We can understand why the Jamestown City Council feels the need to weigh in on freshwater wind turbines on Lake Erie.

It’s important to Rep. Nick Langworthy and Sen. George Borrello that the board of Chautauqua County’s largest city officially opposes freshwater wind turbines, even though studies have shown that wind turbines are not not economically feasible at the moment.

But if the council wants to take up the cause against freshwater wind turbines, then, in our opinion, it should turn its attention to a watershed issue that actually affects Jamestown. We’re talking, of course, about the state’s freshwater wetlands law and regulations that have worried many waterfront governments in recent months. Jamestown was one of the few local governments that did not pass a resolution opposing the regulations or requesting a delay in their implementation while it was debated whether or not the wording of the regulations was beneficial to the Chautauqua Lake.

This is especially surprising since Jamestown is home to the Chadakoin River and McCrae Point. McCrae Point will be subject to the new regulations when they take effect in January – so the town has some responsibility for fresh water regulations. This is not the case for freshwater wind turbines on Lake Erie.

There are not many Jamestown homeowners who will be affected by the fresh water regulations of Chautauqua Lake or its surrounding watershed. But ongoing work in Chadakoin and McCrae Point could be affected, although this effect is only an additional permit for ongoing work to rehabilitate the area. .

In our opinion, state legislators erred in not providing an exemption in the Freshwater Wetlands Act for navigable lakes like Chautauqua Lake. This legislative oversight has raised legitimate concerns among many people around Chautauqua Lake, and we do not believe that Jamestown is immune from these concerns.