Large turbines will give future generations a different view of local wildlife

Posted 20 January 2019 at 3:01 pm

Editor:

“Speed kills”; “Haste makes waste”; “Short term gain, long term pain”; “Those in the biggest hurry to get there often have the least idea where they are going”. The last one is mine.

The Town of Barre in Orleans County was targeted for a reason. As someone who knows recently explained to me, with 96 miles of roads to maintain and a low population density, it makes a certain amount of sense to make the Town into a wind “farm”, especially when everything appears to have a price tag.

But two of the biggest words in the English language are “if” and “but”.

“If” everyone on the Barre Town Board, with even an intention to sign a lease with a wind energy company, recuses him/herself, the possibility of a conflict of interest might go away.

“But”, even then, any wind energy project—some would use a different word—makes sense only with a performance bond for decommissioning, according to my well-informed source.

Largely woodlot habitat destruction won’t be the only cost in the final cost/benefit analysis.  Any of our great-great grandchildren who haven’t moved out, will just have to grin and enjoy the view—or lack thereof—while they go elsewhere to catch the birds in migration.  Unfortunately—or should I say fortunately—for those who haven’t witnessed it, they will never know what they missed.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion