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.
Energy companies don’t care about rural America
Huge international renewable energy developers don’t care a whit about destroying thousands of acres of farmland in rural North Carolina. Rural areas are often the target of environmental big bullies because they don’t have the resources or press coverage to resist the invasion. Iberdrola of Spain built a wind farm near Elizabeth City with 104 wind turbines on 2,513 acres. Invenergy of Spain wants a 600-acre solar farm of 288,120 panels in rural Beaufort County. These companies only care about . . .
Do no harm
Harm is defined as causing hurt, injury, damage, and moral wrong. That is exactly what is happening with the building of wind turbines in populated areas such as Henry County. The topic is not political. On the contrary, it is basically based on money. The land owners potentially stand to receive a fair amount of money by leasing their land to wind companies. I totally understand. The problem is that their neighbors don’t receive a dime and could suffer health . . .
Big wind spends big money to defeat county
During the days leading up to the Tuesday, July 18, vote, many will be bombarded with multimedia ads promoting an industrial wind farm in Lincoln County. The developers and promoters will be giving half-truths to sugar coat how wonderful this development will be. They say that the county is banning wind energy, but that isn’t legal in this state. They will tell you the millions of dollars that this project has the potential to produce, without telling you it’s over . . .
Notice to adjoining property owners
A petition for a conditional use has been filed by Upland Prairie LLC c/o Apex Clean Energy and participating landowners within the project area. The request is to construct 47 Wind Energy Conversion Systems and 2 permanent meteorological towers in the A-1 Agricultural District allowed only as a conditional use in sections 07-09, 15-23, 25-35, Westport Township, Dickinson County, Iowa, and in sections 28-32, Okoboji Township, Dickinson County, Iowa. A public hearing will be held by the Dickinson County Board . . .
Apex overstates support for wind energy projects locally and elsewhere
What does Apex Clean Energy really care about your health? Read on… APEX Clean Energy attended the Clay County Iowa Supervisor’s Meeting on Tuesday, May 10th in order to discuss concerns raised regarding the Upland Prairie Wind Project currently proposed for Clay and Dickinson Counties in Iowa. Presenting to the Board of Supervisors was Mr. Christopher Ollson, PhD, Senior Environmental Health Scientist at Ollson Environmental Health Management. Mr. Ollson, you may remember, is the person that presented the following position . . .
Wind developments can’t meet demand
The July 3 News article, “Small towns are resisting large-scale wind farms,” provides very good insight into several towns’ efforts to restrict industrialization of their communities with massive wind turbines, despite New York State’s Article 10 process, which strips constitutionally guaranteed home rule from these communities and gives the decision authority to a state siting board, the majority of whom are Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointees, who are more than happy to bow to his agenda. The article also stated the . . .
Tax-and-dividend plan is a scheme
The Bonneville Power Administration is responsible for power grid balancing in this area, and its figures show that hydroelectric generation is, at almost all times both day and night, greater than the area’s demand. Effectively, we are getting 100 percent of our electricity from dams, and there is still some left over, which we are sending to (among other places) British Columbia, so that Citizen’s Climate Lobby (A genius plan on climate change, U-B June 28) can claim that other . . .
Don’t change rules on wind turbines
Ohioans should know there are many issues with wind turbines facing its rural citizens. Those few who have leased their land affect all of those living in rural communities. According the United States Department of Agriculture, wind energy companies state there are 2,247 people who have leased their ground while Ohio’s rural population is 2.36 million. Full ownership farms are shown at 52,168; and individual families, sole proprietorship farms at 70,890, The thousands of other rural residents would lose property . . .
Wind towers do not make good neighbors
Beware the “good neighbor!” If you live near a proposed wind turbine site, you may be approached by the developer, a neighbor, relative, or leaseholder to sign a “good neighbor” agreement. Although it may be called by another name, it offers landowners (without turbines) payments to sign away their rights to file complaints, sue for damages, or publicly speak out when problems arise. A contract we have reviewed removes protections for problems from noise, shadow flicker, vibration, air turbulence, ice . . .
Wind turbine jury verdict
The jury decision that a nuisance could not be found for the Andersens has been cited by those who want to continue to litigate not just against the neighbors but against three separate decisions by our own Falmouth Zoning Board of Appeals. The verdict might have been quite different if the jury had had fair access to all the facts. Indeed, the judge considered calling a mistrial after opening statements by accomplished insurance company lawyers, supporting the town, limited so . . .
