Governor should recant support
Burlington Free Press, www.burlingtonfreepress.com 1 March 2011
A recent editorial wants us to “Take a leap of faith” and go for ridgeline wind power “Take a leap of faith and ride the wind” (Feb. 18). Rather than faith, what we are witnessing is the passive-aggressive takeover of the town of Lowell by a foreign-owned utility. Yes, past editorials were against ridgeline industrialization. The editor then came to the NEK, was impressed by the beauty here, and understood the need to protect it. Has this editorial writer been here?
The editorial speaks as if Vermont Yankee’s closure is a done deal. Closing our largest source of power would be a mistake of epic proportions, as IBM will be glad to inform you. Next, the governor has made a shocking error of protocol. With blatant cronyism, he announced that he supports the proposed wind project in Lowell and “encouraged” the ANR to agree to “mitigate” the resulting environmental damage. This announcement completely undermines the Public Service Board because the technical hearings are ongoing.
Vermont is shockingly behind in understanding hard evidence of the failure of wind power worldwide. Countries who were duped by wind developers have been driven to their knees by the crushing cost of subsidies, among other things. For example, wind power requires backup, the best one being natural gas. Vermont has yet to realize the importance of natural gas.
It’s time for the governor to recant his support for the devastation of our precious, unrenewable ridgelines or be forever remembered as the governor who obtained all his information from biased sources and ruined our state.
JON DAY
Newark
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/01/governor-should-recant-support/