ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — Local Republican Senator Chris Jacobs is the latest state lawmaker to come out against building wind turbines along Lake Erie.
Jacobs is proposing legislation that would create a moratorium on putting wind turbines on the lake.
At a Tuesday news conference, Jacobs said the reason why he was pushing for a moratorium was because of the potentially negative impact the wind turbines would have on Lake Erie. He specifically mentioned the impact the infrastructure needed to build and sustain the turbines would have on Lake Erie because people rely on it as a source of drinking water.
He says there are too many variables that are unknown about the project and that more research needs to be done. Until then, he said, any talk of wind turbines needs to be taken off the table.
"Eleven million people rely on Lake Erie for their drinking water, reinforcing that we must take decisive action now to protect the resource that is so vital to us and 11 million people," Jacobs said.
He added, "There are just simply too many questions, environmentally and others that have not been answered, and we have not gotten a clear directive of the process."
In addition to the environmental concerns, Jacobs said he had spoken with officials from Homeland Security about the impact the turbines would have on their radar systems
2 On Your Side also spoke with the Evans Town Supervisor and a representative from a group called Citizens Against Wind Turbines on Lake Erie. They say they intend to take their concerns up with the county legislature on Thursday afternoon.