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Wind turbines are finally turning up in Fairfield

By By CAROLINE GABLE

Story Created: Aug 12, 2010 at 4:58 PM EDT

Story Updated: Aug 12, 2010 at 6:15 PM EDT

FAIRFIELD, N.Y. (WKTV) - The Hardscrabble Wind Project in Fairfield and Norway is taking shape in a big way.

In the past twenty four hours, the landscape of Fairfield has seen a dramatic change, with three wind turbines going up.

At 450 feet a piece, the turbines are hard to miss, and many more turbines are on the way.
When the project is complete, there will be 37 turbines total in Fairfield and Norway.

The almost $200 million project is being called an eyesore by some and much needed stimulus to others.

Herkimer County has already received their first initial payment of $400,000 from the wind power company Iberdrola.

Donald Dixon is a landowner who is more than happy to see construction on his land, where two wind turbines will soon be built. Dixon says there is plenty of wind to spare.

"I've been in favor of wind power for a lot of years," he said. "In fact, when the first person came up here to talk about it, I said 'you guys finally showed up here,'"

Iberdrola did not ask to build on Jimmy Salamone's land, but even if they had, he would have turned down the offer.

"The height of the turbines are too big," Salamone said.

He's also worried about the noise of the turbines and construction near his home.

The Hardscrabble Wind project has been 12 years in the making, and they finally have a firm deadline - December 31.

That's when 37 wind turbines will really begin providing a major windfall to landowners and the county.

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