March 9, 2018
Letters, Massachusetts

Turbine builders should stop stalking Savoy

Letter: Turbine builders should stop stalking Savoy | The Berkshire Eagle | March 8, 2018 | www.berkshireeagle.com

On March 5, The Eagle ran a story titled “Savoy wind project chases deadline to start building.” The headline should have read: “Minuteman Wind continues to chase Savoy to build its wind turbines.”

The town has made it abundantly clear that it does not want Minuteman’s wind turbines! On Aug. 24, 2017, angry citizens assembled and shouted their opposition at the town meeting. On Sept. 27, Savoy voters easily defeated the effort to enlarge the size of the blades. And on Dec. 21, 2017, voters overwhelmingly reversed a 2008 bylaw to formally prohibit wind turbines of any sort in the town of Savoy. They just don’t get it.

Almost lost in the article was an even more significant story: Palmer Capital, the driving force behind the latest development efforts, has backed out of the deal completely, claiming the project is not financially feasible. No one seems to know this persistent Lawrence Plitch who claims to have been involved with the project since its inception back in 2003 – 15 years ago! Mr. Plitch reports that Minuteman’s hopes “are alive and well.” He says, “We are hopeful that our relation with the town is strong.”

Mr. Plitch, your relationship to this town is NOT strong. He and his four Minutemen colleagues are like deluded suitors who, despite clear and unequivocal rejection, continue to woo the sentiments of Savoy. I might suggest a remedy for these lovesick suitors: You just slip out the back, Jack. Make a new plan, Stan. Clear out of Savoy, Roy. Just leave us alone.

The five enormous turbines they want to build here would ruin this town; destroy habitat; irrevocably divide and deepen animosities in an otherwise peaceful little town and scar another Berkshire ridge line with bulldozers, explosives, and cement for the sake of a few years of “clean renewable energy” – the empty mantra of power companies who charge ever-increasing rates while destroying hundreds of acres of forest land more valuable for its carbon sequestration than for a few years of power for your flat screen TV. These wind-struck lovers have only three goals in mind: Money, money, money. Why else would they persist in stalking Savoy? They just don’t get it. And its so easy. Just drop off the key, Lee – and get yourself free.