The Erie County Legislature passed a resolution Thursday, April 24, opposing wind turbines in Lake Erie. Lawmakers rejected efforts by downstate lawmakers and other special interests trying to place wind farms in the great lakes.
“We have been fighting this effort for the better part of 15 years,” said Minority Leader and Erie County Legislator John Mills. Our great lakes are our most treasured asset. It’s unconscionable that downstate lawmakers try to impose their will on this community. They have no business pushing laws and policies that will negatively impact our region. If this is something they so badly want, then they can work towards installing wind farms in downstate waters.”
Companies like LEEDCO (Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation) and politicians like State Senator Pete Harckham, who represents Rockland, Putnam and Westchester counties in the Hudson Valley, are behind efforts to erect a wind farm in the middle of Lake Erie.
The resolution states that Lake Erie is the 12th largest lake in the world, is the shallowest, warmest and most biologically productive of the five Great Lakes and is an important source of drinking water for approximately 11 million people. Not only would the installation of wind turbines in Lake Erie negatively impact the quality of life for residents, but it could also impact human and wildlife habitats that depend on Lake Erie.
In 2022, the New York State Energy and Development Authority (NYSERDA) stated that there were some major gaps in available data to ascertain the effectiveness, while the federal government has introduced a measure entitled, “Lakes Before Turbines Act,” to protect our environment and local economies from ill-advised wind energy projects on the Great Lakes.
Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie (CAWTILE) stated that they send “a sincere congratulations to the Erie County Legislature for passing the resolution opposing wind turbines in Lake Erie. We are extremely pleased at the leadership of the Legislature for recognizing the harmful effects that the turbines would have both environmentally and economically on Lake Erie.”
“We are so fortunate to live along the shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario. These waterways are great places to recreate while also providing the backdrop for beautiful sunsets. Wind turbines in the Lakes have the potential to release oils and other toxins into the water. It could also have an impact on recreational boating and shipping channels. In other words, it would be devastating for our cherished great lakes,” said Legislator Mills. “Those looking to construct wind farms in the middle of bodies of water need to look elsewhere. They’re not welcome here.”
