February 15, 2011
Letters, Massachusetts

Brewster wind turbine fray is sparking class warfare

Cape Cod Times, www.capecodonline.com 15 February 2011

“This is the first time I’ve felt looked down on as a second-class citizen of Brewster!”

This comment by a neighbor, following the five-hour Feb. 9 meeting on the proposed turbines, made it abundantly clear that there is a class conflict regarding this issue. Residents along 6A in the so-called Historic District seem to be happy that the proposed turbines will be “properly sited” in southeast Brewster where, as one of the selectman was reported to have said, “there is no significant housing”(!).

In short, the negative impact of turbines (i.e., ambient and sub-ambient sound and flicker) will be borne by the thousand or so residents occupying housing along Freeman’s Way and the numerous developments “downwind” from the turbines along Route 39 and within three-quarters of a mile of the site.

While recent studies suggest turbines in excess of 400 feet should be located at least 1.2 miles from residential neighborhoods, this seems to be of little concern to members of the planning committee and the board of selectmen who simply want “to get on with it.”

But the prospect of “tearing the town apart” is precisely why Wellfleet abandoned a turbine proposal, according to one speaker: “Turning town citizens against each other simply isn’t worth it.”

Janet L. Olson

Brewster


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/02/15/brewster-wind-turbine-fray-is-sparking-class-warfare/