WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- A meeting of the Jefferson County Planning & Development Committee becomes a forum on wind power in the Legislative chambers of the Courthouse. The meeting was held to hear a presentation from the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency regarding a payment agreement being proposed for the Upstate NY Power Corporation the company planning the Galloo Island Wind Farm Project.

County residents packed the chamber to talk about the pros and cons of wind power and the siting of transmission lines needed to get that power into the state grid.

"We need to get all this wrapped up in December, so we can get financing in place, so we can get the contractors out there, so we can make it to the finish line to trigger the cash grant. That's our problem," said Robert Burgdorf, attorney for Upsate Power.

"The five projects in the queue in this county comprised of 300-plus wind turbines will generate approximately 900-megawatts of energy in Jefferson County. They should be stopped immediately by county intervention through a six month moratorium or until which time an actual economic impact assessment could be provided," said Watertown resident Rob Aliasso.

The goal for the project to start construction is the fall of 2010 or the company will likely kill the project.

The committee did pass one resolution urging the New York State Public Service Commission to consider an underwater route for the transmission line from the Galloo project into Oswego County at Nine Mile Point.