Wind energy is the world’s fastest-growing energy source, but the rush to build windmill farms breeds corruption. At least, that’s what residents of small towns in upstate New York claim in a new report by The New York Times.

Lured by state subsidies and buoyed by high oil prices, the wind industry has arrived in force in upstate New York, promising to bring jobs, tax revenue and cutting-edge energy to the long-struggling region. But in town after town, some residents say, the companies have delivered something else: an epidemic of corruption and intimidation, as they rush to acquire enough land to make the wind farms a reality.

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But in the small towns near the Canadian border, families and friendships have been riven by feuds over the lease options, which can be worth tens of thousands of dollars a year in towns where the median household income may hover around $30,000. Rumors circulate about neighbors who can suddenly afford new tractors or trucks. Opponents of the wind towers even say they have received threats; one local activist said that on two occasions, she had found her windshield bashed in.

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In at least 12 counties … evidence has surfaced about possible conflicts of interest or improper influence.

In Prattsburgh, N.Y., a Finger Lakes community, the town supervisor cast the deciding vote allowing private land to be condemned to make way for a wind farm there, even after acknowledging that he had accepted real estate commissions on at least one land deal involving the farm’s developer.

Video from E2 series: Minnesota paves the way for wind farming

In southwest Minnesota, wind energy is a burgeoning source of local power and income for farmers. Some have joined forces in wind cooperatives to invest in larger farms and reap bigger profits. In the absence of of a strong renewable energy policy at the federal level, the state government plays a key role in wind policy, begging the question: Will the rest of the U.S. follow Minnesota’s lead? Watch video…

Wind power basics

In its investigation into corruption upstate, the Times quotes Franklin County district attorney Derek P. Champagne, describing the wind energy situation as “a modern-day gold rush.” But why all of a sudden is wind power in such high demand? Read a report about wind power basics from the NewsHour for the answer.