October 30, 2007
Idaho
Idaho
The battle rages on in Bingham County, over a proposed wind farm. This morning county commissioners held a meeting to discuss the issue.
Back in September, Bingham County Planning and Zoning approved a permit for the wind farm, but now some residents are trying to appeal that decision.
A windstorm is erupting in Bingham County. This morning county commissioners heard testimony from residents who wish to appeal the permit that Planning and Zoning granted Ridgeline Energy back in September, enabling them to bring 150 turbines to the Wolverine Canyon area, to create a wind farm.
“I’m totally for windmills, in fact I think windmills are a very good alternative energy source and I think they’re clean as a general rule, and so I’m totally for it, but I don’t think putting it in a recreational area is a good thing,” says opponent Louis Morales.
Morales filed one of two appeals against the wind farm. He says the turbines would threaten the community’s way of life.
“To put up large wind turbines, it requires a lot of machinery, a lot of trucks, a lot of change in roads, a lot of commotion, and it changes the whole impact of the entire Wolverine area,” says Morales.
But landowner Kelly Bingham disagrees.
“Wind is a natural resource, the windmills are capturing that and giving power, they’re green power, which is good,” says supporter Kelly Bingham.
Bingham owns property that would actually be used for the wind farm. He says switching to alternative energy now is a smart move, especially for future generations.
“It’s something good for our kids, our grandkids, so on and so forth, it’s not a coal plant that we have to stare out and see the smoke coming from the plant,” says Bingham.
Now it’s up to Bingham County Commissioners to decide the fate of the wind farm. That decision is expected to be announced on November 13th.
By Sarah Schwabe
29 October 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/10/30/battle-over-proposed-wind-farm/