Changes in the Wind

The small, rural Western NY towns of Somerset and Yates are home to pristine agricultural landscapes and picturesque views of Lake Ontario. Farmers, coal plant workers, tight-knit families, along with vacation homeowners, work in tandem. As peaceful as it may seem, hidden tension is revealed by signs littering the yards and street corners saying “Not in my backyard!”, answered with “Fear Not the Wind”. In summer 2014, APEX Clean Energy proposed the development of a wind energy project to span across the two towns, promising to create jobs and a new source of income for local government, the school and landowners — a significant 30-year investment in the local economy. Changes in the Wind explores different sides to the debate over the proposed wind farm that is dividing a community. Currently, APEX projects the farm to be completed October 2021, but that date keeps getting pushed back as they struggle to find local support.

Role: Producer, Cinematographer, Editor