April 15, 2013
Letters, Ohio

Economy and changes in wind energy farms

The Lima News | April 15, 2013 | www.limaohio.comThe Lima News | April 15, 2013 | www.limaohio.com

BP put its international wind energy companies up for sale on April 3. The uncertain outlook for government subsidies and prices in solar, wind and other clean energy areas, along with re-emergence of strong prices for oil and opportunities to develop large gas fields have distracted its attention.

Now the concern is who will be the high bidder for BP development work in Van Wert and Mercer counties. Iberdrola Energy, a Spanish corporation, or Horizon Wind, a subsidiary of EDP-Energy of Portugal? Another giveaway of the $12 billion (2013 budget funding) subsidy money to nonnational corporations while we cut school and health care funding.

In using the Internet, I find the wind farm problem extends from California to Maine, with residents in every state objecting to construction of this “wind farm blight.” The commissioners of Marshall County, Ind., have banned commercial wind farms just as the township trustees in Mercer County have taken a stand against this travesty.

A West Virginia court in 2007 in the case of Burch V. Nedpower Mount Storm, found that wind farms can constitute a nuisance to nearby landowners. Even though the state’s public service commission approved the facility, the court ruled that such approval does not overrule the common law of nuisance.

Approval of wind farm construction is like “giving away the family silver.” If the court decision in the land flooding resulting from the Grand Lake retention dam overflow surprised you, wait until the legal results of wind farm litigation begins.

— Roy Thompson, Rockford

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/15/economy-and-changes-in-wind-energy-farms/