Senators call on LIPA to pull plug on wind farm
Two of Long Island's state senators called on the Long Island Power Authority Thursday to cancel its plan for a wind farm off the South Shore. "We are asking LIPA to just end it. Just end this proposal,"
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Aug 9, 2007, 11:12 PM
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Updated 6,283 days ago
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Two of Long Island's state senators called on the Long Island Power Authority Thursday to cancel its plan for a wind farm off the South Shore.
"We are asking LIPA to just end it. Just end this proposal," St. Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Merrick) said at a news conference with St. Sen. Owen Johnson (R-Babylon), who made the same plea.
"The ratepayer can't afford the cost of this project," Johnson said.
According to LIPA, the cost currently stands at $700 million for a wind farm that would power approximately 44,000 homes. In 2003, the cost was targeted at $200 million.
Dowling College economist Marty Cantor said the wind farm would force increased charges on ratepayers.
"It would go up to $18 a kilowatt in the first year and $55 a kilowatt by the 20th year," Cantor said.
In a statement, LIPA said it respects the senators' opinions, but it is awaiting the results of a new independent report on the benefits and drawbacks of the project.
Environmentalist Adrienne Esposito, of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said Long Islanders shouldn't abandon wind power and other clean, renewable energy.
"We need to do this for our public health, for the economy and for energy independence for our nation," she said.
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