CHERRY VALLEY - A New Jersey energy company has purchased the rights and breathed new life into the stalled wind turbine electric generation project previously under development by Global Winds Harvest.

"We sold the project rights," Global's project manager Erich Bachmayer said Monday. "We're done with development in Cherry Valley."

"We have been following the New York State wind energy market carefully and we believe there are significant opportunities for experienced development teams. The fundamentals of the market, from good wind resources through strong political support from Governor Pataki's office, have set the pace," said Steven Eisenberg, managing director of Reunion Power, of Montvale, N.J., in a statement on the company's website,

He further added, "The combination of our extensive experience in power project development in New York State and our wind power facility management skills provide an excellent basis for success."

Reunion Power is currently evaluating work completed by Global Winds Harvest and is talking to landowners in the two areas of the town targeted for the turbines.

David Little, Reunion's vice-president for development, said they obtained the rights "a couple of months ago" and characterized the project as being in the "very early stages of development."

Little said they are working on the feasibility of the project.

"Before we really get into things there's a lot of groundwork and homework to be done," he said.

According to the company's website, they are looking at the two areas Global Winds Harvest originally proposed before scaling back the plan.

Reunion is considering both the East Hill area and a ridge top across from the Cherry Valley-Springfield school.

The east site, according to the company's website, could potentially generate 50 megawatts of power with up to 20 turbines. The slightly smaller west site is listed as up to 42 megawatts of electricity from as many as 18 turbines.

Little said that the actual output and number of turbines has yet to be determined and will be dictated, to some extent, by wind measurements which still have to be taken.

Cherry Valley planning board chairman Ed Harvey confirmed that he had been contacted by Little about the company's interest in pursuing the turbine project. He was also contacted separately as a landowner whose property may eventually become part of the east portion of the project.

"There's no timeline," Harvey said. "I have not seen any documents as planning board chairman or as a landowner."

He added that he was aware of other landowners who had been approached by Reunion recently.

Harvey stepped down from the chairmanship of the planning board when he signed on for the Global Winds project and will do so again if he decides to allow Reunion to site turbines on his property.

He said his impression was that Reunion would not come to the planning board for some time.

"I expect it will be months and months," he said.

Little said he was aware of the opposition Global Winds Harvest ran into over the wind turbine project and that they are taking their time.

"If we're going to do something, we're going to do it right," he said.

Andrew Minnig, one of the original members of the Advocates for Cherry Valley said the group continues to actively oppose development of wind turbine farms in Cherry Valley.

"The industrial appearance is unsuited for Cherry Valley," he said.

According to its website, Reunion Power LLC was established in 2000 and is a privately held company specializing in the planning and development of wind energy projects and providing professional services for owners and financiers of power projects.