July 20, 2013
Massachusetts

Mary O’Donnell’s turbine team strikes back; Lawyer’s letter slaps at turbine opponents

By Kathryn Gallerani | Wicked Local Kingston | Posted Jul 19, 2013 | www.enterprisenews.com

KINGSTON – Kingston wind turbine developer Mary O’Donnell’s representatives are angered by what they say are lies being spread about the turbines.

In a letter from O’Donnell attorney Jack Yunits – read aloud Tuesday night to selectmen during open forum by Michael Frenette, CFO of O’Donnell’s company, No Fossil Fuel Inc. – Yunits addresses the criticism.

Yunits wrote that residents who didn’t participate in the public process that led to lawful permitting of turbines in a designated turbine zone chose not to do so, not for lack of public outreach, and now are slandering these projects.

“In a twist of irony, some citizens who chose not to participate in the green-energy process are now leading a charge to derail Kingston’s progress by alleging without specifics as to time and place on the complaint forms provided by the town unsubstantiated, slanderous accusations against these companies.”

Yunits said a so-called wind report that was presented to selectmen by Country Club Way resident Tim Dwyer to selectmen at their last meeting, despite Dwyer being part of a lawsuit against O’Donnell, was “without any independent verification.”

He referred to a flicker study commissioned by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and presented to the Board of Health earlier this month as flawed due to the use of supposition to reach conclusions about flicker amounts.

“Flawed studies are not insubstantial, because they incite the public with inflammatory misinformation,” he said.

MassCEC spokesman Matt Kakley released a statement Wednesday in response to questions about Yunits’ claims and where CEC stands on a further flicker study.

“Part of MassCEC’s mission is to help communities address these types of issues,” he said. “After assisting the town in preparing a detailed flicker study that was based on industry standards, MassCEC is now assisting the town in exploring what would be needed if they were to prepare a curtailment plan.”

Frenette said No Fossil Fuel wants to work with the town and state Department of Environmental Protection to develop a factual wind data analysis model for the turbines.

Frenette had requested an appointment with selectmen Tuesday night but the request was not granted. Selectmen Chairman Elaine Fiore said they want to wait until Town Administrator Robert Fennessy is on board. Fennessy starts Aug. 1.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/20/mary-odonnells-turbine-team-strikes-back-lawyers-letter-slaps-at-turbine-opponents/