June 27, 2013
Massachusetts

Murray sponsors bill to fund removal of Falmouth’s wind turbines

By Scott A. Giordano | THE BULLETIN | Posted Jun 27, 2013 | www.wickedlocal.com

Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, has sponsored legislation that would allow Falmouth to borrow money to pay expenses related to removing the town’s wind turbines at the Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility. Senate Bill 1802 is also sponsored by state representatives David Vieira, R-East Falmouth, and Timothy Madden, D-Nantucket.

The home rule petition was referred to the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on June 18 with concurrence from the House on June 19. The committee is yet to schedule a hearing for the bill.

Falmouth Town Meeting voters authorized selectmen, under Article 22 on April 9, to pursue the special legislation required to authorize the town to borrow money in order to remove assets like the wind turbines. Subsequently, Falmouth voters overwhelmingly decided in May not to fund removal of Wind 1 and Wind 2, the industrial-sized turbines that remain a source of division. Turbine neighbors have also brought complaints to the town’s Board of Health, saying the turbines have caused them significant adverse health affects.

Falmouth selectmen are yet to determine how they will proceed, following the May 21 election results. Selectmen Chairman Brent Putnam has not responded to questions from The Bulletin.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/06/27/murray-sponsors-bill-to-fund-removal-of-falmouths-wind-turbines/