LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Opponents of Viking Energy urged to join street protest 

Credit:  The Shetland Times, www.shetlandtimes.co.uk 7 February 2011 ~~

Anti-Viking Energy protest organisation Sustainable Shetland is encouraging anyone opposed to the huge windfarm to take to the streets of Lerwick for a march later this month.

The group is urging anyone opposed to the 127-turbine, 457MW project to join in a day of action directed at councillors and Scottish energy minister Jim Mather. The rally will be held under the banner “Save Shetland’s environment – Stop Viking Energy”.

Sustainable Shetland vice-chairman Kevin Learmonth said the organisation, which has 767 members, was hoping for a good turnout for next Saturday’s protest.

“It’s really for absolutely anybody with a concern about the Viking Energy windfarm,” he said. “Everyone’s got their own take and their own reasons why they’re opposed – it’s a chance for them to make their voices heard.

“This is a way of sending a message to councillors, but mainly directed at Jim Mather and the SNP government to say folk in Shetland are really unhappy about this, and that a public show of feeling is very important at this stage.

“In a Shetland context, a couple of hundred people is pretty good. A million took to the streets in Egypt, of a population of 83 million, so the equivalent would be 260 folk – anything on top of that is a bonus.”

Viking Energy submitted its application to the Scottish government’s energy consents unit and SIC councillors controversially voted 9-4 to recommend its approval in December, going against the advice of the local authority’s own planning department.

Mr Learmonth pointed to 2,300 objections lodged with the energy consents unit, which councillors had “somehow managed to dismiss as if it wasn’t important” while “putting a lot of faith” in the 900 individuals who wrote support letters.

He added: “Most of our members, indeed most of our committee have never been to a protest march in their life, and this is not a step that we take lightly. It’s a serious point, but it should be a fun day out – it’s for all the family. It’s a community event.”

The government’s energy consents unit is considering the application and a verdict is expected before the summer is out. Among the options are calling for a public inquiry, which could take up to two years.

* The march will begin at the Market Cross at 11.30am on Saturday 19th February. Its route will be along Commercial Street, up Harbour Street and along to Lerwick Town Hall – which has been booked out for the day and will host teas, coffee and information stalls.

Source:  The Shetland Times, www.shetlandtimes.co.uk 7 February 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon