Councilman Richard Fontana is backing an exciting idea that would see water turbines incorporated into the future Peace Bridge design. The common council resolution was passed unanimously and the idea is now being passed along to the Public Bridge Authority, The Mayor of Buffalo, and the Mayor of Fort Erie. If implemented, the addition of the turbines could help in a number of different ways. "This could help the Peace Bridge to lower tolls," Fontana said. "Or the power could be used to lower the cost of operating businesses along Niagara Street (or further). Can you imagine a bridge that draws its own power? This could be a 'green' bridge that would produce low pollution energy."
I asked the councilman if there were any sort of exclusive rights that could be claimed by the electric generating companies/Power Commission in The Falls. "As far as I know The City of Buffalo owns sections of the Niagara River. I don't believe that there are any exclusive rights to the constantly flowing river. We're also looking into the water that flows through the tunnel that goes from the water intake to the water treatment plant."
*Rendering of 15-foot-tall water turbines in New York’s East River.