August 14, 2011
Iowa

Branstad signs wind turbine, gets an earful from a concerned citizen

Jason Clayworth, Des Moines Register, desmoinesregister.com 13 August 2011

Ames, Iowa – Gov. Terry Branstad signed a wind turbine and spoke in favor of alternative energy development Saturday morning at the straw poll exhibit sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association.

“It’s good for our state’s economy, it’s good for jobs,” Branstad said to a crowd in front of a wind turbine that people could sign to show support for the wind industry.

But Boone resident Jeanne Elliott told Branstad she has deep concerns about the expanding industry. Elliott lives near a transmission station and her family recently received notification that a wind power company is considering adding more transmission lines on her property.

Elliott is concerned that the transmission lines could cause cancer. However, there is no conclusive evidence that exposure to the lines is harmful to human health, according to a report from the Office of Legislative Research.

Nonetheless, Elliott is concerned. She said she simply wants government officials to take such possibilities into consideration as they expand wind energy production.

“I’m not for a lot of regulation but we also need protection as landowners from these companies,” Elliott said. “These are right over houses.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/14/branstad-signs-wind-turbine-gets-an-earful-from-a-concerned-citizen/