Developer pauses wind power project

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The developers of a proposed wind farm on the shores of Lake Ontario have put the project on hold.

Apex Clean Energy has been working on plans to build 47 wind turbines in the towns of Somerset and Yates, about 50 miles northeast of Buffalo. Many residents oppose the projects, saying the wind turbines would will change the character of their rural communities. Federal conservation authorities have raised concerns about the towers’ placement in the path of migrating birds.

The town boards in Somerset and Yates have passed local laws designed to prevent the project from moving forward. The state can override those local laws for big energy-generating projects, but has shown little appetite to do so.

The company announced Thursday it will not file permit applications with the state this year, as it previously planned. Apex also has closed its office in Somerset.

The company stopped short of saying it’s dropping the project. But some local officials are assuming that’s the case.

Apex said in a statement: “We will provide stakeholders with updated information regarding permitting actions, adjustments in design, and anticipated scheduling as that information becomes available.”