Mary Fleury, who is the only member who
voted against the proposed ordinance that would allow a maximum
turbine height of 575 feet (with blade tips much higher) has
resigned. In her announcement, Dr. Fleury cited the lack of
meaningful information presented to the Planning Commission to
warrant that height and the serious safety aspects that have been
reliably reported.
The draft ordinance originally called
for a maximum turbine height of 400 feet, but the Texas investors
wanted taller windmills. That group, Pioneer Green, was recently
refused permission for its proposed windfarms into other states that
rejected its proposed legislation, and it has abandoned plans to put
them there. Other states have objected to windfarm development of the
kind proposed for Somerset County – the so-called "great bay"
project.
With the change in Maryland government
resulting from last week’s election, it is possible that the State
of Maryland may abandon active support of Pioneer Green’s scheme
for Somerset County, which has been endorsed by O’Malley, Brown and
Mathias. In any event, with the opposition to the proposed windfarm
recently voiced by the Department of Defense, the draft ordinance, if
passed by the Somerset County Commissioners, may be dead on arrival.
Some planning commission members developed the ordinance according to Pioneer Green's needs rather than manufacturer safety recommendations. Another commission member's sister's husband has partnered with Pioneer Green to lease turbines.
ReplyDeleteSomerset County Ethics -- AWOL once again. What's new?
ReplyDeleteThe taxpayers duck another (rare) bullet.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who does the most casual investigation into the wind farm industry will find out that it benefits no one except the wind farm investors and their cronies.
ReplyDeleteWind farms don't work, they are not a reliable substitute for conventional energy and they create huge problems like noise, bird killing and a danger zone radius 5 time their height.
12:44,right on
ReplyDeletePioneer Green refused to provide the acoustics study. I wonder why? Pioneer Green also said the turbines would not be louder than a refrigerator, 40dba, but then said 40dba would zone them out. Glen Ains, Pat Carson, and Kevin Anderson then voted to reduce the noise limits to appease Pioneer Green. These 3 commission board members were working for Pioneer Green and refused to visit the SU sound lab to experience the sound firsthand. Another planning board member was removed in September for asking to many questions about safety.
ReplyDeleteDr. Mary Fleury is highly intelligent and a woman of integrity. I applaud her principled action.
ReplyDeleteIt's hilarious that the same green liberal democrats are the very ones that have virtually killed this project. This is the first good thing that Milkulski, Cardin, Hoyer have done in there entire career.
ReplyDelete