Could this flying piece of turbine kill your kid?

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Dear Ohio Power Siting Board and Ohio legislators,

WAKE UP! Ohio wind turbine setbacks should NOT be shortened. BigWind does NOT belong next to schools and playgrounds! Setbacks should be increased. BigWind spins well over 100 mph and when parts come loose (or ice), they fly fast and far…. 

A DAMAGED wind turbine halted a football game at the weekend.

The County League game between Aspatria and Cockermouth was called off because of fears for the players’ safety.

The two sets of players were getting ready for kick off when two covers from the wind turbine at the ground were blown across the pitch.

The game had been moved to Netherhall Community Sports Centre all-weather pitch in Maryport, because the teams’ own pitches were waterlogged.

Referee Graham Young said: “I can tell you it was a real scary moment. We were almost ready to start the County League senior fixture when these two covers suddenly landed on the pitch and were blown along by the wind….

Original article

BigWind will “educate” BirdBrains? Nope

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I will apologize now, because there is nothing funny about this topic; however, there is something very funny about this Sierra Club quote below, “We are finding out that wind turbines are not as harmful to birds because they become educated” ?!? The birds? They become educated? No, they become DEAD.  Turbines are catastrophic for a multitude of birds and bats. These blenders in the sky, do not educate the birds, that fly amongst them. They slice and dice them. Some are killed instantly and others suffer a slow,painful death from slices that come from blades flying at over 200 mph….knives in the sky leave large, gaping wounds.

Aside from the above, obvious facts, this Sierra Club representative spoke as though these wind turbines would reduce our need for fossil fuels. If you have been a follower of our blog, for very long, you know the truth.  BigWind INCREASES our dependence on fossil fuels because they are ALWAYS backed up by coal or natural gas.  Fossil fuel plants MUST always run, in the background, ready in any split second, to make up the difference in the electricity being produced, to make sure it matches our needs…when the wind slows or doesn’t blow at all.  This actually Increases the emissions of these plants because they are slowing down and ramping up (like speeding up/braking your car). Need more info? Read our home page….

…“We’re upset that some people want to take a perfectly good lake (Erie) and destroy it by erecting 50 400-foot high industrial wind turbines from Lackawanna to Dunkirk in the water,” said Capt. Jim Hanley of Angola. “It would negatively impact a lot of the great fishing areas. This project is unprecedented in freshwater. There are too many unknowns. For example, we don’t know what effect ice will have on these structures during a severe winter in the lake.”

“When it comes to birds, these turbines will be in the middle of a huge migration path for a wide variety of bird species,” he said. “Just a few miles away is the Niagara River Corridor, internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area. It attracts 19 species of gulls from around the world. How will it affect the bald eagles that are starting to repopulate along the lakeshore? Has anyone answered these questions?”…

 

“Studies have shown what infrasound does to fish and other life, but, unlike the oceans, which are vast, Lake Erie is only 227 miles long, and 12 miles wide at Sturgeon Point, where the intended siting would be – no spatial avoidance opportunity, and too small for random factors to come together to create the same spawning grounds as those found here.”…

There is support for offshore wind projects, in general, should they come to fruition. Ellen Banks with the Sierra Club Niagara Group, part of the Atlantic Chapter, pointed out the benefits of wind energy in the overall scheme of things. She noted that the group wouldn’t endorse anything like this until the environmental studies have been completed through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

“We are finding out that wind turbines are not as harmful to birds because they become educated,” said Banks. “The bases of the turbines are prefabricated and do not harm the environment. In other areas like Block Island in Rhode Island, the bases created nursery habitat for the fish.”…

“We are fighting for the Great Lakes. We do not want to see any harm come to them. However, we must come up with a compromise to alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels.”…

“Jeopardizing the life in the lake, which helps keep the waters of life – our fresh water – healthy for us to drink and water crops with, to realize nothing in the form of usable electrical energy, is the very definition of folly,” said Davenport….

A group called Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie has been formed and a Facebook page created to keep people apprised on what’s happening. So far, nearly 1,800 people have shown support on the social media site and thousands have signed a petition to keep wind turbines off the lake.

Link to Buffalo News

 

BigWind is NOT Green, but ‘Wildlife in a Blender’ RED

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Is the dirty TRUTH about BigWind beginning to spread? The Audubon society, well respected for caring for birds, has been blatantly biased in FAVOR of BigWind, aka Bird Blenders, but here we read about a professor sharing the TRUTH to a room of them. Bats are VITAL to our species! Why? Just read this excerpt from one of our past blogs, 

“…Estimates range between 600,000-1 million bats are killed every year by wind turbines. What will industrial turbines do, in the long run, to your family legacy? How much money do you want to spend on insecticides? Do you think it is responsible for you to accelerate the use of pesticides? You should think twice before signing a new lease when you consider how detrimental industrial wind turbines are to the bat populations. A new study published by the National Science Foundation finds that bats contribute over a billion dollars in value to corn farmers in preventing crop damage.  Boston University previously reported the economic value of bats as $72 per crop acre in avoided pesticide costs….”

In the grassy cornfields of Southern Illinois bats are on the hunt for insects, and according to new research, farmers have more than a billion reasons to be grateful for it.

Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today confirms that bats play a significant role in combating corn crop pests, saving more than $1 billion a year in crop damages around the world.

Many of Indiana’s bats are disappearing at an alarming rate, but if you’re hoping that means a bat is less likely to sneak into your attic or church, you’re out of luck.

A recent bat talk by Ball State University biologist Tim Carter to local Audubon Society members…

A longtime bat researcher who displays affection and admiration for the creatures, Carter has noticed that some species have become hard or impossible to find.

The primary cause is white-nose syndrome (WNS)…

Unfortunately, migratory bats are being killed by what Carter calls “wildlife in a blender,” or wind turbines. “People call this green energy,” he said recently to a crowd of bird lovers at Kennedy Library. “I call it red energy. I call them all kinds of terrible things.”

Not meaning to downplay the threat of wind farms to birds, but bird mortality at a wind farm is measured in dozens or hundreds, Carter said, while bat fatalities are measured in the thousands.

“A single wind farm can kill 4,000 bats in a single season,” he said.

The 150-foot-long blade of a wind turbine might not look like it’s moving fast, but on a windy day, it can complete one revolution in four seconds, which equates to the tip of the blade traveling more than 200 mph…

“Like it or not, we are part of the ecosystem,” Carter told The Star Press. “You can think of the ecosystem like a car. There are lots of parts and certainly some are more important than others. But we all know if you have enough parts on your car break, the car stops working and you are stranded.

“Species are the parts of the ecosystem. If we lose one or two we will likely be fine, but if we lose enough the ecosystem will struggle and eventually stop. That ecosystem is what makes the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. We need a healthy ecosystem for our existence.”…

Indiana professor article

Ohio has a BigWin against (another) BigWind

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Hallelujiah! Congratulations to the people of Northern Ohio, who have tirelessly fought against BigWind for a very long time. There are still other projects they continue to fight, but this small victory is needed.  In particular, we recognize the wisdom exhibited by their county commissioners to revoke the Alternative Energy Zone, as these are magnets for taxdollarsuckingBigWind projects.  HB 401 and SB 234 are IMPORTANT for residents of Ohio, as they will give YOU, the landowner, the opportunity to consider if YOU believe a BigWind takeover is right/wrong for YOUR area…..

The Seneca Wind project that had been proposed in Seneca County has been suspended by sPower, its parent company, according to an sPower news release. The announcement was made Tuesday…

 

On Oct. 10, they sent a letter to the Ohio Development Services Agency in Columbus clarifying that Seneca Wind would not be grandfathered under the former AEZ. The project would be considered a new filing because the project has been withdrawn from OPSB consideration.

sPower’s decision to not refile the OPSB application will put the project on hold for an undetermined period, the release said, until next steps are defined by the company…

The release said the project would have provided enough clean energy to power nearly 60,000 homes per year. (bologna! We know this is not true. Their energy is on/off/on/off and must always be backed up by fossil fuels. You must look at the performance of other BigWind in Ohio, represented by the capacity factor- a mere 30ish% of what they claim)It was estimated that this project would have contributed more than $3 million annually (not true either, just ask Texas) to the local economy, the release said…

In a statement, Seneca Anti-Wind Union said, “… We still have multiple projects in our area that we oppose including both the Republic Wind and Emerson Creek Wind projects that are being developed by APEX.

“Going forward, we urge everyone to support Rep. (Bill) Reineke’s work in Columbus to pass HB 401 and SB 234, which are identical bills that would allow for a referendum on wind projects so that all local citizens can have input on such a major change to the fabric of their community,” the organization said. “The current process allows state regulators to make such decisions with no local vote, and that tends to motivate massive opposition.”

For more information on Seneca Wind, visit http://www.senecawind.com.

 

The Advertiser-Tribune

 

“Noncompetitive” BigWind can mock the taxpayer, again

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The US taxpayer has given the BigWindustry an amazing Christmas bonus now for almost 40 years. Congress is filled with wimps and liars. The President, although he has many accomplishments, should be ashamed that this deal was allowed to continue. The renewable industry mocks us, laughs at us, attacks us, and then we give them BILLIONS in SUBSIDIES.  What kind of recourse is there-or will there every be- for the taxpayer who knows the truth? …

I was told, repeatedly, that the wind subsidies would be allowed to expire. That the industry was ready to stand on its own feet. That there was no appetite to renew the production tax credit. I told them I would believe it when I see it. This is the part where I say “I told you so,” because guess what was tucked into the $1.37 trillion, end-of-the-year spending deal Congress passed before the holidays?

“Please don’t use those tired old arguments about how renewable energy can’t stand on its own without subsidies.”

 

That quote is from a recent letter to the editor written by former state lawmaker Ed Gruchalla, a Democrat who represented the Fargo-area’s District 45 in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013…

“All the project lacks is someone to step up and buy the power. What business or government entity wouldn’t want to include, clean, non-polluting energy use as part of their portfolio?”

I’d point out that utility companies have a duty to satisfy the real-world energy demands of our region, not the political whims of ideologues. Given that our regional energy grids are already chock full of intermittent power from wind farms, the demand for intermittent solar power is probably limited.

Speaking of wind power, and getting back to that quote, weren’t wind subsidies supposed to have expired by now?

That’s what I was told…

The wind energy companies argue that the construction is being driven by the markets and demand. A more likely explanation is that there was a rush to build these projects in order to capitalize on a subsidy which was set to expire last year. Wind companies had to break ground on their projects before the end of the year to get in on it…

In response to my writing, I got invited to a couple of sit-downs. One was with a couple of North Dakota lobbyists for the wind industry. The other was with the head of government affairs for one of the largest utilities in our region.

During both of these meetings, I was told, repeatedly, that the wind subsidies would be allowed to expire. That the industry was ready to stand on its own feet. That there was no appetite to renew the production tax credit.

I told them I would believe it when I see it.

This is the part where I say “I told you so,” because guess what was tucked into the $1.37 trillion, end-of-the-year spending deal Congress passed before the holidays?

A renewal of the production tax credit…

Still, if the wind industry really is ready to stand on its own feet, if Mr. Gruchalla is right and the subsidies argument about renewables is “tired” and “old” why was the PTC renewed at all?

At some point the PTC will need to end. When it does, I think we’re going to find out we built far more wind energy capacity than we really needed.

To comment on this article, visit www.sayanythingblog.com

Rob Port, founder of SayAnythingBlog.com, a North Dakota political blog, is a Forum Communications commentator. Listen to his Plain Talk Podcast and follow him on Twitter at @RobPort.

 

Original INFORUM article

BigWind seeks to ‘silence’ Ohioans

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“What Susan Munroe and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce have in common is that they both represent a big business intent on transforming entire communities from agricultural/residential to heavy industrial without the consent of the local citizens. No other form of development transforms such large portions of local areas, 250 square miles and tens of thousands of people affected in the Seneca County area alone. When big business lobbies for voter suppression on such a large issue then as citizens we should be very wary of their intentions no matter which side of the wind decision we may be on“…Amen and thank you Mr. Feasel for your wise comments!

Business and environmental groups told state lawmakers Tuesday that subjecting proposed wind farms to votes of the people would likely kill the industry in Ohio.

“House Bill 401 is an alarming proposal that would take away landowners’ rights by subjecting wind energy development to a local vote that could result in the cancellation of a project after the permitting,” said Susan Munroe, economic development director for Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and former president of the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce.

“It pits neighbor against neighbor,” she told the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “It’s an attack on landowner property rights. No other development, much less energy resource development, has to endure this type of legislation at the local level.”…

The measure would allow voters living in townships to petition to place a referendum on the ballot to undo wind farm site approvals by the Ohio Power Siting Board. The effort is largely driven by opponents of several large wind farms in varying stages of development, with a total of 189 turbines, on farmland in Seneca, Sandusky, Erie, and Huron counties.

Paulding County has four wind farms totaling 182 turbines, a fifth under construction with 31 turbines, and a sixth in development, generating income that Commissioner Roy Klopfenstein said could not be duplicated by other development. A turbine will soon be built on his own property.

“It is our opinion that the referendum process in this case is just wrong,” he said. “We as commissioners receive far more calls on livestock operations than wind farms. Are we as a community going to permit other industries to be subject to a ‘do I like my neighbor?’ vote?”

Some committee members questioned why Paulding should be concerned given the support wind farms have received in that rural, sparsely populated county. Testimony on Tuesday was limited to those opposing the measure.

The committee’s chairman, Rep. Nino Vitale (R., Urbana), noted that, as an energy source, wind farms take up thousands of more acres than, for instance, Lake County’s Perry nuclear power plant in Lake County.

“That is a big impact difference when you’re talking about 120,000 acres versus a thousand acres,” he said. “Maybe that is where some of the tension occurs in terms of why is this coming up.”

Rep. Jon Cross (R., Kenton), who has a wind farm in his home county of Hardin, asked Mr. Klopfenstein whether some of the impact on the wind industry might be alleviated if the referendum took place prior to a siting decision by the state board rather than after approval….

Toledo Blade article