April 15, 2013
Hawaii, Letters

Wind turbine buffer needs to be wider

Honolulu Star-Advertiser | April 15, 2013 | www.staradvertiser.comHonolulu Star-Advertiser | April 15, 2013 | www.staradvertiser.com

On April 11, the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board voted on a resolution that increases buffer zones between large industrial turbines and private residences.

Current requirements allow wind turbines to be placed no closer than one times the height of the turbine from the landowner’s property line.

The need for increasing the current buffer zone is partly due to fires that have occurred at the existing wind facility in Kahuku.

This resolution was supported by every community in Koolau-loa except Laie. Not a single Laie representative to the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board voted in support and the resolution failed. Additionally, the board did not allow for public comment, an apparent violation of the Sunshine Law.

I think residents in Laie should be asking their representatives why increasing safety zones for wind turbines is a bad idea while suppressing public input is acceptable.

Kent Fonoimoana, Kahuku representative, Koolauloa Neighborhood Board, Laie

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/15/wind-turbine-buffer-needs-to-be-wider/