December 30, 2011
Letters, New York

Star should do more research on wind

The Daily Star, thedailystar.com 30 December 2011

After reading a recent editorial in The Daily Star titled “Blowing in the wind,” I have to wonder how much research was done by the author or if the author was indeed an American Wind Energy Association spin doctor.

The attack on opponents of these huge government-subsidized projects was uncalled for and completely ignores the ever-increasing evidence regarding health problems that has been put forward by respected doctors, scientists and independent researchers the world over. The word NIMBY used in this article was meant as an insult, but I and many others take it as a compliment. Who would passively remain silent in the face of a threat to the health, safety and well-being of their family? The answer would be the cowardly, the lazy and those gullible enough to believe the wind industry propaganda. I would rather be called a NIMBY.

Massive subsidizes such as the production tax credit, the accelerated depreciation allowance, and massive government loans are what keep this industry afloat. Sen. Lamar Alexander in a speech on the Senate floor told Congress that the production tax credit alone will cost the American taxpayer $26 billion over the next 10 years.

This industry receives 50 times more subsidies per unit of energy than any conventional form of energy and has said in the past that if it were not for the subsidies, there would be no wind industry. These mostly foreign corporations remind me of the adult child who, because he can’t make it in the real world, lives in the basement of his parents’ home. These guys can’t make it, either, but they found the mother lode: the deep pockets of Uncle Sam. The only problem is that Uncle Sam is broke. Maybe that’s because he invested in too many scams like this one.

Jack Palminteri

Cherry Valley


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/12/30/star-should-do-more-research-on-wind/