December 18, 2013
Letters, Pennsylvania

Sees wind turbines as sure threats to economy

Lewistown Sentinel | December 18, 2013 | www.lewistownsentinel.com

The next meeting of the Planning Commission will be at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 at the Mifflin County Courthouse, second floor Meeting Room A. Mr. Gomes, AICP Director, encourages Mifflin County residents to come to the meeting to voice their concerns and to be involved in the process of finalizing the wind energy ordinance.

By now most all of us have heard about the active plan to put wind turbines on Jacks and Stone mountains to produce commercial electricity. Perhaps we are not as aware of the technical requirement of their proposed turbines to produce electricity at 15 to 30 percent efficiency.

The proposed turbines with their exposed rotating propellers need to be over 400 feet tall and be placed at the highest possible altitude in Mifflin County to have the possibility of being profitable. They also require annual wind speeds of 14.5 mph according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Mifflin County’s average annual wind speed is 9 to 10 mph according to NARL.

The destruction to the natural beauty and character of our county is certain if the proposed project becomes a reality. The negative impact of killing birds, the alteration of the water table, and limiting or eliminating of human activities that use the mountains will be a sure blight on our economy.

Don Wert

Belleville

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/18/sees-wind-turbines-as-sure-threats-to-economy/