LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Lanesborough nears new PILOT Agreement with Berkshire Wind 

Credit:  By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff | Tuesday, July 14, 2015 | www.iberkshires.com ~~

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. – The town has agreed to a new payment in lieu of taxes agreement with the Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corp.

The new agreement replaces the three-year agreement the town entered with the proprietors in 2011. According to Jeff Blake, an attorney from Kopelman & Paige representing the town, the agreement is a “better agreement” because it outlines the deal more clearly.

However, Blake said there is still some difference of opinion on the depreciation of the materials at the wind farm. The company has a schedule of depreciation over 33 years, which they say is industry standard.

But, Blake is handing that schedule over to the town’s consultants on the project for their opinion first.

“The agreement itself won’t change. The only thing that will is change is this schedule,” Blake said.

The attorney said he believes it should be a 20-year schedule. By condensing the time, the town would be in line to see $4,361 more each year. The company has already provided an itemized list of assets.

Berkshire Wind is a non-profit organization so is free from taxes. However, it is required to provide a PILOT. The agreement with Lanesborough assesses the personal property at $1.8 million and the town will tax that accordingly.

The Board of Selectmen approved the contract pending an agreement on the depreciation schedule.

The agreement helps to avoid the situation Hancock found itself in with the company. After the PILOT agreement there expired, the two sides were seeking a new deal but not quick enough. Hancock filed a lawsuit against the company for PILOT fees not paid while the two sides were hashing out an agreement. The company ultimately made the payment to Hancock.

Source:  By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff | Tuesday, July 14, 2015 | www.iberkshires.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon