© 2024 Innovation Trail

Meeting could shed light on Cape Vincent Wind Farm's future

North Country Public Radio file photo

Cape Vincent town officials have been anxious for news about the wind farm's fate since BP put the division up for sale in the spring. The review process that produced one tense public meeting after another came to an abrupt halt earlier this year.

A big commercial wind farm would likely violate Cape Vincent's land use laws. So last fall, BP opted out of municipal review, and into a new state process that can overrule local laws if the state deems them unreasonable. When that process halted, BP was preparing to respond to formal comments about the wind farm's impact.

The company has said it will sell the project before year's end. If it does change hands, the town wants to scrap the existing review work and make the new owner start from scratch.

The Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates energy development, says the meeting will clarify where the wind farm stands. State environmental officials, BP representatives and town leaders also will attend.

The meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday at Cape Vincent Elementary School.

Based in Watertown, Joanna files reports and feature stories of specific interest to listeners in the North Country. Her reports are heard during regional news breaks aired in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.