Future of Block Island at risk
The Block Island Times, block-island.villagesoup.com 8 October 2011
I know it is not popular to express ideas that are upsetting but the prospect of our beautiful Block Island surrounded by 30, 40, maybe 50 windmills is too possible not to risk the upset.
The SAMP process has designated an area of more than 6,400 acres as the “Block Island Renewable Energy Zone.” As a comparison, the entire land area of Block Island is approximately 6,200 acres. Just like any other Zone, once an area has been “zoned” for a specific usage, it can then be used for that permitted use. As Jon Ives noted in his letter to the editor last week, it extends around the south end of the island from Southwest Point to Old Harbor Point.
It does not take a lot of reasoning to expect that once developers have invested millions of dollars and a cable is put in place, that they will wish to install as many turbines as possible. For those of you who have seen the documentary “Windfall,” you will remember that the Tug Hill Wind farm was supposed to be 50 turbines – which somehow grew to 200 once permits were in place and construction started. It just makes business sense and wind developers are in business.
However you feel about this issue, please get involved. It is quite possible that the future of our beautiful Island is at risk.
On their next agenda, the Electric Utility Task Group included the issue of future additional development in the SAMP area. Whether you are in favor of that or opposed to that, please come out and have your voice heard on Friday, October 21 at Town Hall.
Maggie Delia
Whale Swamp Road
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/08/future-of-block-island-at-risk/