Plans for wind
park bring controversy: Proposal to build windmills, how money from them
can be spent...
Apr 19, 2006 - Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Times Leader
Author(s): Rory Sweeney
Apr. 19--BEAR CREEK TWP. -- Windmills created whirlwinds of conflict
at two township meetings on Monday.
First, township supervisors approved an ordinance that loosened the
rules of how they can spend money gained through wind farms in the
township.
Later in the evening, the township's planning commission approved a
60-day extension for Energy Unlimited to address a host of concerns
raised by the commission last month.
Energy Unlimited hopes to open a 25-turbine park at Crystal Lake.
That park would be the second in the township. Community Energy
currently operates a 12-turbine wind park on Bald Mountain.
But that park's future isn't certain because the project's developer,
AES Corp., recently quit.
The Commission's extension came despite Chairman Joe Yenchik's
protests, who believes the current plan "is not the same plan we once
reviewed."
If that project is approved, the ordinance passed Monday could change
how the potential $75,000 yearly payments to the township would be
spent.
The amended ordinance removes a yearly cap on how much can be spent
from the fund, eliminates a requirement that a voter referendum must
decide how the remaining money may be spent if the fund stops generating
revenue, and adds six new uses on which money from the fund can be used.
The fund was originally only for reducing property taxes,
constructing municipal buildings and acquiring land. The money may now
also be spent on municipal buildings in any way -- including repair,
which was explicitly excluded from the original ordinance, recreation
activities and facilities, windmill expenses, including consultation
fees, roadways within the township, planning commission and zoning board
expenses and an Act 537 sewage update.
Former township supervisor Willard Kresge and township auditor Ted
Carl, both critics of Chairwoman Bonnie Wasilewski, say the amendment
will allow her to use the wind park funds to cover general fund budget
shortfalls she created when she splurged on municipal appointments upon
joining the board in January.
Wasilewski and Supervisor Ruth Ann Koval did not return several calls
on Tuesday. Supervisor Gary Slusser was unavailable for comment.
At the planning commission meeting, Energy Unlimited announced the
project's developer, AES Corp., had quit.
Commission member Ed Benkoski said the developer left because "they
got fed up with the nonsense." He said a few other companies have
expressed interested in taking on the project.
Benkoski said the project was given preliminary approval in November
2003 if Energy Unlimited addressed nine concerns.
The concerns were addressed, he said, but the commission requested 28
more changes to the proposal last month. Energy Unlimited "in good
faith" attempted to address the issues, but couldn't incorporate two of
them, he said.
That's when Yenchik called for a brand-new submission of the plan,
"which would have basically killed the project or held it up for two or
three years," Benkoski said.
Rory Sweeney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-
7418.
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