State’s Icebreaker ruling was correct
Letters to the Editor | Crain's Cleveland Business | June 14, 2020 | www.crainscleveland.com
Letters to the Editor | Crain's Cleveland Business | June 14, 2020 | www.crainscleveland.com
Lake Erie is the source of fresh drinking water for 11 million people. Tourism-related spending for the Ohio counties bordering Lake Erie is $15.1 billion, supporting 127,000 jobs and generating $1.9 billion in taxes.
Lake Erie Foundation supports the state of Ohio’s decision to require carefully thought out conditions for Icebreaker Windpower and all utility projects proposed for Lake Erie. That is consistent with our support for clean, alternative energy.
Icebreakers’ developers state they plan to build only six wind turbines in Lake Erie. Yet, they privately acknowledge that Icebreaker is merely the first step in their long-term goal of erecting over a thousand wind turbines overall
Typically, the cost of constructing and maintaining offshore wind turbines is three times higher than the cost of a similar size onshore wind turbine. Furthermore, the number of permanent jobs created and potential economic benefits claimed by Icebreaker’s developers demand much closer scrutiny.
The state of Ohio has an obligation to protect its greatest natural resource for all citizens and future generations who seek its use and enjoyment. Lake Erie Foundation strongly encourages further in-depth studies such as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) versus the less reliable Environmental Assessment that has been quoted.
Jim Stouffer
President, Lake Erie Foundation
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/06/14/states-icebreaker-ruling-was-correct/