What, you thought alternative energy companies were somehow exempt from shady business deals and crooked behavior?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo said this week that his office is investigating two wind power companies over allegations of "improper relations between the companies and local officials," in addition to other questionable practices.

Yesterday, Cuomo's office served subpoenas on First Wind and Noble Environmental Power, both of which are in the process of developing wind farms in several Western New York counties. Among the allegations: the companies illegally obtained land-use agreements with local officials, gave bribes and other benefits to those officials, and entered into anti-competitive agreements.

No word on how much officials money changed hands or what "other benefits" may entail, but opponents of the windmill projects have said that communities are not being told of proposed wind farms until they’re already approved. Yes, that does sound a little shady.

Cuomo almost sounded apologetic, saying in a statement yesterday that the use of wind power should "be encouraged to help clean our aid and end our reliance on fossil fuels." But he added that "if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it."