Wind turbine plan has wide impact
Standard Speaker | November 11, 2014 | standardspeaker.com
EDF Development Co. is trying to “force feed” and “strong arm” Foster Township residents a windmill project in the locations of the township.
The windmills are to be located on three plots of land in the township.
These are located in Sandy Valley, Eckley and the property on the Freeland Mountain that overlooks the Beech Mountain community. They are proposing around eight windmills on each site that could possibly be up to 500 feet high in some areas.
EDF representatives failed to show up at the last two planning commission meetings where they voted that Foster Township would not benefit from this project.
At Thursday night’s zoning meeting around 50 residents of the township and surrounding communities showed up to show their opposition to this project.
The meeting started with EDF’s representative verbally attacking the township zoning board. The meeting will be continued after the planning commission reviews the project again.
Residents had many concerns about the effects of the windmills on the animal life, the comfort of their living and property value issues.
Some of the issues were the killing of the bats in the area. If anyone notices the overabundance of gnats at the end of the summer, this is caused in part by our local bats dying off, which would be made worse by these windmills. There were lots of concerns of displacing wildlife such as deer and bear from their natural environment.
There is concern about sound created by the windmills and the ill effect on the inner ear that this could cause to everyone in the area.
The Greater Hazleton Area Astronomical Society was also present at the meeting and brought up that their Eckley location would be highly affected by the lights and the size of the windmills placed on each side of them.
Beech Mountain Lakes residents were also present at the meeting with concerns of property values dropping over $22 million due to the project and were very concerned about the bald eagles and other species that will be affected on their beautiful lake.
In the end this will only provide seven jobs and residents will not benefit from this project, with no tax breaks and no lower cost of utilities.The citizens group asks that all residents in the surrounding area attend the meetings and voice their opinions because this will effect each and everyone of us.
John Michael Smith,
Butler Township
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/11/11/wind-turbine-plan-has-wide-impact/