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Wind Vision
Times are
changing. Energy costs are rapidly increasing and taxes are rising. The
pinch on the family budget of Upstate New Yorkers is great. The ridiculous
hike in gas prices that was the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was a rude
wake-up call. It is time to take matters in our own hands.
The United States has always
been a country of invention and innovation. We need to apply that
innovative factor locally, to stimulate our region economically. Right now,
there is no better way to lower energy costs than to invest in wind
technologies. Studies show that “every 100 megawatts of new wind capacity
creates 6-8 permanent, well paying jobs and about 60 person-years of
employment during construction.” Can we experience these benefits, right
here, in our own area? The answer is blowing in the wind. Wind energy,
clean and renewable energy, is all around us, just waiting to be used.
Wayne County’s drumlins and proximity to Lake Ontario make for an excellent
source of wind energy. Wayne County has many acres of farm land located on
rolling hills. It is time to tap into our natural resources. We can no
longer depend on foreign oil as the answer. The unrest in the Middle East
and Iran could possibly result in an increase to over $90 per barrel of
oil. Without action, prices like these would send us into a depression we
may never recover from.
By acting now, we can stop the
bleeding and provide a renewable energy source that will be available for
future generations. Yes, there is a short term investment, but the
investment will pay dividends for years to come. By lowering the cost of
energy, we can once again become an attractive area to small and large
businesses alike. A growth in our industrial parks and empire zones will
result in more jobs, an increase in housing construction, and a higher need
for services. Who will benefit most from investing in wind energy? We will.
By increasing employment locally, we will not only be providing jobs at
home, we will be attracting employment from outside of our area.
Why should we have our young
bright minds leave for the south and southwest when they are needed here for
the workforce? According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA),
“each 100 megawatt of wind development represents 75 short-term and 45
long-term jobs. In addition, wind projects will support a whole range of
new companies to serve the wind industry. More jobs mean more citizens
contributing to the tax base, which results in lower taxes. What results
from lower taxes is more economic development and more jobs. At the same
time, government services and grants increase without strapping the tax
payers.” The end result is a better quality of life for everyone. When we
have more money in our pockets, we have money for charity, for
beautification of our area, and for the future.
Timing is
everything in life. There is plenty of opportunity out there for us to be
able to act now. From the Federal Government to New York State, there are
tremendous incentives for area developers to tap into. On February 2nd,
the Labor Department selected Western New York as one of the 13 regions
around the country to share $195 million for economic development
opportunities to lure businesses and create new jobs. The Finger Lakes and
Rochester region received a 15 million dollar grant for small business
investment. One of the specific areas mentioned was alternative energy. The
February issue of The Progressive Farmer magazine names Ontario County the
number one rural community in the Northeast, with Wayne County ranking 16th.
We must be doing something right. Imagine what our rating could be if we
are able to lower our energy cost and taxes!
The America Wind Energy
Association also provides that “the potential for economic benefits from
wind are enormous. At a time when U.S. manufacturing employment is
generally on the decline, the production of wind equipment is one of the few
potentially large sources of new manufacturing jobs on the horizon.” We
have some of the brightest minds at our local universities, both at the
University of Rochester and RIT. We should utilize our future engineers in
the development of a Green Zone Energy Development Park, improving the
current park located next to the New York Central Railroad and 8 miles from
NYS Thruway Exit 42. Why don’t we manufacture the wind turbines in our own
Empire Green Zone, powered by wind? Right now there is a waiting list for
wind turbines until 2008. What’s from stopping us to then from also
building the first hydrogen car factory in the same Empire Green Zone?
With proper planning and zoning,
a dream can become a reality. Once again, New York could legitimately be
called the Empire State. We faced similar tough decisions in the early
years of our statehood, and if not for the vision of Dewitt Clinton, New
York would have never become known as the Empire State. As a direct result
of Clinton’s eventual Erie Canal, shipping costs decreased from $100 a ton
to only $10 a ton. The Erie Canal facilitated western expansion, and that
same canal runs yet through the villages of Wayne County, an ever-present
reminder of how great we once were. By subscribing to a new vision for
change, we can again become proud New Yorkers.
Mark De Cracker, President Lyons Chamber of Commerce |
