NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION — A proposed wind farm along the Lake Ontario shoreline in Somerset and Yates will not affect current operations of the 914th Airlift Wing at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, a public affairs representative for the airlift wing reiterated today.
But that’s not to say that those proposed 600-foot-tall turbines couldn’t affect air base operations at some point in the future.
“What’s come out from the base before is that the wind turbines doesn’t affect our current mission,” said Master Sgt. Kevin Nichols with 914th Airlift Wing public affairs. “Will it affect anything in the future? Unknown.”
Master Sgt. Nichols was asked if the 914th had changed its position on the impact of the planned wind turbines to be located approximately 25 miles away. The operations group commander for the 914th Airlift Wing had previously said that the wind turbines would have no effect on their operations.
Despite that statement, at least five Republican lawmakers have worked towards killing Apex Clean Energy’s proposal, known as Lighthouse Wind Project — stating concerns over the effect it would have on air base operations. Those lawmakers include Somerset Town Supervisor Dan Engert and Yates Town Supervisor Jim Simon, as well as U.S. Rep Chris Collins, State Sen. Rob Ortt, and Assemblyman Mike Norris. Collins, Ortt and Norris have each proposed legislation in their respective chambers to thwart the project.
Collins’ bill would disallow tax credits for any wind turbine project located within 50 miles of a working air base, while Ortt’s and Norris’ bills would install an outright ban on such wind turbines within 40 miles of any military installation.
Nichols said today that he was unsure if the legislators had spoken with a representative of the airlift wing or air reserve station prior to the introduction of their respective bills.
Nichols reiterated that the wind turbines do not affect current operations involving the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers that operate from the base.
Would they affect future operations involving different aircraft?
“We can’t even contemplate that,” he said.
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