A discussion in September raised two interesting, and contradictory, ways for the Chautauqua County Board of Health to involve itself in the ongoing controversy over the construction of wind turbines in Chautauqua County.

John Tallet, Board of Health member, proposed a moratorium on construction of wind turbines until there have been further studies on the topic that would provide local officials with more guidance. Board members also discussed the possibility of regulating industrial wind turbines through the county’s sanitary code, which would entail writing a local regulation and then receiving approval for the new language from the state Health Department.

The proposals are somewhat contradictory. Consideration of a moratorium implies the science on the health impacts is not settled yet and that more study is necessary while a decision to regulate wind turbines through the sanitary code implies the science is settled and the Board of Health is comfortable enough to act.

Much like landfills and cell towers, wind turbines are becoming a necessary nuisance that no one wants in their backyard. Many in the county would like to see the Board of Health and county government act quickly and decisively on wind turbines. Board of Health members’ did the right thing in September by discussing the matter and not yet taking any action. More research is obviously necessary before writing a local regulation. And a moratorium based on anything but 100% reliable science will be the subject of a lengthy court battle.

Neighbors make a convincing case that turbines being built so close to their homes are a nuisance. Linking that nuisance to demonstrable health issues is necessary before the Board of Health takes any action because its decision will be heavily scrutinized at the state level given the state’s obvious stance that wind power is one of the state’s favored green energy sources. Given the difficulty in receiving state approval for natural gas pipelines in the New York City area, what are the odds that the state Health Department will approve a local regulation making it more difficult for wind turbines to be built in little old, out of the way Chautauqua County? Such an action would fly in the face of both the state Public Service Commission’s recent actions and the state Legislature’s Climate Change and Community Protection Act as well as millions of dollars in state subsidies to wind power producers.

We’re not saying the county is wrong for investigating its options. We are saying they’d better be 100% convinced their action is right before they fight the state.