What a beautiful sight last week! Our own community standing up in the face of money-hungry wind companies, paid lobbyist (Cas Taylor Jr.), and a reckless governor. At Garrett College, I personally witnessed our county residents one by one stand up to give personal testimony denouncing any plans to place 400-foot wind turbines on our beloved state forests.
The first county resident to speak was Delegate Wendell Beitzel, who stated that this was personal for him to inappropriately place wind turbines on state lands in beautiful Garrett County. Del. Beitzel did not just get a standing ovation as stated in the papers. I personally saw the Garrett College auditorium come alive as the massive crowd arose to their feet, instantly cheering and applauding Del. Beitzel’s comments, which set the tone for the night.
There were many testimonies as to how wind turbines would ruin beautiful Garrett County’s rural landscape. But more importantly pointed out were all the misconceptions and mistruths that the wind companies have been advertising and lobbying. Wind turbines provide meaningless energy because there is no capacity. This means that the wind turbines can produce energy only when the wind is blowing and not provide meaningful energy when it is needed the most, with no possible way of storing the energy for later usage when it could actually help. Therefore, not a single coal-fired plant could ever be replaced or kept from being built by constructing wind turbines.
It was clear to me and almost everyone present that the many cons of wind turbine installation on state lands far outweigh the very few pros. It was also crystal clear to me that Garrett County does not want wind turbines.
I also witnessed at least 50 Garrett County residents go to Annapolis to give their personal testimonies at the DNR public hearing, where Del. Beitzel received another standing ovation after his speech. Again in Annapolis, at least 90% in attendance were very much in opposition to wind turbines on state lands.
I have never witnessed so much unity in Garrett County in all my life. Not a single Garrett County organization has come out in favor of wind turbines thus far. This all makes me truly proud to be a Garrett Countian. I would like to say it again, “Gov. O’Malley, can you hear us now? We oppose!”
Jeffery Conner
Avilton
7 February 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/02/08/we-oppose/