Trump Administration Backs Holy Trinity Monastery in Wind Farm Fight

JORDANVILLE — The Trump administration has backed Holy Trinity Monastery in its opposition to a proposed wind farm near the historic Orthodox Christian site, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying it stands with the monastery as it seeks to protect the property.

“The Trump USDA stands with Holy Trinity Monastery as they work to protect this historic property from foreign-owned wind projects,” a USDA spokesman told Heartlander News. The department also said the administration remains committed to President Donald Trump’s “Energy Dominance Agenda” and does not want the country to depend on energy sources it considers unaffordable or unreliable.

The monastery is opposing Terra-Gen LLC’s proposed Rolling Hills project, which could include about 50 turbines in rural Herkimer County. The company said the project remains in its early planning stages and that its eventual footprint is expected to be substantially smaller than preliminary estimates.

Holy Trinity Monastery has been serving the Orthodox Christian community for nearly a century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Church officials say about 4,000 people are buried on the property and that pilgrims visit from around the world. The Trump administration has previously taken action against wind projects, including moving to revoke approval for an Idaho project near a World War II memorial.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Jordanville monks oppose massive wind development.