ENFIELD — While Tompkins County lawmakers are pushing ahead with a resolution to support a wind farm project in Enfield, some residents say they still have concerns.
Lawmakers are set to vote on a resolution calling for the development of the Black Oak Wind Farm “without further delay” in a meeting Thursday night. Some legislators have said the wind farm will benefit the community, and that they’ve made sure concerns about the health and safety of residents are addressed.
But Marcus Gingerich, an Enfield resident, says he’s not convinced.
“I was told by one member of the committee [considering the wind farm project] that they didn’t think there were any health or safety issues, and that there wasn’t going to be a problem,” he said. “That really bothers me because I don’t know how you can say that given how close these turbines are going to be placed to residents.”
Gingerich says he thinks things are moving too fast, and he’s worried about the wind farm’s impact on the community.
“For myself, I have to protect my family. I have to protect my home,” he said. “I know Black Oak Wind Farm has investors. Basically, we have community members going against each other. The way I see it, at the end of this, there’s going to be winners and losers. And that’s unfortunate.”
Tompkins County lawmakers are set to vote Thursday at 5:30 p.m. on the mostly symbolic resolution supporting the “timely development” of the wind farm.
