LIGHTHOUSE WIND TURBINE PLACEMENTS, LAND LEASES AND EASEMENTS

Click on the brackets on the upper right hand side of the window below to get a larger map. This map is interactive and works like Google maps. You can zoom in using the +/- buttons on the lower left. You can double click on the turbine icons or on a leased parcel to see who the owner is. For an alphabetical list of signers in both towns, click on “Somerset – 39 turbines” or “Yates – 8 turbines” on the right side of this page.

Leases & Easements

Before Signing the Lease

Letter to take to attorneys before signing a lease (pdf)

Five questions to ask before signing a wind-energy lease

Things to Consider

6/9/21
Rural, green wind power has its drawbacks
National Wind Watch, from WSJ, Christopher Denton Elmira, NY
As an energy-law attorney in upstate New York, I have reviewed many wind-turbine leases presented to landowners. Every one of them contained a confidentiality clause that would make the CIA proud. Typically the lease bars the landowner from disclosing anything about the lease. These clauses are anticompetitive, intimidating and entirely one-sided. They prevent landowners from discussing rents and other lease terms with other landowners, municipal officials and the press, effectively trapping the landowner in a take-it-or-leave-it black box of silence and ignorance. The reputedly steady income from the leases will last only so long as the subsidy bubble doesn’t burst.

12/26/17
In the Shadow of Wind Farms: Some residents warn of misleading tactics
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Emily Le Coz, Lucille Sherman
Some landowners solicited by wind farm developers claim the companies used misleading statements in their bids to secure land rights for the projects, according to a GateHouse Media investigation into wind energy running this month in the Avalanche-Journal.

5/19/16
Evaluating a Wind Energy Agreement: A Brief Review
Iowa State University Center for Agricultureal Law and Taxation
Kristine Tidgren
This article, while not offering legal advice, is intended to inform landowners as to some of the key legal issues they should consider when evaluating a wind energy agreement proposed by a developer.

4/10/15
Insurance Industry war of covering farms with turbines after Collingwood court ruling
A local insurance broker says a recent decision to allow neighbors of wind farms to sue for lost property value may make it harder for farms with wind turbines to get liability insurance.

Country Mutual Insurance Company Policy addressing NOISE (pdf)

4/10/15
Got Wind Turbines and Country Mutual Insurance? You may have problems
Many farmers received their insurance renewal notices, and should have noticed by now that they might need to  think twice about letting wind turbine installations on their property.

2/17/15
Can Wind Turbines Cause Developmental Deformities in Horses
The following is the summary of a case study of a group of Lusitano horses that have been monitoried over 4 years which were the subject of a masters thesis at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Technical University, Lisbon completed in 2012.

Open Letter From Cambria Wisconsin Farmer who regrets singing contract
“By signing that contract, I signed away the control of the family farm, and it’s the biggest regret I have ever experienced and will ever experience.”

Interview with Scott Srnka, dairy farmer, Lincoln Township, Wisconsin
Life with Industrial Wind Turbines in Wisconsin.

Do Wind Turbines Harm Animals
With an increasing number of industrial-scale wind turbines around the world,  numerous reports are surfacing to suggest that noise, infrasound and stray voltage (dirty energy) may be harmful to livestock and wildlife.

What’s in the Wind Farm Lease
You could lose rights to your land for longer than you will be alive.

Are Farmers Being Misled
Many people assume farmers reap large financial benefits when they allow developers to install wind turbines on their property. But is this true, or are wind developers taking advantage of farmers?

IKEA/APEX Wind Farm Non-payment Causes Liens to be Filed Against Local Farmers
IKEA (the furniture company) and APEX (a wind energy company) failed to make payments to Ambassador Steel Fabrication, LLS from Auburn, Indiana. The failure of IKEA and APEX to make their payments in a timely manner is now causing issues for farmers and other land owners who leased their properties for the project.

Problems and Pitfalls with APEX Landowner Leases
A transcript of the presentation given by Ms. Krista Barth, contract law attorney, analyzing a lease offered by Apex Wind, the company attempting to build the Lighthouse Wind project in Orleans County. This was presented at the meeting on July 28, 2015 organized by Save Ontario Shores, Inc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkRfCbYsXI0&feature=youtu.be

List and Map of Leases & Easements

We believe there is no longer sufficient leased land to site a large-scale industrial wind project in the towns of Yates and Somerset!

SOS has tracked leases and easements recorded by Apex with the Niagara and Orleans County Clerks’ offices since 2014. Leases and easements automatically expire 7 years after being signed unless terminated or extended prior to their expiration. As of May 2023, many have expired or were terminated, a few were extended and others are still valid. Their status is listed below.

If there is no designation after the listing below, it means the lease or easement is still valid.

For more details concerning the latest project developments, see our newsletter here.

*(Number) = number of proposed turbines associated with lease. This is based on the map from Apex’s Community Forum on October 2, 2018, as best we can determine.

SOMERSET – 39 Turbines proposed, indicated by *(Number). Of these, 23 are expired/terminated, 7 were extended, 9 are valid (as of 5/23).

• Argen, Elias – expired/terminated
• Atwater, Adam
• Atwater, Ben & Seth – expired/terminated
• Atwater, Ben & Susan – expired/terminated
• Atwater Farms *1 – expired/terminated
• Atwater, Richard & Ben/Farm Trust *3 – expired/terminated
• Austin, Richard & Barbara *2 – expired/terminated
• Baker, Robert & Patricia – expired/terminated
• Brandel, Paul & Kelly – expired/terminated
• Brandel, Paul & Ehbauer, Edward Jr. – expired/terminated
• Bratton, Michael & Denise – expired/terminated
• Chaffee, Dudley *1 – expired/terminated (see also Yates listing)
• Check,Stephen
• Congi, Anthony *1 – expired/terminated
• Coutinho, John & Anita
• Czelusta, Joseph – expired/terminated
• Diez, Tony
• Eggert, Barbara (David Alt) *2 – extended
• Ehbauer, Edward Jr. *1 – expired/terminated
• Estep, Ronald & Roberta – expired/terminated
• Forrestel II, E Peter – expired/terminated
• Gardner, William & Judith – expired/terminated
• Gleason, Rudolph & Greta *2
• Granchelli, Thomas
• Hurtgam, Joanne M.
• Kelley, Ronald & Nicole *1 – expired/terminated
• Keough, James – expired/terminated
• Kepner, Dale – expired/terminated
• Koerner, Floyd & Marsha *3 – extended
• Langendorfer, Duane *5 – expired/terminated
• Lee, Stephen & Jenny – expired/terminated
• Lyndaker, Charles *1 – expired/terminated
• Lyndaker, Elmer & Colleen Padilla
• Lynn-ette & Sons Land Co/Darren Roberts *1 – expired/terminated
• Mishev, Boyan & Elizabeth/Trust – expired/terminated
• Nellist, Janet *1 – extended
• Pike, Raven F – expired/terminated
• Platt, Paul & Linda *4
• Popp, Mark & Cora
• Porter-Klino, Tom, Doug & Mary *1 – expired/terminated
• Raduns, Daniel & Jennifer – expired/terminated
• Rhodes, Keith & Sharon *1 – extended
• Robison, Milford, David & Jennie *1 – expired/terminated (see also Yates listing)
• Shisler, Garland & Scott
• Silsby, Sidney – expired/terminated
• Snell, Krista
• Sonberg, Gail – expired/terminated
• Sproull, Robert & Sharon – extended
• Townsend, Dann & Avis – expired/terminated
• Treitler, Andrew & Susan – expired/terminated
• Voelpel, John & Jane *4 – expired/terminated
• Wasik, George *2
• Whitford, Lyle & Priscilla – expired/terminated
• Yousey, Steven & Rosemarie *1

YATES - 8 Turbines proposed, indicated by *(Number). Of these, 7 are expired/terminated, 1 is valid (as of 5/23).

• Austin, Richard & Barbara – expired/terminated
• Bane, Donna *1 – expired/terminated
• Bayne II, Gary & Faith – expired/terminated
• Bayne II, Gary – expired/terminated
• Bentley, Lynnette – expired/terminated
• Chaffee, Dudley *2 – expired/terminated (see also Somerset listing)
• Chaffee Farms LLC – expired/terminated
• Corser, Elwyn *1 – expired/terminated
• Fisk, James
• Fisk, Richard – expired/terminated
• Grossman, Jesse Jr. & Kay Marie
• Hayton, Jeremy & Theron *1 – expired/terminated
• Humphrey, Beverly
• Kidney, Everett & Sharon *1 – expired/terminated
• Lennon, Douglas *1
• Lockwood, Shannon
• Mank, Norman & Shirley – expired/terminated
• Olejniczak, David & Darcy
• Piskorowski, William & Gail
• Robison, David & Jennie *1 – expired/terminated (see also Somerset listing)
• Shoreline Holding/Dudley Chaffee/Scott Buffin – expired/terminated
• Thering, Gary & Nancy – expired/terminated
• Travis, Thomas
• Wagner, Christopher & Elizabeth
• Yoder, Norman – expired/terminated

Click map for larger view.

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Leaseholder Map

As of December 31, 2018, these landowners have had leases or easements with Apex recorded with the Niagara or Orleans County Clerk’s office. Easements are shaded green.

At Apex’s Oct. 2, 2018 forum, a map of the proposed turbine layout was made available. Using that information, we determined which lease signers may have turbines placed on their property. The map on this page includes dots on various properties, representing turbines. The map information is accurate to the best of our knowledge. Apex is no longer including tax parcel reference numbers when recording leases, which makes it more challenging for us to update this information accurately.

View Yates & Somerset Map
See how close the 600ft tall industrial wind turbines could be located. The maps show an approximation of land leased for Lighthouse Wind industrial wind turbines or turbine related activity or buildings based on available County documents and GIS data. If you have information about parcels that have been omitted or included improperly please email SOS and we will look into it. Click images to view larger.