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Town of Henderson, NY
12105 Town Barn Road
Henderson, New York 13650
(315) 938 - 5542
www.townofhendersonny.org

October 3, 2017

Hon Kathleen H. Burgess

Secretary to the Commission
3 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12223-1350
Via email: secretary@dps.ny.gov

Ashley Moreno, Presiding Examiner

NYS Public Service Commission
Three Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12223-1350

Re: Case No. 15-F-00327 Galloo Island Wind Farm

Dear Secretary Burgess,

This is to provide comments on an issue related to the design and plans for the commercial Wind
Farm proposed for Galloo Island, six miles off the shoreline of the Town of Henderson. The Town
of Henderson (hereinafter referred to as "the Town") has significant concerns regarding the
potential negative impacts to the Town which may result from the construction of a wind farm on
Galloo Island consisting of over 30 turbines each over 600 feet tall. As you may be aware, the
Town commissioned a study by researchers from Clarkson University who specialize in issues
related to energy projects. That study predicted a property value loss in the Town of over $40
million dollars should this project come to fruition. Central to the issue of property value is the
impact on the view shed from the Town and a crucial, though not exhaustive, component of the
potential negative impacts to the view shed is the prospect of the continued presence of blinking
red lights at night.

During several public information meetings in the Town, as well as in individual meetings with
Town leadership, representatives of Apex and Galloo Island Wind LLC (the Applicant) assured
Henderson stakeholders that aircraft proximity lighting systems would be applied for as a way to
mitigate visual light pollution within the view shed, and by association, harm to the property values
of the Town. It recently came to our attention, however, that such an application did not, indeed,
occur. Additionally, it was not disclosed to the Town that, according to FAA regulations, two
lights are required for each turbine nacelle due to their height of over 499 feet and that these lights
must be continually illuminated. Given the empirically predicted harm to the Town, we believe
the Applicant should do all it can to mitigate any such harm. We believe the Galloo Island Wind

The Town of Henderson is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

LLC and/or Apex Energy should be required to make an application for approval for aircraft
proximity lighting and an exemption from the FAA regulation on this issue. Governmental
regulation exemptions are approved all the time with adequate and well thought out requests for
such exemptions. Until such time as the Applicant fully pursues this course of action and
thoroughly documents the result of its efforts, the application of Galloo Island Wind, LLC should
be designated as incomplete by the Public Service Commission.

Thank you for your attention in this matter.