LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Anger at wind turbine plan draws Barker residents to park protest 

Credit:  By Jack Howland, News Staff Reporter | The Buffalo News | August 25, 2016 | www.buffalonews.com ~~

BARKER – A long line of yellow police tape cut through the bustling crowd congregated in Golden Hill State Park Thursday to protest up to 70 proposed wind turbines.

At each end were identical signs bearing the words:

“220 foot turbine blade starts here.”

“Look at the lawn behind you … that would be the length of one turbine blade,” said Pam Atwater, president of the advocacy group Save Ontario Shores. “And at approximately 6:30 if the weather holds, there will be a plane flying overhead at 650 feet.”

She said that represented the height of one wind turbine.

The widespread anger at Thursday evening’s protest had been brewing for close to two years.

Members of the community have been pushing back against the proposal from Apex Clean Energy, a Virginia power company, since it was announced.

Front lawns in the Town of Barker are decorated with posters, many displaying messages like “Apex Go Home!” and “Too Big Too Close.”

Rachel Wilson, a lifelong Barker resident, had a little “sign-making party” hours before the event began Thursday with friends, siblings, nieces and nephews. They brought out the poster board creations and hoisted them over their heads in the drizzling rain.

In one, there were hand-drawn bats flying near the spinning blades of a wind turbine, with the caption: “Protect all flying creatures.”

“We’re just really worried about the ramifications of the wind turbines,” Wilson said. “We’ve seen the impact at the other end of the lake – property values have gone down, wildlife is impacted.”

Chief among the concerns of protesters was that wind turbines would permanently change the community that they have called home.

Lois Klatt and Joyce Bennett – residents of 60-plus years and neighbors – sat in side-by-side lawn chairs long before the protest began. They expressed concern that the skyscraper-sized turbines will ruin the vast plains and hills that have defined their area.

Klatt, whose voice rose as she spoke, refers to the wind turbines as “aliens.” She remembers when they went up in Sheldon Hills along Route 77.

“It’s horrible what it does to our beautiful land,” she said. “Just a big eyesore.”

But Cat Mosley, an Apex public affairs manager, said this hesitation comes from a “fear of the unknown.”

She said it’s a natural response to new emerging technology.

Although she said she sympathizes with community members who have genuine concerns, she believes the wind turbines are in their best interest.

Aside from cutting down on carbon emissions, she said it will bring a wave of economic activity to the area, particularly for farmers.

She said they have the support of plenty of landowners throughout Niagara and Orleans County.

The dissenting voice is just louder, she said.

“This group has certainly been very vocal, but we have strong support as well,” Mosley said.

“There are some people who think wind turbines can be beautiful– I am one.”

Susan Campbell, of Lyndonville, said she feels a moral responsibility to support the wind turbines,

“I have 4 children who also have children. Their future is important to me,” Campbell said.

Source:  By Jack Howland, News Staff Reporter | The Buffalo News | August 25, 2016 | www.buffalonews.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon