Artists not blown over by windfarms
Residents of a small Colorado artists’ colony have galvanized resistance against three proposed wind farms, authorities say.
The 880 writers and artists comprising La Veta live two miles from the proposed 7,000-acre Silver Mountain Wind Farm.
The town council voted down the 150-megawatt facility and wants a moratorium on new wind projects until the county updates its land use regulations and master plan, The Denver Post reported Sunday.
There are two more proposed wind farms, challenging county planning officials,
“When voters and legislators adopted renewable-energy goals, I don’t know if they were thinking of turning rural Colorado into an industrial zone,” said La Veta councilwoman Dawn Blanken.
La Veta itself appears to be the problem. “We selected the site because of the wind,” said Carey Kling, lead developer for Silver Mountain, the Post reported.
“This pristine land. It is what makes this a tourist destination and a real-estate draw — and those are two big parts of our economy,” said craftsman Ricky Tims.
Huerfano County commissioners will rule on Silver Mountain’s preliminary permit Dec. 9.
United Press International
29 November 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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