September 6, 2014
Illinois, Letters

Wind farms harm the landscape’s beauty

Pantagraph | www.pantagraph.com

I see the farmers in Livingston County may get the opportunity to lease even more land to the energy companies to construct 130 wind turbines. If this comes to pass, I hope they realize when they cash those checks that it certainly isn’t free money.

We have traded the stillness of the sunrise and sunset, the beauty of a thunderstorm on a distant horizon, and the darkness of a starry night. Now, and for decades, many will see the clouds through the whirling blades and blinking lights of these grotesque eyesores. It is a pity we don’t value the beauty of our Central Illinois landscape. Try putting a wind farm next to the Grand Canyon or Yosemite and imagine the howl!

Yet we think nothing of putting wind farms next to our parks (Moraine View, Comlara) and scenic historic sites (Bishop Hill). I am sure these turbines will provide plenty of energy we can waste on our over-lit 24/7 cities. Think about what we are losing to keep the empty parking lots lit at 3 a.m. Think about it.

Dale Evans

Bloomington


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/09/06/wind-farms-harm-the-landscapes-beauty/