December 5, 2013
Vermont

Eden residents mixed on wind towers

Survey says… Eden residents mixed on wind towers | By Amy Kolb Noyes | Vermont Public Radio | December 5, 2013 | vpr.net

The results of a survey taken by the Town of Eden are in and if one conclusion can be drawn, it’s that residents have mixed feelings about a proposed wind project in town.

The survey was distributed in property tax bills, and was also accessible via the town website. A total of 133 responses were returned to the town, representing about 10 percent of the town’s total population.

The survey asked taxpayers to weigh in on wind power in Vermont, the nearby Kingdom Community Wind project in Lowell, and a proposal by BNE Energy to expand wind development south along the same ridgeline, with six new towers in Eden. BNE Energy is based in West Hartford, Conn., and the power generated in Eden would be sold to customers in Connecticut.

Only 67 of the 133 survey respondents reported being voters in the Town of Eden. Fifty-five respondents reported they currently support the Kingdom Community Wind project, while 68 said they do not. Most people said seeing that project up and running has not changed their original opinion of the project.

Similarly, 51 people said they support the towers proposed in Eden, while 74 said they are against the proposal. A total of 43 people said if the proposed project were to generate income for the town, then that might influence their support for the project.

Many of the survey questions prompted a large number of written comments, however those comments have not been posted with the survey results on the town website. To view the comments, one must visit the Eden Town Clerk’s Office during business hours.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/05/survey-says-eden-residents-mixed-on-wind-towers/