"The use of wind power, like all renewable-energy sources, should be encouraged to help clean our air and end our reliance on fossil fuels," said Cuomo in a news release.

"However, public integrity remains a top priority of my office, and if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it," he said.

DA RELIEVED

DA Champagne said he is relieved Cuomo is taking the lead in investigating the claims because such a far-reaching probe would have overwhelmed his office and staff.

"The Attorney General is clearly a man of his word when he said his office would be involved," he said, adding that he does not know if any local individuals could be charged with a crime.

"I've met with a number of elected officials who are upset that they have been put in this position to make decisions about projects like this," Champagne said.

"There is no state policy or guidelines for them to follow," he said. "We've got state codes for electrical outlets and where they can be placed, but there is nothing for determining where a 300-foot tower should be."

His local investigation began earlier this year as a Town of Burke official tried to quash a grand-jury subpoena seeking information about his option to lease land to Noble.

Town Council member David Vincent was eventually ordered by Acting Supreme Court Justice David Demerest to turn over all paperwork, contracts, receipts, leases, purchase agreements, options or communications he had received concerning Noble Chateaugay Windpark, Noble Energy, Jericho Rise Windpark and Burke Wind Power.

Vincent, in documents filed with the County Clerk's office, agreed to lease land to Noble.

At the same time, the DA asked the County Legislature to create an ethics board to give municipalities a forum where town officials could go for an opinion on whether a conflict of interest exists when such an issue is before them.

Legislators said they did not want to be in the business of telling other entities what to do and tabled the idea in May, saying they wanted more information from Champagne before making a final determination.

In Clinton County, allegations had arisen in October 2005 about possible conflicts of interest involving former Ellenburg Town Council member Lawrence Carter and members of the Zoning Board including Chairman Francis LaClair.

draymo@pressrepublican.com