Protecting our town
The Recorder, www.recorder.com 18 April 2012
Residents of Shelburne:
Citizens arranged for an impressive series of presentations at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls about industrial wind turbines. An expert in real estate estimated that property values in Shelburne Falls will decrease by at least 25 percent. That means the Buckland side stands to lose $23 million if wind turbines get built on Mount Massaemet.
Physics professor Dr. Ben Luce convinced me that the push for wind energy is terrible public policy because, in part, wind uses billions in public subsidies and threatens to eat up what little funds we have to put toward real viable energy solutions. He favors a serious “Manhattan Project” like conservation effort and small-scale solar as much better uses of the public’s money. Another talk was on the low-frequency sound that is driving people out of their homes in other parts of the state. Even if the “science” on the health effects of having a constant humming and drumming going into your ears, your body, and into ground itself is not yet conclusive, I am not willing to believe anyone who says it’s not a problem.
Recently, 46 residents of Shelburne have come up with a zoning bylaw change that would ban large turbines and left the business of regulating smaller ones to others who wish to do so. I am a little worn out after spending the last six months wondering whether I will be impacted by turbines less than a mile and a half from my house. I am asking the voters of Shelburne to vote “yes” on articles 17, 18 and 19 at Shelburne town meeting May 1. That’s the only sure way that the wind developer who just submitted new plans will be prevented from building on the mountain.
LAMIA HOLLAND
Buckland side
Shelburne Falls
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/19/protecting-our-town/