February 27, 2018
Letters, Ohio

Questions about wind turbines

Letter: Questions about wind turbines | The Lima News | February 26, 2018 | www.limaohio.com

In response to The Lima News editorial on wind turbine setback policy, here are some questions to consider:

I would like someone to name one type of zoning law that actually has language that measures a structure to the house of a neighboring landowner other than wind turbine siting. It doesn’t exist. So how can any rational person think that any zoning language that measures a turbine to our homes is proper?

The wind industry itself has safety manuals that accompany turbine models. These safety setback distances are largely created by people who insure turbine manufacturers for liability. These safety manuals are largely kept hidden from the public Why is that? Vestas and Nordex, who make these machines, have language that specifically states their own technicians need to be 1,640 feet from a turbine in case of failure. How can one argue for setbacks that are shorter than that? That is theft of one’s safety of their own property.

Wind developers have all kinds of “studies” that say these things do not hurt people. Yet in their own contracts, language is present that admits to all the problems they spend so much time discrediting. And if you sign a contract there is a “gag order” that prevents you from complaining publicly. Why is that?

These are just some of the issues with wind turbines. If you want to be a sideline cheerleader, I want to know when you will voluntarily choose to live in a footprint. No setback should ever be measured to a house, it should always be to a property line. Take it one step further, let people in the affected footprint of a proposed project vote. If you want both sides, follow Citizens for Clear Skies on Facebook.

Jeremy Kitson, Citizens for Clear Skies, Van Wert County

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/02/27/questions-about-wind-turbines/