Burden’s on us
The Gadsden Times | March 10, 2014 | www.gadsdentimes.com
Perhaps if you are going to advocate for Pioneer Green, you might read their promotional materials from a year ago before crying “unfair burden.”
Senate Bill 12 proposes “5 times the turbine height from the center-mass base to a residential structure (about 2,000 feet).” Pioneer Green’s own “Shinbone Ridge Fact Sheet” states no house will be less than 3,000 feet from a turbine. PG wins by 1,000 feet.
PG states that the noise at 750 feet will sound like a refrigerator. Surely then, as SB12 provides, “an average of 50 decibels” should be easily accomplished “at the property line on which installed,” since PG infers no turbine produces noise at that distance. People leasing property sign a gag order and therefore cannot complain about anything, including noise. PG wins again concerning noise.
Only $1 million liability insurance is required of PG for all 60 of the 570-foot tall turbines. Alabama Power’s website states there is not enough wind for turbines to operate efficiently. SB12 requires only “financial assurance,” assuming if they don’t function, someone will be responsible for removing the turbines and returning the mountain to its original beauty. Pioneer Green states that decommissioning (removing non-functioning or malfunctioning turbines) is profitable for up to 15 years to the tune of $2 million for the salvage value of 60 turbines. And by the way, we get to build a new dump for the unsalvageable turbine blades. PG wins by $2 million.
I don’t see how this spells moratorium for anyone except the involved land owners of Etowah and Cherokee counties, certainly not for Pioneer Green. We are meeting their expectations and more. Pioneer Green, you win – we get the “unfair burden.”
It’s an industrial wind-win any way you look at it.
Five thousand people are supporting three Facebook sites opposing wind turbine installation in Alabama. “Like” the pages Wind Swindle Alabama, Save Cherokee Rock Village and No Wind Alabama to become more educated on turbines.
Anita Simmons
Gadsden
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/11/burdens-on-us/