Clean Energy From A Dump Can Be A Reality

Landfills are generally thought of as eyesores and the sources of horrific smells that coalesce from every piece of junk and scrap of garbage imaginable. Plenty of jokes have been made about Fresh Kills landfill at Staten Island's expense, there's even an ice cream flavor for the old landfill down there. For a while now, borough President James Molinaro wants to do something about it, and make the landfill into a wind farm, but for some reason there has been roadblocks thrown up in his path.

From The NY Times:

Mr. Molinaro noted that BQ Energy, which has worked upstate, is willing to develop the farm at no cost to the city. “The city needs to begin the land lease process now,” he wrote. He first began promoting the plan in August.

But the cooperation of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation would be required, and has not been forthcoming. In the letter, Mr. Molinaro wrote that one official there he met with in December had a “lukewarm at best” reaction to the plan.

“She said she would have to study the issue, but has yet to get back to us,” he wrote.

The response from the new Governor has also been tepid as the Times notes. Common sense says that clean energy is a no-brainer, especially if BQ Energy wants to develop it at no cost. The project could power 5,000 homes and save New York millions in non-renewable energy costs (not to mention helping our environment). So Mr. Paterson and the folks at DEC.....why is this a problem??