A wind farm with 83 proposed turbines could start turning in the coming months, after state regulators approved a key noise compliance filing despite objections from county officials and nearby residents. Construction on the Alle-Catt Wind Energy project has begun, but the turbines still cannot operate until the developer clears a handful of remaining regulatory hurdles.
Alle-Catt received final state approval, according to Olean Star. A coalition of concerned citizens filed a rehearing motion in May 2025.
Before it can flip the switch, Alle-Catt must meet remaining regulatory requirements. The project holds a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need that the state Siting Board granted on June 3, 2020, and received a notice to proceed with construction in May 2025.
A Fight Over Nighttime Decibels
The noise dispute includes a June 2026 request by Alle-Catt to remove a 40 dBA noise condition. State siting regulators denied the request.
Noise concerns have drawn objections from county officials and a coalition of concerned citizens. Regulators also denied a request to amend a certificate condition.
New York regulations include provisions governing wind-facility operation, including those in 16 NYCRR 1100-6.5.
The Scale of the Project
Alle-Catt's footprint spans roughly 30,000 acres across Farmersville and Freedom in Cattaraugus County, Centerville and Rushford in Allegany County, and Arcade in Wyoming County. The project includes turbine sites, and the turbines themselves stand roughly 600 feet from ground to blade tip.
The full build-out is designed to generate 340 megawatts of power across the three counties. Invenergy is involved in the project, which includes local investment.
Residents Near Turbines Raise Concerns
Nearby residents have raised concerns about the wind farm, including noise.
Whether Alle-Catt's final monitoring results will satisfy residents remains to be seen once the turbines begin spinning.
