September 27, 2010
Georgia

Cloudland resident says wind farm would harm camps and tourism

Written by Jimmy Holbrook, www.chattooga1180.com 27 September 2010

One of the most vocal opponents of the proposed wind farm on Lookout Mountain is Cloudland resident Carl McCleskey who is known for his company Wildlife Bronze LLC. (www.wildlifebronze.com). Mr. McCleskey spoke on Saturday afternoon about the affect a wind farm would have on the camping industry on Lookout Mountain. There are over 20 camps located on the mountain from Cloudland to Mentone.

McCleskey told AM 1180 “Anyone pondering the idea (that the wind farms are viable for Lookout Mountain) should ask themselves – ‘Would I want to stay there?’. Lookout Mountain has been promoted as a recreational area, a resort area, a place to come to see the autumn leaves. If you’re looking at these things (the wind turbines) I don’t know that you would want your children coming to these camps.”

While no official word has come from Iberdola Renewables, the company who has contacted landowners on Lookout Mountain about the wind turbines, Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskel told residents that her office had been contacted by the company but that she had not responded, wanting more information before she had a conversation with the company. Heiskel and Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters indicated that they would work together to draw up matching ordinances to discourage the wind turbines by county ordinance.

Residents who oppose the wind turbines on Lookout Mountain agreed that renewable green energy is a good thing, but that placing these wind turbines in a populated and scenic area are not a good idea. McCleskey said of those interested in the wind turbines on the mountain “they need to ask themselves the question….would I want to live there?”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/09/27/cloudland-resident-says-wind-farm-would-harm-camps-and-tourism/