December 12, 2013
Letters, New Jersey

Save the eagles

December 12, 2013 | www.northjersey.com

Save the eagles

Our Township Council is considering a community electric-energy aggregation plan.

Instead of individual Montclair householders making a decision on choosing a power supplier, the council will make the selection collectively for Montclair, and by doing so reducing each resident’s electricity bills.

This is noble because most township inhabitants know very little about who is providing their power, and at what cost versus other potential electric power providers.

Before agreeing to this approach, however, Montclair residents should be aware of the choice that will be made in their name. The savings can be returned directly to the customers; or applied toward increasing the minimal amount of green energy mandated by the Board of Public Utilities in the mix of power to be supplied.

In making this decision, consider the following:

* Wind-farm operators are granted legal protection that allows them to kill eagles and other raptors with their turbines for up to 30 years without penalty.

* Solar energy installations depend upon subsidies from the government (taxpayers) to be affordable.

* Corn-based ethanol has proven to be less environmentally beneficial than was hoped.

Per the “Council roundup” in the Dec. 5 Montclair Times, the council majority seems to favor the honor of Montclair being known as a leader in clean energy, rather than returning the savings to the heavily taxed residents.

What say you Montclairites? As for me, save the eagles.

Alfred Berutti

Montclair


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/12/save-the-eagles/