July 9, 2013
Indiana, Letters

Turbine issue tears at our communities

Kokomo Tribune | July 9, 2013 | kokomotribune.com

In juwi’s filing, it is requesting a modification to the 1,500-foot property line setback mandated by the BZA, that it be modified to be 750 feet from a property line and 1,400 feet from a non-participating residence. Juwi’s proposal is a slap in the face to the Tipton County BZA, its ruling, and the thousands of citizens of Tipton County opposed to the plan!

Juwi acknowledges the BZA ruling and concerns in its application for modification, then turns around and implies that it is somehow meeting the spirit of the ruling by totally ignoring it and changing it!

In question would be how juwi is calculating the 1,400 feet from a residence. The previous 1,250 feet that juwi “graciously” proposed was calculated from the closest corner of a residence. Recently, E.ON has announced to Grant County residences that it, out of its own generosity and concern, will position the turbines 1,250 feet from “the center of a residence”!

There have been leaseholders stating how they researched the wind farms prior to signing on (7-11 years ago) and believe these are the best things for our county, our schools and our communities. They say this brings much needed investment to the counties involved and indicate that they are acting charitably and in the interest of everyone else.

Why don’t these same people donate a significant portion of the revenue they will/may receive from these land blights to the local school corporation?

These are money makers for the wind companies, their investors and the leaseholders. The money comes right out of the back pocket of everyone else. Federal, state and local subsidies pay for these things to be built – that’s your tax dollars! It’s money that could go to pay down the deficit or towards schools!

Then your electric prices go up as the electricity produced costs more; so-called “green” energy costs more!

I know that $15,000-$18,000 per wind turbine (E.ON’s numbers) to a leaseholder for a half-acre of ground out of production is a huge attraction.

Come on, people, let’s wake up and look at what this will do to our communities – what it is doing to our communities!

Kevin Vanosdol

Kempton


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/09/turbine-issue-tears-at-our-communities/