PILOT Plan for Eastern Broome Windmills Rejected

Broome County’s Industrial Development panel, “The Agency” is turning down a payment in lieu of taxes incentive for a planned wind farm in Sanford and Windsor.

According to several regional news accounts, “The Agency” rejected Bluestone Wind’s request for a $34-million tax incentive package in a five-to-three vote, apparently at least partially taking into consideration the concerns of some residents surrounding the planned 27-turbine project regarding property values, environmental issues and environmental impact.

IDA officials also expressed some concerns about the scaling-back of Bluestone’s projections on how many jobs the project would create.

At the end of last year, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation cleared the permits for the project saying the paperwork met all the regulatory requirements for the plans to move ahead.