Wind turbine leaseholders should consider impacts on rural habitat

Editor:

As most of all of you know, we in Orleans County are facing a deforestation crisis. When you travel in Orleans and the surrounding two counties have you noticed the industrialization of much of our rural landscape? We have growing industrial solar projects, growing industrial dairy farms and now some people dream of industrial bird-killing, 600-foot wind turbines in someone else’s back yard.

I spent some time a few days ago speaking to a man who knew the fathers and mothers of the people involved with local promotion of the Heritage Wind project, which by the way lies in the middle of a major flyway for many migrating birds. He said that the ancestors of some of those people must be rolling in their graves. He said many of the people who dream of raking in the money from the turbine leases at the cost of our rural landscape ought to be ashamed of themselves.

In the Bible, part of Romans 14:10 states that we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Knowing this I can only say, how could you! How could you sign leases that will cause the destruction of many more acres of what is left of our rural landscape. How could you understanding the delicate balance between man and nature allow that to be usurped for money. How could you allow a company such as Apex/Heritage Wind to come to our town and destroy the integrity of our town boards in that many who are seated there have signed wind leases.

How could you, knowing that we already face a rural habitat crisis, allow outsiders to destroy even more forest that for so many generations have been enjoyed by so many of your friends and neighbors. How can you go to church every week and look at those neighbors and hold your heads high, knowing that they and their children will have to suffer the consequences of your actions for generations to come.

As I was a child I was taught that I should endeavor to leave the world a better place than I found it. I’m sure many of you were taught the same things. I’m not going to judge any of you, that’s someone else’s job, but please consider this, when your children and grandchildren look at you and when you look at yourselves in the mirror, is that person who is looking back the same person who was taught as I was so many years ago?

As I said earlier I’m not your judge, that’s someone else’s job. Well there you have it, all the things many wish to say but are afraid to. In closing I just want to say, I still pray for all concerned.

Your friend and neighbor,

John Metzler

Barre