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The (Syracuse, NY) June 6, 2003 HAROLD MANNING WANTS TO BUILD 30 WINDMILLS ON LAND IN THE TOWN OF LEBANON. Jim Reilly Staff writer A relative newcomer to the
town of Lebanon wants to put a $60million wind farm on his land and that
of his neighbors.
Harold Manning, who bought David and Neva Swenson's farm on
Reservoir Road a little more than a year ago, has a plan to put 30
windmills, each standing about 300 feet tall and costing $2
million, in the hills around his farm. The project could grow as more
landowners opt in. "It would be the biggest wind-generation project in the county,"
said Lebanon Supervisor Jim Goldstein. Twenty wind-power turbines now
tower over 10 farms in Fenner and seven in Madison.
"It has the potential to have a significant impact on the town,"
Goldstein said of the Lebanon windmill proposal. "But at this point
there are a lot of questions to be answered, a lot more information
needed."
Manning and his partners hope to answer some questions Monday
night. Some they've already tried to answer.
"Some of the landowners we've talked to had questions about
assessments, whether they'd go up after installation of the turbines on
their land," said Sheila Stratton, one of Manning's partners. "Well, we
will cover any increases in assessments."
That's part of the pitch to farmers and other landowners: For them,
the project is a no-cost, no-risk deal that could generate $1,000 to
$2,500 in income per turbine each year, Stratton said.
"We pay them three ways," she said. "We pay rental for the land
housing the unit; we pay for loss of land for grazing or cropping; and we
pay a percentage of production of turbines on their land that we sell."
Energy generated would be sold in the wholesale energy market.
Expenses, from building and maintaining the wind turbines to laying
underground and overhead wires to carry electricity to the statewide
energy grid, are borne by Stone Mill Wind Energy Inc.
That's the name of the company Manning, Stratton and Florida energy
entrepreneur Felix Taubman formed to shepherd the project.
"Felix's company, ECI International, puts together wind projects
all over the country," Stratton said. "They work on getting the investors,
then couple with companies like ours."
Stratton and her husband, David, moved from Missouri to Lebanon to
run Stone Mill Dairy farm for Manning. "Harold's an inventor," Stratton
said. "David takes care of the cows." She does the books for the farm and
is vice president for development for Stone Mill Wind Energy.
While Stratton says they could be generating wind energy in the
hills of Lebanon within 18 months, Goldstein says there are still a lot of
hoops the partners must jump through and tests the project must pass.
Among things to be considered, Goldstein said, are residents'
reactions, environmental and aesthetic impacts, and the overall effect on
the town, its land and its people.
Several farmers and landowners contacted by Manning and Stratton
say the project could be a good thing and want to hear more.
"The income could help the farmers, with milk prices the way they
are these days," said dairyman Jim Rodman, whose family has farmed on
Rodman Road for five generations.
Copyright, 2003, The
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