| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Throwing the baby to the wolves
Credit: Sun Journal, www.sunjournal.com 7 January 2012 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
I’ve been wondering for some time how the Natural Resources Council of Maine could possibly justify its support of industrial wind power (staff doesn’t answer my letters).
Now I see from its presentation in Peru that it’s really quite simple: NRCM doesn’t want wind power in the places it values, so it encourages construction in places like Western Maine.
No doubt NRCM’s wind developer buddies thank the staff handsomely: indeed, I’ve read about some generous “gifts” to various conservation projects.
But it’s even more cold-blooded than that.
NRCM supports wind power construction even though industrial wind doesn’t replace a drop of oil or gas. The power it generates doesn’t benefit Maine; it’s sold down south, and the high-voltage power lines are creepy, dangerous and ugly.
The turbines kill thousands more birds and bats than the industry admits, and the sound reportedly makes people sick. And, the Expedited Wind Law forbids protection based on scenic values in most places.
Oh, and the people of Oakfield aren’t “working with First Wind to create a 120-MW facility,” as NRCM asserts. People in Oakfield are fighting as hard as they can to prevent it.
As NRCM Clean Energy Project Director Dylan Voorhees himself put it, “It’s a balancing act”: The places he loves versus the places we love.
Shame on you at the NRCM.
Sally McGuire
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=17451 ]
