Wind farm siting
Lincoln Journal Star | journalstar.com
I wish to clear up some misconceptions about our organization, Stop Hallam Wind, as well as our goals. We understand many people are concerned about the name Stop Hallam Wind. The name is a result of the complete lack of respect this developer has shown for the non-leaseholding residents in the project footprint. Our organization does not oppose wind energy. We are nonpartisan and not connected to the fossil fuel industries.
We oppose the Hallam Wind Project and other wind projects that encroach upon landowner rights and safety. This is a bedroom community for Lincoln with hundreds of residents. This developer wants to place massive, industrial wind turbines as close as 1,000 feet from our front doors. When that happens, the number of people affected results in protest organizations like ours. It is a grassroots response that happens anywhere wind farms are placed too close to homes. There are 2,244 wind farm opposition organizations worldwide and 278 in North America. Our group’s position is that wind projects should be developed in Nebraska, but due to undeniable health and safety problems that can affect people living near wind turbines, these projects must employ sensible setbacks and noise limits.
One thing that will kill wind development is overreach by wind developers. Attempting to site wind farms in locations where there are already a lot of residences will lead to conflict and create negative attitudes towards wind energy. It should be a common goal for all communities to be concerned with the well-being of its citizens and to protect that well-being with regulations that insure responsible wind farm siting. Proposals for wind farms come and go, but the need to ensure public health and safety is a constant. By creating safe and sensible wind farm siting, the public’s confidence in alternative energy development will grow.
Cindy Chapman, Firth
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/02/06/wind-farm-siting/