We Love Outdoors August 9, 2021 - Episode 19

In this week's episode of We Love Outdoors with Rich Davenport, updates are provided concerning the public hearing the Erie County Legislature held on August 5, 2021, concerning Local Law Intro 1-1-2021, an act to lower the hunting age pursuant to EnCon Law 11-0935.  The hearing has been held, but since session is in recess, a vote on the matter will not happen until after Labor Day.  Over 30 showed up to support this local law, and several spoke to support this effort, while the opposition mustered only 8 or so and their 3 speakers were largely ineffective. August 4, 2021 was VIP Fishing Day in Dunkirk, a welcome return after covid covid covid shut the event down last year.  The weather was beautiful, but the fishing was slow, yet still fun and all aboard Eerie Eyes Sportfishing, Capt. Don Walter, got to battle at least one fish during the morning.  After the 1/2 of fishing, the attendees gathered this time behind the Clarion in Chadwick Bay for a catered lunch and some brief remarks from some captains concerning the impacts covid had on their businesses last year.  Additional economic updates were provided, illustrating the importance of sporty fishing's economy to WNY, and how important Sturgeon Point Marina is to the whole. There's trouble in green paradise, folks, as the wind factory being touted as "the model of the green future", the Block Island Wind Factory is offline and plagued with a myriad of problems.  The problems with the cabling becoming exposed due to tidal current surges and oceanic energy have been compounded by stress lines being detected by GE, makers of the turbines, and the units haven't produced electricity for @ a month or so.  Although deemed "routine summer maintenance", stress lines and structural risk assessments aren't routine, and according to Dave Collins, writer for the Day, New London, CT, published on yahoo! News, declaring the wind factory is largely shut down.  Transmission line issues and now some structural damage has exposed the folly, but no one will disclose exactly why the power plant is now inoperable, probably because it will do irrevocable harm to the offshore wind notions.  The idea has no merit, with further illustrations of how dumb this notion is when factoring in freshwater importance.  Breathtaking! Finally, some additional news items are provided, including updates to the winners of the annual Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club tournament, held Aug 6-8 in Dunkirk, NY.  Congrats to all the winners, and well done on another successful tournament.