Jordanville Monastery Warns Wind Farm Project Threatens Sacred Grounds
Bishop Luke of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia urges faithful to oppose proposed 74-turbine wind development near historic site
JORDANVILLE — A proposed large-scale wind energy project in upstate New York is facing growing resistance from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), which warns that the development could irreparably harm the spiritual integrity and natural beauty of one of its most treasured religious sites.
Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary, located in Jordanville, New York, and designated as a National Historic Site, is surrounded by land slated for Terra-Gen Energy’s “Rolling Hills Wind Project.” The plan includes the installation of 74 wind turbines across approximately 75,000 acres in Herkimer and Otsego Counties—an area that includes six towns and directly borders the monastery’s property.
The abbot of the monastery and rector of the seminary, His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, issued a public letter on June 28 calling for prayers and organized opposition to the project. This marks the second time Bishop Luke has voiced concern over wind development in the region; he released a similar statement in 2023 when a windmill was proposed directly behind the monastic grounds.
In his most recent appeal, Bishop Luke writes:
Letter from Bishop Luke:
"Terra-Gen Energy, a renewable energy developer, is surrounding the properties of Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary, a National Historic Site registered on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rolling Hills Wind, LLC (Rolling Hills Wind), a subsidiary of Terra-Gen, LLC (Terra-Gen), is planning the development of the Rolling Hills Wind Project (Project) in the towns of Warren, Stark, German Flatts, Little Falls, and Danube in Herkimer County, and the town of Springfield in Otsego County, New York. The Project, as currently proposed, will have a rated capacity of up to 250 megawatts (MW), spanning an approximately 75,000-acre area with a preliminary layout of 74 wind turbines. The Project qualifies as a large-scale (25 MW or larger) renewable energy project. A siting permit is required from the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) for construction purposes.
There are currently leases signed covering 14,322 acres in the Towns of Warren, Danube, German Flatts, Columbia, Springfield, Stark, and Little Falls.
We ask all of you to pray for our success in the struggle to preserve the Monastery and Seminary from this intrusion into the natural beauty of our surroundings, its effect on the spiritual life of our community, and the negative impression it will have on the many pilgrims seeking solace here.
Please sign and send the letters to our local Assemblyman and State Senator expressing your opposition to the project and its impact on HTM.
If you are from elsewhere in New York, send a letter to your local representatives. Write to your U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senators for their support. Stay informed about local developments and projects, as you may find yourself in a similar situation in the future.
Bishop Luke of Syracuse
Abbot and Rector,
Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary"
The serene environment of Jordanville plays a critical role in the prayer life of its monastics and seminarians, as well as in the experience of thousands of Orthodox pilgrims who visit the grounds each year seeking spiritual renewal.
Local opposition has been mounting not only due to religious and environmental concerns, but also because of broader questions surrounding the placement of large-scale energy projects near culturally and historically significant sites. Critics say that such developments, while supposedly green in nature, come at the cost of fragile ecosystems and community identity.
The Rolling Hills Wind Project still requires a siting permit from the New York Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) before construction can begin.
Holy Trinity Monastery, founded in 1928 by Russian émigré monks, has long been a spiritual center for Orthodox Christians in North America. Bishop Luke is urging Orthodox faithful, local residents, and concerned citizens across the country to contact New York state and federal representatives and express opposition to the project. His Grace argues that, while not residents of New York, Orthodox pilgrims invest in the local economy and, therefore, their voices should matter
“We are not opposed to renewable energy,” said one Jordanville resident, “but there is a right place and a wrong place for this. And surrounding a monastery with industrial turbines is the wrong place.”
As the permitting process continues, Holy Trinity’s appeal has become a rallying cry not only for Orthodox Christians, but for all who believe that spiritual heritage and environmental preservation must be taken into account in the push toward renewable energy.
