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Wind Power News: Editorials
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Can governor assure State Pier price won’t keep rising?
We share state Sen. Paul Formica’s frustration over the growing price tag of the State Pier’s redevelopment plan and the “so what?” attitude of the Connecticut Port Authority and the Lamont administration. “I can’t tell you how offended I am at the total mismanagement of the project,” Formica said at a recent meeting of the port authority board. “You should all resign if you can’t get this right.” The Republican’s 20th Senatorial District includes New London and its port. Like . . . Complete story »
Railing against the wind
President Biden aims to build wind and solar farms from sea to shining sea to replace fossil fuels in the electricity grid by 2035. But his plans are already running aground off the coast of Long Island in New York, where his Administration last week canceled two offshore wind development zones. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials said the zones off the island’s coast raised problems with maritime traffic, marine life feeding areas, and concerns over visibility from South Shore . . . Complete story »
Take a letter: But will SEC read it?
What does it say about New Hampshire government priorities that it adds a new and unnecessary office (see related editorial today) but can’t provide its Site Evaluation Committee with someone to open the mail and inform the public about public hearings? The site committee is of no small importance, as residents in and around Antrim have discovered in trying to deal with a large-scale windmill project. The SEC approved the project, with stipulations. But it then waived those stipulations at . . . Complete story »
In the rush to protect the environment we are willing to damage it
Richer countries are pushing renewable energies which are carbon neutral, such as wind and solar and tide and geothermal. Other advances, such as vastly improved insulation in buildings, will help create a much less polluted world. Nuclear power, which is controversial but which does not produce carbon dioxide, ought to be a key part of modern energy sources, is heavily used in nations such as France but rejected in others such as Germany, because it produces waste. In Northern Ireland, . . . Complete story »
Editorial: One useful tool to preserve our precious land
It seems to us on the edge of “God’s Cow Country” that Sandhills residents (and western Nebraskans in general) are environmentalists in the most practical sense. The past 150 years have taught our region, especially its ranchers, that our vast open areas beyond our river valleys can’t simply be plowed up or disturbed at will. Hard experience capped by the 1930s “Dust Bowl” laid bare the fragility of the sand dunes’ thin layers of grassland that have sustained untold millions . . . Complete story »
On wind turbine plan, WA Gov. Inslee should listen to Tri-Cities
The thought of turning our beloved Horse Heaven Hills into a pin cushion for massive wind turbines breaks the hearts of most Tri-Citians. Yet, in the end, will our sadness be a factor when Gov. Jay Inslee decides whether to approve Scout Clean Energy’s application for its wind project? That’s the big question. Inslee is known for his clean-energy goals, and while we support fighting climate change and reducing carbon emissions, many of us in Eastern Washington are tired of . . . Complete story »
Local energy: Counties must be heard in crafting wind, solar policy
Legislation aimed at shaping the future of renewable energy in Indiana is instead renewing tensions between state lawmakers and counties upset the General Assembly is trying to usurp their power. At issue is House Bill 1381, a seemingly well-intentioned measure that would implement the first statewide regulations for solar and wind projects. Authored by Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, the 63-page bill would regulate things such as height, setback requirements, “sound level limitations” and project decommissioning. The bill says local governments . . . Complete story »
Usurping local control not answer to boosting clean energy
The growth of energy from renewable sources such as sunlight and wind should be a high priority in Indiana. And, it was refreshing to hear a powerful Indiana House leader acknowledge the potential for Hoosier jobs and economic benefits through wind and solar power. “Almost every large corporation in the state is saying they want renewable” energy, said Ed Soliday, a Republican representative from Valparaiso. Still, Indiana communities should not be forced by the state to accommodate those renewable energy . . . Complete story »
Texas spins into the wind
While millions of Texans remain without power for a third day, the wind industry and its advocates are spinning a fable that gas, coal and nuclear plants—not their frozen turbines—are to blame. PolitiFact proclaims “Natural gas, not wind turbines, main driver of Texas power shortage.” Climate-change conformity is hard for the media to resist, but we don’t mind. So here are the facts to cut through the spin. Texas energy regulators were already warning of rolling blackouts late last week . . . Complete story »
Biden rescues Texas with . . . oil
With Texans shivering as power outages continue for a fourth day, the Biden Administration announced it is deploying diesel generators to the state. Yes, good ol’ dirty diesel fuel is coming to the rescue again. The left’s denialism that the failure of wind power played a starring role in Texas’s catastrophic power outage has been remarkable. Liberals blame gas plants for not covering wind’s you-know-what when turbines froze amid surging demand. This is ironic since they seem to be acknowledging . . . Complete story »
