April 24, 2011
Editorials, Massachusetts

Article 41 death knell to wind power?

GateHouse News Service, www.wickedlocal.com 22 April 2011GateHouse News Service, www.wickedlocal.com 22 April 2011

Article 41 on this year’s Spring Town Meeting Warrant would repeal sections in Article 5 in the town’s bylaws permitting wind energy facilities. The Planning Board is mulling a recommendation up or down on the article and members say they will have a decision prior to the meeting’s start on Monday night. The article appears polarizing, even within the context of this contentious issue. A yes vote would seemingly put an end to wind projects in town for the foreseeable future. In addition to repealing the wind permitting sections in Article 5, it would establish a seven-member committee, consisting of two residents, the town planner, one member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, one member of the Conservation Commission, one member of the Board of Assessors and the director of Inspectional Services. They would be charged with doing “a complete study of the effects of wind turbines on the town of Wareham.” The study would then be submitted for voters’ perusal at the 2012 Spring Town Meeting. The study committee would also be asked to come up with its own recommendations on the advisability of permitting wind turbines in town. But a key portion of the article states, “Recommendations shall be part of the report, but no bylaw shall be submitted for placement on the warrant in conjunction with the report, or to do or act in any manner relative thereto.” In other words, no thanks to wind turbines in Wareham.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/04/24/article-41-death-knell-to-wind-power/