December 23, 2014
Indiana, Letters

Keep wind turbines out of Huntington County

Letter to the editor: Keep wind turbines out of Huntington County | The News-Sentinel | Monday, December 22, 2014 | www.news-sentinel.com

Disrespectful; insulting, horrible; intimidating; uncalled for; disgusting; despicable.

Those are a few adjectives reflecting the conduct of the Huntington County community development director and several of the Plan Commission members during their Nov. 12 public hearing on amendments to the county’s industrial wind turbine ordinance.

About 200 citizen/taxpayers were in attendance – vastly overflowing the assigned courthouse room. Included were several citizens from seven counties who have, via ordinance content, successfully kept IWT out of their communities.

Quoting from Ordinance 2009-17, Sec. 720, Page 1 (the matter being considered): “Purpose and Intent: The Purposes of this ordinance are to: (a) To ensure that the development and production of wind-generated electricity in Huntington county is safe and effective. (b) To support and facilitate economic opportunities for local residents that are consistent with public health, safety and general welfare.”

The Huntington County Concerned Citizens, several letter-to-the-editor contributors and others have been trying to assure those requirements are met, in their contacts with the aforementioned public officials, for the past year.

They have enlightened those officials with worldwide documented data that supports the case IWT are very inefficient; have the potential to destroy natural resources, including flying species; and with their wind noise and vibrations cause various human and animal illnesses – as reported by the World Health Organization.

Then came this recent meeting, at which more than 40 citizens spoke. All offered their valued opinions, justified reasons, fears, desires, experiences with or other facts pertaining to why IWT should be totally banned in Huntington County – as they are in three nearby counties.

During their presentations, several speakers were interrupted, shouted at, disagreed with and generally hassled by some PC members. It is understood at least one male speaker cried after leaving the podium. That is unforgivable.

One person spoke for IWT – the Apex representative read amendments submitted to be included in the revised ordinance – for their further advantage with IWT. Should an employee of any business be allowed to write their own job description?

In 1994, my wife and I returned to this, my birthplace, to enjoy the peace and tranquil lifestyle offered in this agricultural community. And now IWT raises their 500-foot-tall monster heads. This is not what we expected or are obligated to accept.

The conduct of some PC members at this meeting was extremely disconcerting to all in attendance. Perhaps it should have been expected. During my May presentation to the PC – after starting to read a letter quotation received from Sen. Dan Coats relative to the Senate activities on IWT – the PC chairman jumped up shouting, “We don’t want to hear that! All we are interested in is about this county.”

Up until then, I didn’t realize Huntington County was in a vacuum apart from the rest of the world. During the business portion of this latest meeting another member stated, “What are we supposed to do, listen to these people that come in here?”

(If necessary, this person will be identified.) Continue with your bull-headed attitudes and preconceived opinions. Create an ordinance that will probably give the citizens cause to sue each and every person whose fingerprints are on it. Go ahead set the first IWT in the Plum Tree area. Make our day!

To those officials that have forgotten their put-downs and ugly words during the meeting – have no fear. They are all loud and clear on the official recording made during the meeting.

Having served in the Army criminal investigation division, I realize this will make excellent legal evidence – if need be. The recording is available for listening and study at the Concerned Citizens site: huntingtonccc.org.

You can: (1) Sit back and let the undesirable result occur. (2) Appear at the next PC meeting. The HCCC group has worked diligently, on your behalf, in the IWT negotiations, which the Plan Commission turned into a fight on Nov. 12.

Apex Clean Energy has massive taxpayer-paid assets to fund their efforts. Thus far, HCCC members have paid expenses from their own pockets. Legal counsel is now necessary! Will you donate $5, $50 or $500 to help keep IWT out of Huntington County?

Please send your donation to: HCCC, PO Box 92, Huntington IN 46750 . May God Bless you for your concern.