A group of Ashville residents aren’t happy with a plan to build wind turbines on Baker Road in North Harmony.

Right now, the proposal from Buttercup Wind LLC, for a monopole meteorological wind tower that requires a variance from the North Harmony Town Board. Neighbors are worried approving the wind tower will open the door to wind turbines in an area that borders two state forests, especially knowing that Buttercup Wind has been inquiring about the possibility of acquiring property in Clymer for a wind farm as well.

In the past we’d have been prepared to simply see the turbines rise given the favorable position renewables held at the state level with the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting and the federal government under President Joe Biden. While New York state is all in on wind power, it’ll be interesting to see if state subsidies are enough to make new wind projects economically feasible if federal money is no longer available to help balance their budgets. President Donald Trump has already helped drive offshore wind projects on federal land to a halt with executive orders signed on his first day in office. It’s likely subsidies approved in the past under President Joe Biden will be halted as Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency identifies further federal government programs it wants to stop. And we’d be shocked if further subsidies for wind power are approved by the federal government any time soon.

It’s possible projects like the one Buttercup Wind is envisioning in the rural southern Chautauqua County will be small enough to make money without federal subsidies. No one knows for sure until they see the size and scope of the project and the types of state subsidies that are approved. That’s what makes the North Harmony proposal, and one in Clymer if it gets off the ground, such an interesting test case.

Years after wind turbines became a divisive issue in the north county, the debate is about to come to the south county.