Although the publicity has died down, two largescale industrial wind energy projects in northern Potter County are moving forward.

Township governments have been adopting regulations that are accommodating to the wind turbines. By turning to the townships, wind developers have circumvented countywide regulations approved in 2008.

Members of the Ulysses Township Board of Supervisors last week tabled action on a proposed “host community agreement” with international energy giant AES corporation. AES had submitted the document as part of a plan to build an industrial wind energy plant in the township, leasing property from several landowners for construction of turbines.

Supervisors Claude Seely and Marc Bennett took no action on the agreement, pending further review and advice from an attorney. Supervisor Jim Hoopes was absent.

Property owner Dan Howe urged the board to postpone action, warning that many township residents will not realize the extent of the turbines’ impact until they have been built.

At last report, AES wanted to build 50 turbines in Ulysses and Hector townships.

Among those attending the meeting was Michael Mulcahey, a developer who is affiliated with a separate industrial wind energy facility being pieced together in Potter County by another big player in the business, the Chicago-based Invenergy.

Last April, Invenergy officials shared plans with the Allegany Township Board of Supervisors to build 30 wind turbines in Sweden, Allegany and western Ulysses townships.

AES and Invenergy seek to take advantage of state tax incentives, as well as the three-year production tax credit for wind power developers contained in the 2009 federal economic stimulus legislation.

Wind developers are also looking at Homer, Hebron and Eulalia townships.

Much of the debate over the past three years has focused on how far wind turbines should be set back from neighboring residences, and the amount of noise generated by the turbines that should be permissible beyond the participating landowner’s borders.