No benefit

to wind plan

Editor, OBSERVER:

The Cassadaga Wind Project is a complete waste. The project nameplate of 126 MW is incorrect and seriously misleading. New York state wind capacity factors — efficiencies — are only 26 percent. So 126MW is in reality only 32.8MW. Laying waste to 40,000 acres — or 62.5 square miles — to produce a measly insignificant 32.8MW is without merit.

Nearby the Dunkirk Power Plant is 530MW with coal and 435MW using inexpensive reliable plentiful natural gas. Dunkirk Power Plant footprint is tiny compared to 62.5 square miles.

EverPower is number six on list of 12 corporations receiving subsidies.

“Subsidies and Loan Guarantees Received by Members of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York” lists tax dollar subsidies to 12 corporations including EverPower.

Arkwright, Charlotte and Cherry Creek are not listed as receiving a subsidy should they decide to intervene.

From the chart available at “ACENY–Member–Subsidy–Totals” EverPower received:

¯ Federal subsidies — grants and tax credits — by EverPower — $317,010,070

¯ State subsidies by EverPower — $11,033,315

¯ Grand total by Everpower — $328,043,385

It should be noted that $5.509 billion — not million — of your tax dollars were subsidies to foreign corporations

Federal and state ratepayer and taxpayer subsidies to these 12 corporations is unacceptable for the land they destroy and the measly expensive unreliable unneeded power they produce.

GREGORY G. WOODRICH,

Williamsville

Sheridan sign issue is minor

Editor, OBSERVER:

I read the recent letter from a writer on how he noticed something was not there in Sheridan. It was a little wooden sign that was removed.

I could not help but compare the same thing about arkwright Hills. Something is missing there as acres of forest have been cut down. Animals have been driven from their habitat while people’s homes and properties have become devalued.

Our highways are a wreck and residents will have to live with this the rest of their lives.

We own property off Straight Road and I believe some of our neighbors have allowed developers to log it, put up windmills and destroy the natural beauty of Arkwright. Why would some be concerned with one sign while the natural beauty of our area is threatened by these turbines?

I guess it’s easier to preach about someone else’s back yard than your own.

JAMES R. LISA,

Arkwright

Some big steps in education

Editor, OBSERVER:

Dave Prenatt writes “Student behavior program awards students with Polar Express fun” (Dec. 26).

Wikipedia presents a summary article with scholarly references regarding the positive reinforcement which is the basis of the student behavior program highlighted by Prenatt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement#Positive–reinforcement

During my professional career, I had the opportunity to meet the major figures in positive reinforcement studies cited by Wikipedia (Skinner and Azrin) and others who completed their studies under the direction of individuals deceased before I began my schooling (Pavlov and Thorndike).

In class in 1972, William N. Schoenfeld (1915-1996; who completed his doctoral degree under a student of Skinner) lamented that the scholarly purity of behavioristic theory would become diluted in practical applications in society. Dr. Mary Rockey of Westfield Elementary School seems set to prove him wrong.

MICHAEL C. BARRIS, Ph.D.,

Fredonia