根據一項針對發電業者和紐約州政府官員間可能存在的不當關係的調查結果，紐約州政府日前制定了新風力發電產業倫理規範。
這項規範由檢察總長科莫（Andrew Cuomo）倡導，希望促進紐約州風力發電發展的指導方向，同時向社會大眾保證該產業合法正派的經營。
該準則要求，需設立一個跨部會支援的特派小組進行監督，並且建立前所未有的透明機制來阻止風力發電公司和地方政府官員之間任何不當的關係。科莫表示，「風力發電將是我們國家未來能源發展的基礎。確保民眾對此項替代能源的發展維持信心是相當重要的，這就是這項新行為準則所欲達成的目標。」
首先簽署該份風力發電產業倫理規範的是位於康乃迪克州埃塞克斯郡的諾貝爾環境電力公司，以及位於麻賽諸塞州牛頓郡的第一風力發電公司。
這兩家公司目前均在紐約經營風力發電場，且正在其他地方發展。科莫說：「本人在此讚揚諾貝爾和第一風力發電公司率先採用這項準則，我們深切地期望其他有意願在紐約州發展風力發電場的公司能起而效尤。諾貝爾和第一風力發電在詢答方面相當合作，他們的協助將有利於發展該項新行為準則。」
諾貝爾公司執行長CEO霍華（Walter Howard）說，「諾貝爾公司總是致力於合乎倫理與透明化的可再生資源發展，並已支援司法部長及其團隊著手進行新風力發電產業倫理規範的發展。我們相當開心之後將有明確的方針來規範倫理行為和利益衝突，並保證繼續遵守這項規範所揭示的原則。」
第一風力發電公司總裁兼執行長蓋納（Paul Gaynor）也表示，「我們總是以高標準來要求自己，我們也希望其他公司一起簽署這項行為準則。我們相信這有益於我們，更利於這個產業和紐約州。」
該項準則包含︰
1 禁止風力發電公司僱用市府員工或其親戚，在一年期間內禁止公司贈與超過10美元的禮物，或者針對市府機關任何行動提供任何形式補償。
2 嚴禁風力發電公司誘使、使用，或蓄意接收在該市府官員於其職責中所獲知的機密訊息。
3 要求風力發電公司在架設及維護公開網站，以揭露於風力發電場發展計畫中擁有財務利益的市府官員及其親戚。
4 要求風力發電公司向政府官員提交書面資料以供大眾檢閱， 並在當地報紙公布市府官員所涉經濟利益的本質和範圍。
5 要求全部風力發電場地役權和租約以書面形式送交市府官員。
6 命令其於30天內簽署風力發電產業道德規範。當與市府雇員合作時，公司必須針對如何辨別和防止利益衝突替相關雇員進行研討會。
科莫正建立一個特派小組，專職監督風力發電公司，以確保他們遵守該行為準則。
紐約公共利益研究小組的立法主任霍納（Blair Horner），正是該小組7名成員之一。他指出：「良好的倫理標準將幫助營造更好的經商環境。依法行事的公司絕對不會陷入不利競爭的情形。且社會大眾應該瞭解私部門與公部門的交易是基於民眾的最大利益。這項準則協助確保這個重要產業在紐約成長茁壯。」
來自總察總長辦公室的一名代表將坐鎮特派小組，其中成員也包括來自富蘭克林、門羅，懷俄明州各郡的地方檢察官，以及紐約州郡鎮協會的執行董事。
「地方政府已經率先架設風能源產生設備，將這不可或缺、可再生的能源送進電極網柵。同時，郡道德規範委員會嚴格地扮演繼續監督風力發電場址。當該產業正在全國迅速發展的同時，司法部長科莫的行為準則將是確保公眾信心的重要一步。」紐約州郡會議執行董事阿奎里歐（Stephen Acquario）如此表示。
As the result of a state investigation into possible improper relationships between wind energy developers and New York state officials, the State of New York Thursday established a new Wind Industry Ethics Code.
Developed by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the new code sets forth guidelines to facilitate the development of wind power in New York state while assuring the public that the industry is acting properly and within the law.
The code calls for new oversight through a multi-agency task force, and establishes unprecedented transparency that will deter any improper relationships between wind development companies and local government officials.
"Wind power is an exciting industry for the state that will be a cornerstone of our energy future. But it is important to make sure that this alternative energy sector develops in a way that maintains the public's confidence, and that is what this new Code of Conduct does," said Attorney General Cuomo.
The first companies to sign the attorney general's Wind Industry Ethics Code are Noble Environmental Power based in Essex, Connecticut; and First Wind, formerly known as UPC Wind, based in Newton, Massachusetts.
Both companies currently operate wind farms in New York and have several others in development.
"I commend Noble and First Wind for taking the lead by adopting this code, and we fully expect other companies that want to develop wind farms in New York to follow suit," Cuomo said.
Both Noble and First Wind fully cooperated in the inquiry and their assistance was instrumental in developing the new Code of Conduct, Cuomo said.
Walter Howard, Noble's president and chief executive, said, "Noble has always been fully committed to the ethical and transparent development of renewable resources, and has supported the work of the attorney general and his staff in the development of the new Wind Industry Ethics Code. We are gratified that going forward there will be clear guidelines with respect to ethical behavior and conflict of interest, and are committed to continuing to operate in conformity with the principles laid out today in this Code."
Paul Gaynor, president and chief executive of First Wind said, "We have always held ourselves to high standards, and we hope that other firms will join us in signing on to this Code of Conduct. We believe it is good for us, good for the industry and good for New York."
The Code:
• Bans wind companies from hiring municipal employees or their relatives, giving gifts of more than $10 during a one-year period, or providing any other form of compensation that is contingent on any action before a municipal agency
• Prevents wind companies from soliciting, using, or knowingly receiving confidential information acquired by a municipal officer in the course of his or her officials duties
• Requires wind companies to establish and maintain a public website to disclose the names of all municipal officers or their relatives who have a financial stake in wind farm development
• Requires wind companies to submit in writing to the municipal clerk for public inspection and to publish in the local newspaper the nature and scope of the municipal officer's financial interest
• Mandates that all wind easements and leases be in writing and filed with the County Clerk
• Dictates that within thirty days of signing the Wind Industry Ethics Code, companies must conduct a seminar for employees about identifying and preventing conflicts of interest when working with municipal employees.
Attorney General Cuomo is creating a new task force that will monitor wind companies to ensure they are in compliance with the code of conduct.
Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, is on the seven-member task force. "Good ethics requirements helps build a better business climate," he said. "Companies that play by the rules should never be put at a competitive disadvantage. And the public should know that private-public deals are made in the public's best interest. This code will help ensure that this important industry grows and prospers in New York."
A representative from the Office of the Attorney General will sit on the task force, which also includes district attorneys from Franklin, Monroe and Wyoming counties, and the executive directors of the New York State associations of counties and towns.
"Local governments have taken the lead in siting wind energy generating facilities, which provide essential renewable energy into the electrical grid," said New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen Acquario.
"Simultaneously, county ethics boards continue to take their role in policing conflicts of interest pertaining to the siting of wind power very seriously," said Acquario. "Attorney General Cuomo's Code of Conduct is an important step in helping make sure public confidence remains strong as this burgeoning industry develops across our counties."
