming noise produced by the turbines. In response to these skeptics, Bill says, “People will eat themselves.” He means that people will oppose things until the day they die, even if it could be helpful to others.

Burke provided a wonderful and accurate explanation of the fossil fuel industry’s response to green energy sources. He explains that the fossil fuel industry is like the local baseball team full of members who have been playing together forever. When a new kid moves in who might be better than the current players, the current players are unwilling to give up their spot, even if it will improve the team’s overall productivity. Bill Burke states that “[Wind farms] are not the answer, but it can certainly be a team player.”

Hannah Marchitell

Clarkson University student

Potsdam