Wind turbines put on hold; City council places moratorium on installation
With the rising cost of energy, many people are considering wind turbines as an alternative source of reducing their monthly energy bill.
But not everyone is convinced that turbines are the solution — especially those installed within the city limits. On Tuesday, during a public hearing on the issue, several area residents asked the Stephenville City Council to take a closer look at wind turbines before they start popping up across the city.
“There has been some concern, some questions raised by citizens in our community about wind turbine construction within the city limits,” Mayor Nancy Hunter said.
Hunter said she is not opposed to wind energy, but does think it’s a good idea to look at the pros and cons. The council voted unanimously to place a 180-day moratorium on the issuance of building permits for wind turbines within the city. The issue will be sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission for further review.
“This 180-day period gives us a time to research the issue,” Hunter said. “If we are going to consider prohibiting wind turbines within the city limits, I want some concrete reasons why we should take that action. On the other hand, if we are going to allow them to be erected, then I want to make sure they don’t disturb neighbors or decrease property values. At this stage, there are more questions than answers.”
Hunter said she favors calling in experts to learn the real facts about wind turbines and believes much of the protest stems from the unknown.
“People are afraid of what they don’t understand,” Hunter said. “We need to help everyone become educated on the subject.”
Meanwhile, citizens who spoke at the public hearing say they are not opposed to exploring alternative energy sources, but are worried that wind turbines might create a nuisance and safety hazard.
Stephenville resident Bill Haney presented the council with a long list of concerns he has about the turbines.
Haney cited several safety issues including what he called “ice shedding,” describing a scenario where melting ice could fly off a rotating blade and cause damage or injury. He also described what he called “wind turbine syndrome,” where people suffer sleep deprivation due to noise associated with turbines, nausea, headaches and various other ailments.
Whether any of those things pose a real threat to local residents, however, remains to be seen. Hunter said she hopes the council will get some solid facts in the coming weeks.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind turbines can lower electricity bills by 50 to 90 percent in homes with total-electric power. A small turbine can be installed for $6,000 to $22,000.
By Sara Vanden Berge
Managing Editor
7 August 2008
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Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
