Wind Power News: Letters
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Wind turbines don’t make good neighbors
Two wind turbines were put up in the town where I live in close financial collaboration with the state. The neighbors only found out when the land was cleared on Veterans Day 2011. At that time the project was so far advanced that there was little the neighbors could do to stop it, although we tried very hard. After the giant blades (total turbine height is 394 feet) began to spin, the turbine neighbors turned to the state Department of . . .
Outraged in Osborn
As a camp owner and taxpayer to the town of Osborn, I am sickened to hear today that more windmills have been approved. Back in February of 2015, The Ellsworth American reported that Osborn approved a new wind farm. In the story, the project coordinator for Sun Edison, Charlie Baldwin, states “one tangible benefit pond owners and other Osborn residents will see is a sharp drop in their property taxes … Because Weaver Wind will represent a huge increase in . . .
Contact local officials to stengthen land use plan
There are reasons wind developers in NY are unwilling to reveal the specifications for turbines they intend to use – – even while engaging (or pretending to engage) local communities in discussions about their projects and attempting (pretending) to reach stipulation agreements with local stakeholders. The main reason? Developers know the turbines being constructed over the next several years will be considerably larger than the turbines we are currently familiar with. They would prefer that affected communities not dwell on . . .
Apex can’t buy love
The citizens’ battle against Apex’s industrial wind turbines scored another victory last week: The two Yates candidates who oppose Apex’s Lighthouse Wind project won handily over the one pro-wind candidate in the Republican primary. It is yet another sign that all the monies coming from Apex in an attempt to buy community approval here have yet to yield any results for them. Free hot dogs, fireworks and county fair sponsorships cannot disguise an unpopular project. Residents here are educated on . . .
Wind energy scam
I attended the PUC meeting in Clark Wednesday on the Crocker Wind Farm. The developer that mixed up the Kool Aid for the proponents did a great job. Studying this wind energy scam for seven years, I have seen how the developers give them all the same coaching for their speeches. What affected me the most was sad. I have never been to the “Crocker Hills,” but it sounds like a beautiful place, and I will visit this wonder of . . .
A warning to Savoy about wind turbines
People of Savoy: It is wise to learn from your mistakes and even wiser to learn from the mistakes of others. I live in Scituate, 3,200 feet from a single 1.5 MW wind turbine. Six years ago the wind industry came to town and sold a bill of goods to our town officials. They said that the turbine would not have any negative impact on the community and they believed it, for they were persuasive and very believable. For the . . .
Wind farms not good for growth
Economic development is often identified as a reason to promote wind farms. The Montgomery County Wind Ordinance (that was signed by our commissioners in 2009) stated: “Whereas, the construction of wind farms could limit certain types of development within the proximity of the wind farms for other commercial/industrial purposes that could also create new jobs in the County.” So, commissioners acknowledged that incoming wind farms would keep job creating businesses out of the county. So, this in itself, is offering . . .
Protect home values, property rights, and quality of life from wind power scam
I read Brad Johnson’s letter to the Watertown Public Opinion recently entitled “Wind Energy’s Silent Invasion”. It’s happening. But the opposition isn’t silent. Right now there are 17 counties organized to protect their home values, property rights and quality of life from the wind energy scam. I am disturbed with the PUC. Although they claim they leave the setback distance to the county, they are still touting their “Model Draft Ordinance for siting wind energy systems” drafted in 2008 by . . .
Savoy voters shouldn’t believe the spin
I am following the Savoy wind development story with great interest because a developer tried to build turbines in my town of Peru. Just like Savoy, the developer tried to change our bylaws to make the requirements and limitations more suitable for his project and, of course, for his bottom line. But what about Savoy’s bottom line? My understanding is there is no financial agreement as of yet between the developer and the town. Having no agreement in place is . . .
Wind turbine vote
The plot thickens! Thursday, Sept. 7, I had a letter in the Reporter questioning the role of the county attorney in our battle to convince the board of supervisors to increase the separation distance of a wind turbine from other peoples property. I ran into her at the fair and asked why the chairman of Planning and Zoning was told to abstain from voting. She said she didn’t know the chairman, had never spoken to him and didn’t know what . . .
