Support for the energy bill
Reposted from the Rutland Herald via Energize Vermont
I urge the full Vermont Senate to support S.30, which calls for industrial wind projects to be reviewed within Act 250 guidelines. I call for this support because as Gail Stebbins from Renewable Energy Vermont says, “It is not just about aesthetics.” She is right. It is about so much more.
It is about responsible development, after careful consideration of all the impacts these projects have on people, the local ecosystems, and the larger environmental issues.
It’s about the health impacts on residents who live near these projects. More and more studies are showing the adverse effects that both audible and inaudible noise produced by these machines have on these folks.
It’s about the ecological destruction required to install these behemoths on our fragile ridgelines and the continuing environmental impacts of their operation.
It’s about the proven degradation of property values in the 20 to 40 percent range caused by proximity to industrial wind developments.
It’s about diluting the current dictatorial powers of the three deciders on the Public Service Board.
It’s about sending the correct message, Sen. Sanders – the one that says we in Vermont will not blindly buy into any “magical elixir” that comes along, regardless of its dubious benefits. And dubious benefits they are.
Industrial wind brings economic benefits – to the developers with their tax credits and carbon credits that can be traded to other carbon producers so they can continue emitting greenhouse gasses.
Industrial wind provides electrical generation benefits – ironically when we do not need it, the grid will not accept it, and only at a small fraction of their “capacity output.”
So senators, let us reject Gov. Shumlin’s industrial wind policy of damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. Let us help re-state Sen. Sanders’ message to the rest of the country.
Please support S.30 and agree with Gail Stebbins and others – it is not just about aesthetics.
BRIAN HARRINGTON
West Rutland
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/22/support-for-the-energy-bill/