A New Lighthouse Wind Document: For nearly 4 years, the only documents Apex has filed on the DPS site for Lighthouse Wind have been email and event logs. But we wanted to let you know that on Friday, Sept. 23rd, they filed a petition entitled “Letter Withdrawing Lighthouse Wind Article 10 Application”.

“Article 10” vs “94-c”: Is the Lighthouse Wind project gone? In order to answer this, it is important to remember that in 2020 New York State passed into law a new process for siting large scale renewables. It is called “94-c” and it is a much more favorable process for developers. Projects that were in the Article 10 queue generally transferred over to 94-c. Apex is not transferring Lighthouse Wind to 94-c. However, their letter only indicates that they will not file for a certificate under Article 10. There is no statement in this letter indicating that Lighthouse Wind will not at a later date file a project under the 94-c process. We do not know for sure that the project is dead.

We are left with the leases. We will continue to monitor the county clerks’ offices in Niagara and Orleans counties to see if there are filings that indicate the leases have been terminated or if they have expired and were not renewed. If the expired leases are not renewed then we can be reasonably assured that this project is dead.

Eight Years! It has been close to eight years that our towns have been fighting against the Lighthouse Wind Project. The accomplishments that we have made working with citizens, elected officials and other groups is impressive. In a state where most of the industrial wind projects proposed were approved and built we are grateful that to date, thanks to your involvement and support, there has been no Lighthouse Wind application. We hope to have more clarity in the coming year. We will keep you posted!

Meanwhile… SOS is a petitioner in the lawsuit that is fighting the 94-c regulations. This lawsuit is working its way through the New York State Appellate system. It highlights the problems with the 94-c “pro-developer” large scale renewable siting process.