NYSERDA = Part of the Problem

NYSERDA seeks to 'transform our economic system'

As the G20 summit meeting scheduled in Cancun approaches, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) co-chair, Dr. Edenhoffer of Germany, candidly admitted, "... One must say clearly that we redistribute the world's wealth by climate policy." This has been clearly exemplified here in the United States by the fact that of the $2.2 Billion dollars of the stimulus money that was allotted for "renewables" (and supposed "green" job creation) -- over 80% of that money went overseas (See: http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/wind-energy-funds-going-overseas/story/renewable-energy-money-still-going-abroad/ ). Industrial wind is a major component of the IPCC's "climate policy" redistribution of wealth scheme, and NYS - with plenty of Big Wind lobbyists and political cronies in high places, is a major player in this redistribution of wealth and, as Al Gore & George Soros refer to it - "global governance" scheme.

The push for the redistribution of our wealth through politicalization of our energy policies was made clear once again at the annual NYS Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) "Partnership for Environmental Improvement" meeting held on 11/18/10 in Albany, when NYSERDA executive, Janet Joseph stated, "...We are looking at transforming our economic system."

The objective of the meeting was supposed to be for NYSERDA to give Environmental Groups from across NYS an opportunity to bring their concerns to NYSERDA's attention, so that NYSERDA could properly address these concerns. The absolute frustration we have faced at getting them to address any of our concerns over the past several years now, was made even worse at this year's meeting. Dr. Thorndike, the Cornell professor on NYSERDA's board who chairs these meetings, elected to skip over the folks from across NYS she knew were there about wind, while letting all the other attendees speak - despite the fact that we had all been invited by NYSERDA to this meeting, and driven hundreds of miles to get there. When it got to be 3:00 - past the time the agenda said would be allotted for our comments - and the meeting was only scheduled to go until 4:00, I decided to speak out - much to their chagrin, I'm sure.

I pointed out to them that the entire focus in each of their varied presentations that day had been about improving "energy efficiency & reliablity" -- of which industrial wind is neither.

I asked, "You admitted that we don't have the money, the equipment, or the transmission lines in your presentation on Offshore Wind, - so why are we wasting the time and resources soliciting these projects? I can testify that my hometown would be much better off if we spent the money insulating, and installing energy efficient windows in every home. And I dare say, we'd probably save millions in dollars, and emissions in the process, while creating thousands of jobs!" (Why create jobs for local contractors when it's all about servicing Big Corporate, though?!?)

I went on and said, "Two things are missing when it comes to industrial wind -- the science and the money!" NYSERDA has yet to provide the independent, transparent, empirical proof that wind energy can live up to any of the wind industry's claims.

I asked how they could compare industrial wind - something that has virtually a zero capacity value (can be relied on to be there when called upon), to our reliable, dispatchable, baseload energy sources (i.e. - hydro, nuclear, gas, & coal), which "is like comparing a soap box derby car to a Boeing 747." (See: http://www.stopillwind.org/downloads/Overblown.pdf )

I referenced the Colorado/Texas Bentek studies, which looked at actual wind performance data in Texas and Colorado, and concluded that wind caused coal plants to operate more inefficiently, "often resulting in great SO2, NOx, and CO2 emissions than would have occurred if less wind energy were generated and coal generation was not cycled."

No one debated any of the facts I presented.

I looked to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative presenter who had proclaimed that "We must raise the cost of carbon!", and told him that in spite of their demonizing of coal, there is the inconvenient fact that with over 100,000 IWT's that have been installed worldwide to date, NOT one coal plant has been closed down anywhere in the world thanks to industrial wind. I elaborated that it was cheaper, affordable energy that had made our country what it is today, and our poorest poor in this country are far better off than the poor in any other country in the world because we have had affordable power. Their plans to "transform our economic system" will hurt the lowest income folks the most. (See: "Resisting the Green Dragon" at the CornwallAlliance.org )

His response was, "We answered all your questions at the meeting a year ago."

I said, "No you didn't! Dr. Jan Storm, the NYS Dept of Health rep who spoke at the June, 2009 meeting acknowledged the existence of health problems around the world due to citing these things too close to peoples' homes -- but that NYS had not yet undertaken any studies. Here it is a year and a half later, and NYS still has done NO health studies. Yet, you continue to push these projects through! Furthermore, former PSC Sound Engineer, Dan Driscoll, told us all at the June, 2009 meeting that setbacks of approximately 3500' would probably alleviate most problems, yet you still have made NO recommendations to communities across NYS dealing with industrial wind developers. As a matter of fact, you have done NOTHING to help protect NYS residents!"

Of course, the typical reply came back, "It's a local matter."

I challenged them, and said, "As NYS's Energy Research & Development 'authority', you have a responsibility to make recommendations to the state on behalf of the people you work for in regard to these projects!"

A fellow advocate from the Tug Hill area jumped in - citing the fact that she had brought in FERC numbers showing the ridiculous output levels of 12% & 16% from the Maple Ridge project at the last meeting, and then handed all of them copies of the latest peer-reviewed study on the negative health effects of living too close to industrial wind installations. Advocates there for the first time from the Great Lakes group, then voiced their utter dismay with the way we had all been treated and ignored, and got up and left.

And how were our questions and concerns answered? With lame excuses and condescending lectures.

Why doesn't our government listen, you ask? One can only surmise that our government and its agencies (i.e. - NYSERDA) are in bed with the developers. NYSERDA is bent on raising your electric rates in order to benefit multi-national developers, and in turn - themselves.

NYSERDA told us straight out at last year's meeting, "Industrial wind is not up for debate as it is a political agenda that has been handed down from Washington & Albany." Really???

The hypocrisy of the NYS Energy Research & Development bureaucracy's Mission Statement of providing "independent, objective, scientific proof," versus pursuing "political agendas," is clear, and it is we - the NYS taxpayers & ratepayers, who will pay the price, while OUR tax & ratepayer dollars continue to be exported overseas in this "climate policy" fraud.

I'm afraid that I could not agree more with the statement Environmentalist, Jon Boone, made three years ago at a presentation in Chautauqua County:

"The politicalization of electricity production, which is what is happening here, corrupts any reasonable sense of enlightened public policy, driven as it is by propagandized sloganeering and a press that much of the time couldn’t hit water with an accurate story about wind if it fell out of a boat. New York State’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the politically correct renewable energy oversight group within the state’s PSC, has become one of those grotesque bureaucracies that exist to justify its existence, generating gratuitous inaccuracies about the potential for wind energy in much the same way Cinderella’s step sisters connived to make that damned slipper fit their outsized feet. NYSERDA’s levy of a renewable energy surcharge is nothing more than a legalized bunko scheme for defrauding consumers."

Folks, accountability is a biblical principle. Not only is it time that we held our politicians and government bureaucracies accountable -- we all have a duty to speak out! Silence is agreement. Ignoring what is going on is akin to denial of an addiction -- It won't get better until we acknowledge the problem, and ask God for His help to deal with it. We have a responsibility to educate ourselves, speak out, and demand accountability from our elected officials. As Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

The next "political" development in NYS will likely be "Article X", which is being promoted by Governor-elect Cuomo. This will effectively take away NYS citizen's Home Rule rights to determine whether or not they want wind projects in their community, and if so, under what conditions. Are you willing to sit back and accept this removal of our constitutional rights, or will you stand up and speak out?

Mary Kay Barton
Silver Lake, NY