Dr. Randy George of Marion Station presented the following remarks Feb. 11 to the County Ethics Commission as it begins to review financial disclosure forms submitted by the County Commissioners.
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“I’m have been very troubled by what’s going on with regards to this wind ordinance. The underlying reason, I think, why you’re here today is that wind ordinance.
“The drafting of an ordinance was commissioned by the County Commissioners to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and I think this whole discussion centers around the prestige of office, around the use of that. And that’s the underlying theme that I hear through it all.
“You are at some disadvantage, because you were not, like many of us, sitting through these long Planning and Zoning Commission meetings. Maybe that’s an advantage. But we do have, and the county does have audio/visual records of every bit of it, it’s out there.
“When Pioneer Green, we all know who that is, came into the county, it had very clear requirements. It was never vague about those requirements for what it had to have in order to be here. It needed to plant a series of turbines in an agricultural-residential area, because we are closely tied geographically to each other that didn’t leave a lot of area. People live quite close to each other even though it’s an agricultural region.
“Pioneer Green wanted to place these turbines 700 feet away from people. They finally conceded that it would be a 1,000 feet, otherwise they would have to walk. The height had to be a certain height, and if it were to be restricted, they would have to walk. If the sound was allowed to be too loud, they would have to walk, they required it to be in the range of airports and train sound levels permitted by the state of Maryland, otherwise they would not stay.
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1,183 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 801 – 1000 of 1183 Newer› Newest»7:27 Why would anyone have to make an attempt to show the economic boon this project would create. Refer to the Jacobs France Study. 2.9 million per year in county taxes and 1.8 million in economic increase. The economic boon is apparent unless you have reading comprehension problems.
Kevin Miller's lease should be filed under Kevin Miller and Pioneer Green, however, Kevin Miller's lease is filed only under Kevin Miller even though it is with Pioneer Green. Not sure why this error occurred but it is suspicious since it is the only lease that has been omitted from the Pioneer Green records. Maybe Kevin or Vicki could explain.
@7:23 - are you implying that county employees can prevent the filing of legal documents? In order for it to be a valid lease, it has to be recorded. Again, 4 people left off the map as stated by an opponent's comment - that is a 5% error rate. And are you sure that what you have reflected on the map shows the accurate ownership?
8:05 You said earlier at least four were not included in the SFS map? Were all four mis-filed? If they were not then were was that screw up? Does Kevin or Vicki work at the court office?
Maybe Kevin Miller is part owner of PG now. Is it a conflict to work for the company and have a lease with that same company? I don't know, just asking.
If this project is such a economic boon why aren't other counties begging for PG to come to their county? Why are some counties zoning wind mills out completely? Economics has to be balanced with quality of life and that is way above PG's head.
The 1000 comments on this post is a real possibility. One more move to the top and it will be guaranteed. As someone said before, PG has nothing better to do than post on blogs because they are not busy building windmills.
Any reputable company would at least sign there name when defending there project.
I suggest you ask Pioneer Green or Kevin and Vicki Miller your questions. Not sure why the record was not properly recorded but it needs to be corrected. The map is correct but there could be additional leases. Rumor has it that Rex's sister has a signed contract with Pioneer. A government official stated this but there is no record to be found. Maybe you can explain it because I cannot.
If Kevin Miller has a lease and his is the only one that wasn't recorded that looks very suspicious to me. Frankly, it's unbelievable. There has to be a reason and since he works for PG he should come clean on that. This whole project is beginning to look more and more like the Obama administration. Can you spell dysfunctional!
If I had a lease could anyone tell me how to get out of it if I wanted to? Lawyers are expensive but these leases seem to have some real flaws.
I've only had the displeasure of seeing one PG guy in a meeting about two years ago and he was one of the rudest people I've ever seen in a public meeting. I made up my mind at that point that I could never support PG because frankly they just seemed untrustworthy.
As published by James Taylor in the Energy & Environment section on October 17, 2014 of Forbes.com, "According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the 10 states in which wind power accounts for the highest percentage of the state's electricity generation are:
Iowa 27%, South Dakota 26%, Kansas 19%, Minnesota 16%, ND 16%, OK 15%, CO 14%, OR 12% and WY 8%. Data from these states shows from 2008-2013 electricity prices rose an average 20.7 percent, which is SEVEN-FOLD HIGHER than the national electricity price increase of merely 2.8 percent.
No one is to blame for this fiasco except Great Bay. They went about this whole thing backwards. They got there leases and then tried to get permission to build. If they had had good business sense they would have got the permission to build first and then went out and got some leases. The real reason they did not do that is because they thought if they spread the money around first with the money people than the money people would make sure they got the permission. How wrong they were, I would bet if they attempt another project somewhere they will get the zoning before the leases.
A close study of the Jacob France study debunks much of what Pioneer Green proclaims. Even though the project costs $200 million, only a tiny fraction of that will be spent within the county. Yet Somerset will be ground zero for noise pollution, wildlife kills, habitat loss, shadow flicker, electromagnetic interference, and the aesthetic blight wind turbines will bring. It seems Somerset officials are not to savvy when it comes to appraising the value of Somerset and its citizens.
Because of health complaints, Denmark is studying the impacts low frequency noise is having on residents and animals. After a new wind facility went on line, hundreds of minks miscarried. Wind construction has all but ceased because it is believed there is a direct link to the low frequency sound and the miscarriages. Unfortunately, these problems are not confined to animals, people are suffering too. Homes have been abandoned because no one is interested in purchasing a residence close to the turbines.
The only error to date is with the Kevin and Vicki Miller lease. There could be more leases, but if no filings are on record, there is no way to determine so.
Pioneer Green purchase $2.2 million worth of property just south of Princess Anne last week from Miller Somerset Farm LLC & Miller Somerset Farm LLC II. The land was on the market for $1.5 million then was increased to $2.2 million. Funny how Pioneer Green waited for the price to go up before purchasing. It would be interesting to find out who is hiding behind these LLC's.
8:44 One of the studies posted by an OPPONENT earlier that is on the SFS website claimed energy prices would go down. Furthermore your article does not say prices go up. You are being a tad bit misleading. Wind companies do locate their wind farms in areas that have the highest energy prices. This is common sense business. By locating their wind farms in areas with higher energy rates, they can get higher bids for their energy increasing profits. If you had read this thread this has been discussed. If wind power was more costly then when Texas deregulated wind power would have been finished. Instead wind has continued to thrive in Texas and if you look you will find is one of the cheapest forms of energy there.
8:36 You keep alleging that Kevin Miller works for Pioneer. Do you have any evidence of this? If they hired a local I say good for them, but I have never heard anything of this accept from anonymous post on a blog. YOU are the one that is alleging something scandalous may be going on with the lease so why don't you fill us in on exactly what you think happened. If the map is correct then why do you need to go on a blog and add names in? Also are you sure you have the property names on your map listed right? Something does not look correct.
8:29 When has Pioneer ever made a statement that they didn't sign their name too?
8:25 Economics have to be balanced with quality of life? The economic improvements that will occur from the project are obvious and indicated by the Jacobs France Institute. The opposition cannot come up with anything to prove there will be any effect on quality of life. Apparently the fact that the county does not make multi-million dollar decision based solely on your word is way over your head.
8:39 Are you a lawyer? I have talked around and several of the hosting landowners indicate that their lawyers said this was the most two-sided lease they had ever seen.
8:42 If you think that you should have seen the leader of the opposition. Yelling at people, calling names and crying when she didn't get her way.
8:51 The Jacobs France study never said the entire cost of the project would be spent in Somerset. It did say that there will be 2.9 million per year in county taxes and 1.8 in economic increase. Much of this will be from participating landowners having more to spend. Health effects and wildlife kills have been discussed and all research posted shows no negative effects. If you want to dispute this post your sources.
9:26 Where is a listing of the sale? I just looked at Maryland SDAT and the property is still recorded as being under Miller LLC. If someone got a great price I am happy for them but what you are claiming is not adding up.
8:46 In other words your business advice would be to go through the permitting and all the expensive parts of pre-development and then find out if you could lease enough property for a project. I wouldn't want to get any business advice from you.
9:19 If you are concerned about health effects allow me to refer you to the previously cited Health Canada study in addition to the Massachusetts Literature review. I am sure you will come back and say they are wrong because they do not agree with you but that you refuse to back up any of your claims with references speaks volumes.
9:19 Please scroll back and read the several peer reviewed studies already posted that show no loss in property values and no decrease in property sales. Once again if you dispute them would you mind citing your references? This whole conversation is fairly pointless if you continue to proclaim fantasy without citing any fact.
8:32 I have to ask, are you working for Pioneer? You keep saying someone is being paid to be on a blog just citing sources to disprove your nonsense. But in reality I don't see how that would be worth paying someone for. PG could just put all that literature on their website and facebook for free. However if PG could completely discredit the opposition (in my mind not hard to do anyway) that would possibly be worth paying someone a few bucks for. Your numerous unfounded accusations of corruption from an anonymous post destroy your credibility. Your continual spewing of easily refuted falsehoods make you look nuts. And your continuous refusal to cite anything to back up your outrageous claims despite the proponents citing much information makes you look false. Then the comment on 3/4 9:04am "For 300 years, the descendents of the same "plantation" people have run this county. When the Civil War interfered with their plans, they prevented busness that would raise wages, including Walmart, from coming to the county." All I can say is WOW. Are the opponents really claiming that the county kept walmart out, during the CIVIL WAR to keep wages low? I don't know what your angle is but if you were paid to strip the opposition of what little credibility they had left, congratulations on a job well done. You have earned your paycheck.
A report from Wall Street investment firm Lazard showed that the levelised cost of energy has dropped significantly over the past few years (a 5-year percentage decreases of 58%), but now costs less than all other new generation options. In fact, scanning through the figures provided by Lazard in its report (PDF), I was impressed just how often wind energy is the cheapest form of energy across the board.
This article addresses the James Taylor column. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/20/wind-energy-costs-low-heartland-institute/ Here is one quote "As seen in the chart above, provided by AWEA, those states with more than 8% wind energy are experiencing a load-weighted electricity price decline of 0.22%, compared to a price increase of 3.49% for the nation as a whole."
If wind energy has been a bad thing for Germany and "destroyed their economy" why are they still installing turbines?http://www.vestas.com/en/media/news#!150306_nr_uk_ceu
Variability of wind energy has been mentioned several times. Here is a good article about it. http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2015/02/13/blowing-away-myths-study-says-wind-energy-could-be-even-more-reliable-than-baseload-power/
Many of the land leasers do not live in Somerset County so how will they spend their money here?
Poor leadership is why Somerset has suffered economically. Destroying our most precious asset, our natural resources for questionable revenue and higher electricity bills, is NOT and acceptable trade off.
@7:52 I agree we have had poor leadership! If you think you can do a better job I encourage you and others to run for office. However candidates that SFS has supported have done poorly. You again claim destruction of our Natural Resources and again I would point out sources cited above that dismiss that claim even to the point that damage from wind is far less than the damage coal does. Do you still claim the Jacob France Institute is a questionable source? Without citing a source to the contrary? If so it's your opinion against a respected study from a respected institution. As far as higher electric bills, this has been refuted with several sources not the least of which is a study cited by SFS. Are you claiming SFS has submitted junk science or does wind energy lower electric rates?
after reviewing the wind energy lease and easement agreement pioneer green has the landowners sign NO DOUBT there will be problems w/ NOISE, FLICKER, electromagnetic, electrical or radio interference .
I think it is hilarious that the PG guy keeps complaining that the opposition is posting anonymously. Why doesn't he sign his name?
It is no secret Germany is in financial trouble because they depend on wind for energy. The wind produced at less than 15% of capacity in 2014. A closer example is wind production in New York where the turbines produce 23% of capacity. The turbines are installed upstate where there are significant winds. Wind developers promote projects using production capacity not production reality. This is yet another hoax of Pioneer Green. Too bad our county commissioners and greedy land owners did not do the math.
Doesn't seem your plan is working to well 3:26! Your plan was flawed from the beginning any I'm sure you are aware of that, you just are to ashamed to admit it.
About 600 times on this site 3:14 PG did not sign their name.
Gee 8:54. I thought we were talking about Somerset county, I wasn't aware of any coal plants being proposed of which you have already said no more will be built in this country due to Obama's policies.
9:48 I am all for a factual debate on an anonymous blog. However if you wish to slander your neighbors and make accusations of cooruption then you should sign you name to it. Also the proponents have listed a large body of literature that refutes every peice of SFS propaganda you have cited. You have said that each of those studies is wrong because you know better, not because you have any credible information that shows they are incorrect but simply because you know better. If you feel that you know more about economics than the Jacobs France Institute, more about the enviroment than all the scientists that have been cited, and more about health effects than all of the scientists and panels of doctors cited than I would like to see the impressive set of credentials you must have. I do not think anyone would be wise to disguard numerous publications from economists, scientists and doctors on the word of an anonymous post.
If this project is such a economic boon why aren't other counties begging for PG to come to their county? Why are some counties zoning wind mills out completely?
Still waiting for your answer PG.
Some PG guy is not sleeping to well, posting at 3-4 am.
11:04 why are you so two faced? You slander SFS leaders and don't sigh your name. Anything you say should be disregarded.
If PG wants us to believe that windmills are good for Somerset I believe they should pay for a study on how windmills would impact this county. Studies for all over the world do not apply to Somerset so get off some of your money PG a pay for a study that really means something to us.
11:14 Pioneer did pay for an economic impact study specific to Somerset county. It is on the Great Bay website if you have trouble finding it.
11:12 I have made a single accusation of anyone. Apparently you have trouble reading.
11:04 You may not have noticed but there are numerous counties across the US that have wind farms.
10:27 It is no secret to anyone that can use Google and read that Germany's power price spike came from cutting their nuclear program off. You seem worried about capacity. Two MET towers have provided enough data that the investors that would be on the hook for the project feel they can sell enough power off of it to get their money back with interest.
10:56 This comment is coming from someone who argues a company should come in and spend millions in permitting before finding out if they can even lease enough land to develop a project???
11:00 And in each of my share of those 600 you will not find any accusations of corruption and in most you will find the sources I claim. Are you arguing that it is ok to falsely accuse someone of corruption while hiding behind "anonymous?" You must feel so brave lying about your neighbors trying to give them a bad name while you hide in the internet.
11:09 Some people get up and get to work early. Try it some time
11:12 The only comment I have made about the SFS leader is to ask why she was not included in the ethics complaint. She had the same conflicts of interest. I think its a fair question, not slander. Do you care to answer?
11:34 Should read "have not" made a single accusation of anyone. Apologies for the mistype.
@11:00 You remind me of people who complain about farms because they believe their food comes from the grocery store. When you turn on a electric light where do you think that electric comes from? The line that feeds Somerset starts at the Indian River COAL fired electric plant. Coal fired electric plants are responsible for far more bird deaths than wind. Far more environmental problems. Far more habitat damage. While coal is certainly going to be an important part of our electrical generation for decades to come virtually every rational person who looks at our energy policy believes we should be diversifying our energy industry. There is no perfect form of electrical generation! Wind is not perfect, frankly if I wanted to make an argument against it, and was dishonest enough to do as you do and compare it to nothing I could make a much better argument against it than you half wits have. The fact is we demand electricity and plenty of it. The Nations economy depends on it. The most rational way to diversify our electrical generation is a combination of Solar and Wind energy. If you see a better way than state it.
SFS does not have one leader, but if you are referring to commissioner Truitt, she disclosed her relationship. She also made decisions to protect people and their property rather than decisions that would enhance her relatives financial gain. This is the opposite of Pat Carson and Kevin Anderson's actions that will benefit family and business partners.
11:00 The question was "when has Pioneer ever made a statement they didn't sign their name to?" Every release they have ever made to my knowledge included the name of the rep that made the statement. I very much doubt a single comment on this thread came from Pioneer, I know that there are not 600 from Pioneer. As I see proponent comments that are not mine I will grant you it is possible that someone from Pioneer is on here, but doubtful.
If a P&Z member or county commissioner votes in favor of a project that will result in financial gain for their family member, that is a potential financial conflict of interest. They are in a position of power to generate monetary gain for them or their family members. If a P&Z member or county commissioner votes against a project, meaning that they or a family member would not get a monetary gain, that does not represent a financial conflict of interest. I assume that by "SFS leader" you mean Tammy Truitt. Ms.Truitt's position on the project would not result in financial gain for her or her family. So no, that does not represent a financial conflict of interest.
So does this look better than a wind turbine? Especially considering a turbine will be over 1400' from a property line. This is right along side 50. http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2015/03/why-is-this-facility-in-vienna.html
You people like to pretend that as long as you don't see the impact you make on the earth it's not happening .Here are a couple of good sites you should look at. When you say you don't want green energy but you still expect the lights to come on this is what you are supporting!"http://content.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/lawsuit/2015/court-rejects-plan-expand-new-mexico-coal-mine" and "http://content.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/category/stopping-mountaintop-removal-and-other-destructive-mining"
@12:42 Let's cut the crap! Ethics disclosure forms never ask your position on an issue because it doesn't matter. You either have a family relation or don't. I have no idea about Pat Carson's relationship so I won't comment. Anderson did disclose his relationship when he found out about it. Furthermore his sister name is not on the deed in question. SFS has shown incredible levels of hypocrisy throughout this whole debate but never anything compared to this issue. Tammy not only has family in the program but even worse she is the leader of the opposition. The purpose of the zoning board is not to stop all business it is to provide a balanced and unbiased institution to set guidelines for both potential business and existing landowners to coexist.They don't represent one side or the other. How can SFS claim Tammy was unbiased when she leads the opposition? Are you really going to try and claim this was fair to GB? Furthermore you try to claim since she consistently voted against GB interests and even made insults to their representative that her family ties were not an issue. That's BS. Most people in Somerset know Tammy is consumed with jealousy for her sister and brother in law! This is well known. Tammy's brother in law is a brilliant businessman who has done very well for himself and many people including Tammy can't handle that. He has made a fortune, not by having things handed to him but hard work and wise decisions. SFS would do well to learn from his example instead of allowing jealousy to consume your life!
11:34 I was referring to a study as to how windmills would really affect Somerset, not just economically. Money is important but not nearly as important as safety and health.
11:40 you are saying that it is then OK to come in and spend millions before you know weather or not you can even get a permit to build. I doubt that it would even cost millions to get a permit unless you are paying off a whole lot of crooked politicians and even that is not working. I stick by my statement, Make sure you can build them before you spend a lot of money purchasing leases that you may never be able to use. The only reason to do that is if you were promised the permitting would not be a problem. If that was the case you were mislead and it makes you look kind of foolish.
11:42, of coarse you haven't ever said anything negative about the leader of SFS. You have accused them of everything you can possible think of including her occupation of raising chickens.
Get up at 3am, no thanks, that is just not normal.
It is so ironic that you say Pioneer Green is forthcoming with information when Pioneer Green refuses to share vital information about the Great Bay Wind project by declaring it "proprietary". The County Commissioners requested a site map, a line of site study, and a lease contract. Pioneer Green agreed to provide all of these, yet neither has been provided. Please call Doug Taylor to verify (410) 651-0320. I am still waiting for the study Adam Cohen promised that shows the Great Bay Wind project will lower our cancer rates.
2:47 Adam Cohen made a comment that cutting back on coal use would directly benefit Somerset's cancer rates. That hardly translates into promising a study.
2:23 I have not accused her of anything. I have not even made a comment about her raising chicken although I think it is hilarious that if I did make a comment about her raising chickens somehow in your mind that would be an accusation of corruption.
2:20 To start a major business venture in Maryland you need a lobbyist. That cost a lot of money. Permitting for 20 some machines costs money. I don't think anyone could ever promise any business that permitting in Maryland would not be a problem. The fact that you think that moving a business through legalities in Maryland is cheap and easy makes you seem either foolish or naive. I am saying that it would make sense for a business such as this to handle the cheap side of things like lease options and make sure you can get the amount of land you need and then move into the expensive part of things especially in a anti-business state such as Maryland.
2:11 All of the studies cited on safety and health are just as pertinent here as elsewhere. Do you think the same low frequency noise that causes no signs of stress in Canada would have a different effect here?
It's nice to claim that Tammy is jealous, but do you have scientific evidence to support your claim? (yeah, that's how stupid many of your comments are PG guy). So even if she is, can you show us where jealousy represents a conflict of interest? Do filings ask about jealous relationships? No, but they do ask about financial relationships.
2:04: fair to Great Bay? I heard over and over at public meetings that this ordinance was about wind turbines, not Great Bay. So now it is about being fair to one company. OK, thanks for clearing that up.
2:04 You state "Ethics disclosure forms never ask your position on an issue because it doesn't matter." Exactly my point, so the view of your so called leader of SFS, doesn't form a conflict then.
You gotta love Somerset! We've got a Somerset County Resident that in all likelihood would not have a pot to pee in if it were not given to them, that feels qualified to give Adam Cohen advice on how to do business. Tell us how many 200 million dollar projects have you completed. So typical! Losers that have done nothing with their life who spend their time telling the world how smart they are!
I am laughing hysterically at each of you, particularly 12:42 who have no clue of what a conflict of interest means. And to further research my thoughts, I read the Somerset County Ethics Ordinance which clearly states that an employee may NOT participate in any matter which the employee, or a qualified relative (which includes siblings) of the employee has an INTEREST. Not a financial gain or loss but an INTEREST. It has to be disclosed. Being opposed does not exempt you. So your argument holds no water.
@3:20 Your side is the one saying Tammy's family relationship's don't matter because she sided with SFS. Yeah that's how stupid many of your comments are SFS gal
3:20 Your lack of knowledge about conflicts of interest aside I must ask if not scientific evidence then what do you feel ordinances should be based on?
It is easy to be successful when you can foreclose on properties and then gobble them up for 20 cents on the dollar. Serving on a bank board certainly offers great privilege for Scott Tawes and Brian Twilley. Scott Tawes choosees his partners carefully. Doug Reynolds and Juke Marshall have benefited from this, BIG TIME while ordinary citizens get the shaft.
I am a resident of Somerset County and I attended all of the Planning and Zoning meetings. Tammy was professional and brought up safety issues. She advocated using manufacturer safety manuals to determine setbacks. It is the purpose of the board to ensure new development is compatible with current development. Using manufacture guidelines would do this. Protecting public safety and property values are the function of the zoning board.
Tammy's relationship mirrors that of Kevin Anderson's. The difference is Tammy met her obligation to ensure new development is compatible with current development while Kevin ignored his duty in favor of economic benefit for his sister's family.
I would like to know more about the Miller family and the missing money from the board of education, Vicki's previous employer. A DT reporter said it was Vicki Miller and the incident had been swept under the rug. After she left the Board of Education, she was hired in the County Finance Department. Does this sound familiar????? There is also the matter of the Miller/Pioneer Green lease that was not recorded properly. Vicki Miller receives a county paycheck and works in the government office building. We are paying her salary????? A bit troubling, don't you think.
Does Scott Tawes prepare the Board of Education audit?
Jerry Boston has been promoting the project since its inception. He is even pushing to construct turbines on county property. Too bad he did not disclose his daughter's husband, Doug Reynolds, is collecting payments from Pioneer Green.
Too bad Jerry Boston did not disclose his daughter's husband, Douglas Reynolds, is collecting payments from Pioneer Green.
7:48 You call yelling and name calling professional in a County office session by an appointed representative of planning and zoning professional? Hate to see what you would call unprofessional.
7:52 So to summarize your statement, if someone agrees with YOU than they are exempt from conflict of interest??
@8:00 - What you are alleging is very serious and should be brought out publically, don't you think?
8:00pm The issue of who does the BOE audit was answered. If your having trouble with reading comprehension then make yourself a note. If you feel you have evidence of corruption then you should make a formal complaint. Otherwise it seems you are making a desperate bid for some semblance of credibility by slandering someone in the community. What I find a bit troubling is that you will persistently imply that others are engaged in dishonest, unethical, illegal behavior but you will not file a formal complaint. Are you afraid to file a complaint with your name on it or is there really nothing to your stories?
@8:06 and 8:08 - the Ethics ordinance defines "qualified relative" as spouse, parent, child, or sibling. It says nothing about "in laws".
8:06 and 8:08 I think it is interesting that after Jerry Boston put the leader of SFS on the zoning committee they are now stabbing him in the back by proclaiming he will not act in the counties best interest, and I hope he notices this.
I'm really impressed with Kevin Miller, whoops, I mean PG spokesman. Apparently he is a: lawyer, engineer, excellent business man, renewable energy expert, economist, scientist, parliamentarian, real estate expert, electric grid operator, politician, and good samaritan. He really is a one-stop-shop for all our county needs!
8:56 If Pioneer hired him it sounds like they got a good deal as neither one of the SFS guys can come up with anything to debate the proponents on. SFS has not been able to get the facts straight, argue a point without switching sides, and the comment one of them made about "the Somerset plantation owners keeping Walmart out during the civil war to keep wages low" has made this much less of a debate and more of a battle of the wits with an unarmed opponent.
It's like the old adage says, truth is stranger than fiction. So PG guy says, "Ethics disclosure forms never ask your position on an issue because it doesn't matter." He then claims that someone's position on an issue does matter. He then claims that SFS switches positions. You just switched positions.
So you switch positions, but then try to bash SFS for supposedly doing this. You realize that people actually read, right? Wow, I figured a bunch of Texas lawyers would have been smart enough to hire someone better.
9:43 What are you talking about?? For one I am not an employee of PG. The ethics forms do not ask for a position on a matter. No one has switched sides on this.
9:43 I am trying to figure out where you are coming from. Yes the disclosure forms do not ask for a stance on an issue. No one has ever "switched sides" on this. Are you challenging that they do not ask for a political stance? I guess you are making a obscure reference to Jerry Boston. Jerry put the leader of SFS on the P&Z Committee. Then they stabbed him in the back and filed a bogus ethics complaint, the disclosure forms indicate child, sibling or spouse, not in-laws. But if SFS had wanted to claim this was an ethics violation then they should have included their leader who had the same conflict of interest....an in-law. Jerry's stance on the issue has nothing to do with it. To top it off SFS claims that the commissioners stacked the deck for Pioneer and were trying to hand them an ordinance....because that is what putting the leader of the opposition on the board is right??? So when SFS makes any type of request or motion I sincerely hope he remembers they cannot be trusted and they stabbed him in the back and he acts accordingly. How in your mind this a switching positions is beyond me.
3:23 The ordinance is for wind turbines. I don't think this was ever disputed. It will be used by anyone that comes in to install turbines. However right now Great Bay has been here for 5 years operating in good faith. Don't you think they have some rights in this? If a business comes in and needs an ordinance don't you think the county could take a little less time than 5yrs?
Looks like PGs attorney Jennifer Goodwillie bailed on Pioneer Greens project. Hmm, I wonder why?
Well I guess SFS figured out that their attempts at intimidation didn't work with anonymous accusations and innuendo so now they have doubled down with an anonymous Daily Times reporter(8:00PM).To question someone's integrity is a serious thing and this has long passed the point where there is some appropriate middle ground. If SFS has some evidence that Vicki Miller embezzled money, left the school board abruptly, engaged in some sort of cover up or was involved in some sort of deliberate misfiling of County Records as they claim, they need to make a signed public statement to that effect. If they are correct, and they claim the Daily Times has confirmed this, the County Commissioners needs to explain why they have put someone in a position of responsibility who has already been caught in inappropriate behavior. This would be extremely irresponsible for our commissioners and since Vicki's previous job was CFO of the school board there is no way the commissioners could claim ignorance. If on the other hand SFS cannot confirm any of the claims they have made, and this has been nothing more than a disgusting attempt at intimidation using innuendo and a claimed anonymous reporter to attack someone's character than SFS also needs to make a signed public announcement to that effect. As stated their is no other appropriate response other than one of these two options. Unfortunately what SFS will most likely do is continue hiding behind anonymous and using innuendo and referencing make believe sources to attack supporters of wind energy's character. Fortunately, at least in Vicki's case anyone concerned should be able to get good reliable information if they want it(as SFS could). Vicki's present and previous jobs have been public. Anyone concerned has every right to inquire to our County Administrator, their Commissioner, School Board members or the Board of Education. Of course, as it is with the wind energy issue, it doesn't matter how easy it is for people to get good reliable information on an issue, some people just want to believe what they want and don't want the truth if it interferes with their desired beliefs. I know Vicki and she is an extremely independent person and I suspect she can live just fine with those people thinking what they will.
@9:43 Please look into some adult ed. courses that will help with reading comprehension. I feel this will greatly improve your life as well as those around you. SFS is claiming Tammy's position on the wind issue absolves her of the ethics disclosure requirements. SFS argues that since she voted against her sister's interests it is okay. The ethics forms make NO such stipulation.The point that was clearly made was it does NOT matter if you want to help a sibling or due to an issue with jealousy want to financially hurt a sibling. In laws are not listed as relatives. The supporters have been consistent with this SFS is the one demanding two separate standards. If this is not clear enough for you please get someone to explain it in more simpler terms. BTW in my humble opinion, while both are certainly wrong, I have much more respect for someone who would use their position to help a relative than someone so consumed with jealousy they would work to hurt a relative!
These relationships violate the economic benefit portion of the ethics ordinance. Guess that is why Kirk Simpkins has finally recused himself after supporting Pioneer Green because his biggest clients and father-in-law would directly benefit. These leases are for 30 years. It is reasonable to expect that Tawes's children will inherit his wealth which puts a wind lease in Simpkins's lap.
10:36 You wonder why? Is it some ground breaking news in your opinion when a lawyer goes back into the legal profession? You also seem to trying to be a little deceptive there. You did not mention that she did not work on east coast development and other than showing up at a few meetings to help Paul had little to no involvement with the Great Bay Wind Project.
Ok, let me make this real simple for you PG guy.
1) With regards to ethics forms, you claim that a person's position on an issue doesn't matter .
2) You claim that Tammy Truitt has a conflict of interest because of her position opposing the turbines.
You don't get to have it both ways.
9:13 Ok Let me make it even simpler for you SFS Guy. According to the ethics forms a persons position DO NOT matter. HOWEVER as the zoning lawyer pointed out you can be too close to an issue without having a relationship conflict of interest and should still abstain yourself from voting. This is not in the ethics forms but is still relevant to personal ethics. Your argument that if someone one agrees with SFS then they are excused from ethics violations does not hold water. As myself and others have said, there was no ethics violation here, the forms do not indicate an in-law as a conflict of interest.
9:13 Let me try to make it even easier for you to understand. Let us say you were building a new chicken house and you went to zoning. The president of PETA was on the zoning board. They had no relationship conflict of interest. Would you wish for them to abstain in making decisions on you poultry farm or not?
7:17 The SFS leader had the same relationship as everyone that SFS filed the ethics complaint on, an in-law. While I do not agree that this is a ethics issue if you do interpret it that way then any ethics complaint should have included your leader. Being a member of SFS does not exempt you from ethics.
Quote from Delmarvanow.com "Safe For Somerset member E.J. Monheiser justified the omission of Truitt's relationship with a leaseholder, saying that as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Truitt was forthcoming with evidence of potential problems with turbines.
"If she was for turbines, in the same kettle of fish as Anderson and Carson are in, she definitely would have been on the list we put out," Monheiser said." Hey SFS Gal don't you hate it when you have been hateful and nasty and called people's posts stupid and they copy and paste your own words and show you to be wrong!
Just read in the southern MD paper that legislator are working or a bill that will finally kill this project. PG must be aware of that, I'm a little surprised that it hasn't been mentioned. Check it out, I'm sure comments will soar over 1000 as soon as we start discussing the proposed legislation by Southern MD lawmakers. It should be the final nail in the coffin for PG.
This is the "beauty" of Pioneer Greens spin campaign. The Pioneer Green spokesman just had his own words used against him. SFS filed information based on public records. Pioneer Green is the one here claiming personal ethics issues.
So look, now that Pioneer Green had their words used against them, they now deflect and try to pretend that Monheiser has somehow contradicted herself.
The Planning and Zoning Commissioners were not required to file financial disclosure forms. Until very recently the County Attorney had not even bothered to prepare the forms as required by the state. Hopefully soon, the P & Z Commissioners will be required to file forms.
The Ehics Ordinance doesn't say that a "qualified relative" is on a lease or owns the property, but to have a "financial interest". To have a "financial interest", you only must be in a position to recieve financial benefit, which is the case unless someone is keeping things secret from their spouse.
When I first moved to the shore, I was told not to buy property in Somerset County because of the "inbred corruption". Now I understand what they ment. I wish I had taken there advice.
12:02 SFS Spokesperson, SFS has said that their leader is exempt from her own interpretation of ethics because she is opposed to wind turbines. The Somerset County Ethics Ordinance states that an employee may NOT participate in any matter which the employee, or a qualified relative (which includes siblings) of the employee has an INTEREST. Once again as this says siblings not in-laws I personally think the entire ethics complaint is crap. BUT if you wish to interpret it that way then your leader has the same conflict of interest. Being a member of SFS does not give someone the right to ignore the ethics ordinance. If your leader feels that the ordinance carries over into in-laws then she should have not voted. Also while the county ethics ordinance does provide clear cut conflicts of interest it is not absolute, someone with no relationship described in the County Ethics Ordinance may still have reason to abstain from voting. The 11:25 comment "Let us say you were building a new chicken house and you went to zoning. The president of PETA was on the zoning board. They had no relationship conflict of interest. Would you wish for them to abstain in making decisions on you poultry farm or not?" is spot on.
5:54 Nothing is keeping you here. You feel that way instead of staying here and complaining find somewhere that will make you happy.
Hey Pioneer Green, you do not understand the legal definition of interest. An interest is a "right, claim, or privilege." Tammy Truitt has none of these in Pioneer Green. And "claim" does not mean a viewpoint, it means a stake in the firm. Seriously, go do your homework.
10:05 Go do your homework. It does not say financial interest. Her brother in law has a lease. If this is not an interest then none of the people she accuses of a ethics violation has one. It has been stated several times that the ethics ordinance does not ask for a viewpoint. Siding with or siding against something has no bearing on an ethics violation. If you are now saying that an in-law is not a conflict of interest than notify the county that you are withdrawing your ethics complaint as you made an error.
10:05 Let me give you the County Ethics Ordinance again. "The Somerset County Ethics Ordinance states that an employee may NOT participate in any matter which the employee, or a qualified relative of the employee has an INTEREST." If a brother in law is not a qualified relative then none of the in-laws SFS states in their ethics complaint are qualified relatives either. The ethics ordinance does not say the employee may participate "if they side with SFS" or may participate if they "side against the qualified relative" it makes it very simple and says "an employee may NOT participate in any matter which the employee, or a qualified relative (which includes siblings) of the employee has an INTEREST."
@10:05 Hey SFS Are you saying Tammy does not have a sister married to someone with a lease with GB? Of course with your reading comprehension skills I'm sure you will read that question and answer that Tammy does not have a lease with GB! Does Tammy have a sister married to Juke Marshall?
http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/ag-leaders-call-on-presidential-hopefuls-to-support-clean-energy-future/
7:15, as i look at the chart here on Joe's blog, I don't see where anyone opposed to the project voted to further their interest. The chart shows who did though.
All this fighting is like watching children on the playground. Their are clear conflicts of interest through and through. The solution is actually quite simple. The current ordinance should be declared null and void. The County should replace the entire planning and zoning board with carefully vetted members, and charge them with drafting a new ordinance completely from scratch.
@12:06 You are absolutely right that the present proposed ordinance should be voided. However their is no need to draw up another one as there is already another ordinance prepared with no challenges to the board. The first ordinance has setbacks that are well within industry standards and should have been adopted. The commissioners had the mistaken belief that they could appease SFS and requested a new one. Obviously these people will not be satisfied and the county should move on. GB has waited almost 5 years for an ordinance because of this type of foolishness. Enough!
Before SFS claims different no turbines were involved with these bird's deaths or the power outage! http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2015/03/07/hundreds-without-power/24588631/
1:07, except that the original ordinance was drafter by some of the same members who seem to have conflicts of interest. Therefore, if the ordinance is scrapped, it must be redrawn from scratch.
1:07 Or drop the whole rediculous thing, and try to heal conflict in the county.
1:39 A company has been here for five years and invested millions while operating in good faith expecting a ordinance. Regardless of what actions the Federal system does with permits or what the state legislature does the county needs to act in good faith and put out a ordinance and this should not take five years.
11:36 I am not going to bother posting the county ethics ordinance again. Print the blog out and take it to the library and get someone to read it to you since you seem to have difficulty understanding it. It does not matter how you vote, if you have a conflict of interest you should not participate, if SFS is considering in-laws as a qualifying relationship (which isn't stated in the ordinance) than their leader should not have participated. Furthermore no one that voted had a financial interest, what SFS has alleged is that because their IN-LAWS have a financial interest they have a conflict of interest but somehow their leader did not have the same conflict of interest despite having identical relationships.
Pioneer Green came to this county knowing there is poor/marginal wind, encroachment on National Defense, kill scores of bald eagles every year, and place industrial scale turbines in a densely populated region. To say Pioneer Green deserves consideration despite their poor judgment, is a smack to those of us who have invested our lives and life savings in this county.
Keep digging, I think more dirt is to come!
6:37 Pioneer came here first and installed two MET towers that proved there was sufficient wind. Despite what you claim scientific research has proven that any losses sustained to the bald eagle population will be sustainable. In fact according to the Journal of Raptor Research in between 1997 and 2012 there were only 6 confirmed bald eagle kills. All the research that has been posted indicates a kill rate of less than 1%. After getting the data from the MET towers, Pioneer applied for various permits and THEN a national defense issue came up and Pioneer entered into negotiations with the Navy. It was during these negotiations that Hoyer and Mikulski got involved illegally and forced the Navy to cease negotiations. As no deal was reached eventually the DoD voiced an objection over 2 years past the deadline to do so. The DoD objection currently has the project on hold pending the completion of the MIT study. All of this information is widely available. You stretch the truth a bit when you say "densely populated region," the area where the turbines are planned is farmland, not a city or development. The area is zoned ag/residential not just residential. To say that Pioneer does not deserve fair treatment after their investment in the county shows how anti-business you are. Every business and individual that wants to come into Somerset deserves fair treatment.
Boy PG Cheerleader you lie with the best of them. I did not say anyone does not deserve fair treatment I said residents deserve fair treatment. Residents live in a ag/residential zone not an INDUSTRIAL ZONE. Changing it to allow industrial development reduces their property values and exposes them to low frequency noise, audible noise, shadow flicker, and electromagnetic interference. Pioneer Green even says so by having people sign a waiver. Please stop twisting the truth because you sold out for a few bucks. Land leasers are partners with the wind facility, so they are liable when nearby residents suffer.
It is sad that one person is writing all of the comments in support of wind development. The rest of us know installing industrial wind here would be a huge mistake and cost locals dearly. You have lost the argument. Sorry, we are not as poor and dumb as you.
Pat Carson installed a turbine at Crisfield Hi that cost $26,000 and generates 1 cent per day in electricity. Leo Lawson can confirm this. When the turbine was installed, Miss Carson promised to supply energy production details to the public but never did.
Once again SFS tries to compare the economics of a mini turbine with a modern commercial turbine. Comparing the one at Chesapeake College is like comparing the economics of hauling freight with a tractor trailer vs a pickup. Comparing the one at Crisfield High School is like comparing the economics of hauling freight with a tractor trailer vs a wheelbarrow!
Turbines will fit in the proposed area very well. It currently has a landfill, vegetable canning factory, factory that pre fab poultry houses, numerous large poultry farms, several grain facilities and several sand and gravel quarries. Turbines with setbacks at twice industry standards as proposed will not cause any problem at all.
Turbines are generally built in similar zoning areas as what we call ag/ residential. If they don't belong in agricultural areas why do they call them wind farms? Not sure why you think they would be a problem. They make far less noise then a grain bin or poultry house, they don't require heavy truck traffic and they don't stink or pollute.
Looks to me as I read through the comments the supporters have addressed all concerns and have done so citing references. They have actually cited so many scientific studies their have been many posts just to complain about the number of studies they cite. The detractors of the project have based their arguments almost entirely on emotion, name calling and unsubstantiated allegations. At the end of the day I guess it's up to every individual reader to decide who has the stronger argument but for me I'll listen to the person who can cite credible sources.
I noticed that Great Bay still has an endorsement on their webpage from former school superintendent Dr. Marjorie Miles. She left in the middle of her contract amid scandal.
9:24 Why are you so worried about how many proponents are on here? I see comments every day that are not my own, but that is a pointless argument just as me saying you are the only opponent on here would be a pointless argument. A better argument would be for the proponents to question why in September SFS claimed well over 1,000 signatures on their petition and just a few weeks ago the number was down to 200-400? You really shouldn't bring up support when by your own members quotes you have lost 600-800 people in just a few months.
9:19 Who is twisting the truth? You claim a variety of things that have been disproved several times even by some of SFS's own literature. Are you twisting the truth or do you have trouble reading? There is no change to an industrial zone. Generally turbines are placed in area zoned similarly to ours. Who is twisting the truth again? You also say that by Pioneer having landowners sign general liability waivers that "they are admitting these things will happen," actually that is far from the truth, general liability waivers are fairly common place and even most doctors visits require you to sign a general liability waiver. Land leasers are just that, LAND LEASERS, not partners as you claim. After hearing that one of your members was shooting his mouth of at a zoning meeting bragging about your plans to sue anyone that had the audacity to defy SFS and allow a turbine to be put up I realize you are as eager as can be to try to start suing everyone involved. However I really do not think you will get much from that attempt then a outrageous legal bill, but it does say a lot about your group when one of its members is going around bragging about your desire to sue everyone involved before land is even broke.
Dr. Marjorie Miles certainly had a way of management that proved to be unproductive. She also tried to make changes to the school system that the voters did not support. But you claim she left amid scandal. What Scandal? It really seems the opponents of wind energy have a problem understanding the difference in someone disagreeing with them on an issue and corruption. If opponents of GB have evidence of wrongdoing from supporters, or anyone else for that matter, they should show their evidence in public and not hide behind innuendo.
Pioneer Green came to this county knowing there is poor/marginal wind, encroachment on National Defense, kill scores of bald eagles every year, and place industrial scale turbines in a densely populated region. To say Pioneer Green deserves consideration despite their poor judgment, is a smack to those of us who have invested our lives and life savings in this county.
And what does this tell us, even with all the negatives Somerset was still the most likely place that PG would have been able to get permission to build something that no one in their right mind would want in there neighborhood. EDC and Commissioners mislead PG into believing permitting would be no problem.
Somerset is not anti business at all. On the contrary we love business. Most are only anti wind mill business due to all of the health, safety, and environmental issues that it would bring into the county.
The Crisfield HS windmill is a joke and has never saved any money and never will. Now the same person that is on the zoning board was responsible for obtaining the windmill at Crisfield. It would appear that she might be just a little bit biased wouldn't you think. Perception of a conflict of interest is just as bad as a real conflict from what I've observed.
And we are supposed to believe you 6:05? Just exactly what are the industry standards that you refer to?
Dr. Miles has been gone for what, two years? So the website makes it look like the Somerset County School system still endorses the project. Talk about deceptive.
7:03 Did you forget that wind mills are ugly and kill all species of birds?
Good point 7:27, I don't believe the new superintendent supports them at all and the board of ED was not interested at all in the wind mills that were proposed for the Woodson school in Crisfield. I think they looked at reality, not fiction and flawed studies provided by the folks that wanted to build them for a profit for themselves.
9:38, I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you suggesting that 600 people asked that their name be removed from a petition? That doesn't make any sense and I don't believe it. You are twisting the truth again. How would any one get there name off of a petition that they had signed anyway?
I remember significant problems with the way money had been appropriated 9:53. I don't think theft was the problem but mismanagement and incompetence was probably involved. Either way I would not be using her name to promote anything in Somerset County.
If any lawyers read this would you please give some advice on how to get out of a contract?
I haven't seen much commentary about what the Southern Maryland legislators are doing about killing this project. I read that they will come up with a bill soon that the Governor will probably sign that will once and for all kill this project. Has anyone else read anything about that?
The PG supporter is posting misleading information about bird kills. Fish and wildlife service estimates are that 600 bald eagles will be killed by Phase 1 of the project. This is just one species. Massive kills will result if turbines are placed in Somerset because hundreds of species choose Somerset for its idyllac habitat and also because it is part of the Atlantic Flyway. Putting a wind facility here guarantees massive bird kills. FWS has also confirmed there are golden eagles in the area and has recommended a no build for the Great Bay wind project.
How does PG get it's massive subsidies:
Pioneer Green’s president, Andy Bowman, has carefully positioned his company to receive favorable treatment from the Obama Administration.
Campaign finance disclosures show that Bowman gave the maximum allowed donation to President Obama’s re-election campaign in 2011.
POLITICO identified Bowman as a not only a major donor to the Obama campaign, but also someone close enough to the president’s inner circle that he was allowed to attend the president’s 50th birthday party.
Andy Bowman, the founder and president of Pioneer Green Energy, an Austin, Texas-based wind and solar project development company, donated $5,000 to Obama’s campaign last summer while attending the president’s 50th birthday party in Chicago.
The Production Tax Credit is a federal subsidy that gives a big tax break to companies like Pioneer Green that produce wind energy.
As Bowman sweated out the 2012 presidential election and the future of his cherished taxpayer-funded subsidies, he noted that “All the projects we’ve been working on for the last three years are hanging in the balance.”
12:48, agreed, for example, I'm against the windmills, but I support the new Cleanbay waste conversion plant. This business will create 30 permanent jobs in our county. This is far more than the windmill project will create.
2:39 You accuse others of being misleading? Lets look at your statement. The USFWS never said 600 bald eagles would eagles would be killed, that is a direct lie. The USFWS permits would allow for the take of up to 30 per year. However by federal law the permits must be for a greater amount than the anticipated take. There are several studies already cited that indicate a kill rate of 1% or less. As previously stated from 97 to 2012 there were less than 10 confirmed bald eagle kills by wind turbines. There is no breeding population of golden eagles in Somerset although golden eagles are more susceptible to turbine strikes.
1:07 In September Monheiser claimed that there were well over 1,000 signatures and counting. At the propaganda errr press conference Kagen stated that there was between 200 and 400. Ask them where 600 signatures went. How am I twisting the truth, I am going off what the SFS leaders said?
12:59 Once again there are numerous sources discrediting your claim of mass bird kills. If you wish to dispute them could you bring some actual information rather than false rhetoric?
The CHS turbine was built under the guise it would pay for itself in 7 years. Well at a penny a day, it would take 7,123 years to pay for itself.
3:30 The PTC is expired. There is no tax credit currently available for the Great Bay Wind project. Get off wind watch and turn on Fox News.
The Crisfield turbine is industrial and costs $ 4.2 million. It is estimated to produce between $150,000 to $200,000 annually. Using an estimation of $175,000 equates to 24 years. But there will be insurance, interest, maintenance, and the salary of a watchman. Wind turbines also have a depreciating performance which will lower the production in later years. Don't forget the degradation of the local environment and many residents and businesses will endure noise and shadow flicker. The most likely scenario is the turbine will require parts that are obsolete that will render it useless after a short production life. AT that point, there will be a steep cost to dismantle and dispose of the toxic parts.
1:17 Yes we live in an anti-business state. We will see if the bill passes and gets Hogan's signature.
12:53 If you perception of conflict of interest don't you think the leader of SFS should have abstained from voting on the ordinance?
12:48 The health, safety and environmental issues has been addressed numerous times through the months. There is really no debate that there are far fewer safety and health hazards with a wind farm than a poultry farm. There is no question that there is a much lower environmental impact. But you don't see SFS protesting the poultry industry, the current industry in the county (although state regulations will eventually kill it).
5:15 If you took the $4,000,000 and invested it at 5% interest, you would get $200,000 per year interest and still have your original investment. These people are just plain stupid as well as corrupt.
12:44 Pioneer came here first and installed two MET towers that proved there was sufficient wind. Despite what you claim scientific research has proven that any losses sustained to the bald eagle population will be sustainable. In fact according to the Journal of Raptor Research in between 1997 and 2012 there were only 6 confirmed bald eagle kills. All the research that has been posted indicates a kill rate of less than 1%. After getting the data from the MET towers, Pioneer applied for various permits and THEN a national defense issue came up and Pioneer entered into negotiations with the Navy. It was during these negotiations that Hoyer and Mikulski got involved illegally and forced the Navy to cease negotiations. As no deal was reached eventually the DoD voiced an objection over 2 years past the deadline to do so. The DoD objection currently has the project on hold pending the completion of the MIT study. All of this information is widely available. You stretch the truth a bit when you say "densely populated region," the area where the turbines are planned is farmland, not a city or development. The area is zoned ag/residential not just residential. To say that Pioneer does not deserve fair treatment after their investment in the county shows how anti-business you are. Every business and individual that wants to come into Somerset deserves fair treatment. You also continue to say that no one would want turbines but there are numerous people in the county that are supporters of the project and turbines poll with high popularity. Navigant Research did a poll that found wind was viewed favorably by 72% of people. USA Today found 73% of people supported continuing the PTC. A University of Texas poll found that 89% of Americans wanted the federal government to focus on further developing renewable energy. Kansas is a huge state for wind energy and a poll there found 91% of Kansas voters support wind power. A March 2013 Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans supported wind energy production, 76% of Americans supported solar, 37% supported nuclear and 46% supported fossil fuels. A poll in Minnesota showed 84% supported increasing wind development. An Ohio statewide survey gave participants the choice of choosing a primary and secondary pick of preferred energy 25% chose wind as the first pick and 47% as the second, 31% chose solar as their first pick and 54% as the second, 16% chose coal as their first pick and 25% as the second, 10% chose nuclear as their first pick and 19% as the second. If the EDC managed to bring in a business predicted to contribute 2.9 million in taxes per year GOOD FOR THEM.
5:15 Once again SFS tries to compare the economics of a mini turbine with a modern commercial turbine. Comparing the one at Chesapeake College is like comparing the economics of hauling freight with a tractor trailer vs a pickup. Comparing the one at Crisfield High School is like comparing the economics of hauling freight with a tractor trailer vs a wheelbarrow!
Just a small error 5:08, instead of 7 years it was supposed to be 7,000 years. I don't think Pat Carson was a math teacher, she just liked the green projects.
5:27 We know you can make numerous anonymous, unsubstantiated accusations of corruption and we know you are good at that, but how many multi-million dollar project have you managed?
5:02 your statement about bird kills from 97 to 2012 means what? There has never been a project like you are proposing is an area with so much bird activity. You are not comparing what you will build with what is already in existence somewhere else. Undoubtedly your project will kill more birds than any existing wind mill farm in America.
Obviously 5:32 you think wind mills are the best thing since sliced bread or maybe the invention of the wheel. Unfortunately for you Somerset county residents do not agree with you. Can you do a Gallup poll on Somerset county and maybe you would finally realize why you are not welcomed here.
5:26 don't be surprised if state regulators kill your project before you even get started. Poultry is here to stay, people have to eat and the chicken houses are here to stay no matter what you want to believe. Just another scare tactic trying to scare farmers into supporting something that is really not good for this area.
Believe me 3:30 if the owner of PG (Bowman) is a big Obama supporter than that is all I need to know to be against this project 100%. Everything that Obama has proposed has been a total failure and costs the tax payers billions. In the end Obama may sign off on this project but hopefully the state legislators will kill it first.
Are the numbers wrong 5:57? It's just common sense isn't it? What business is really a business if they know they cannot possibly make money but go into that business simply for the government handouts that they will receive? All the free money will end soon when the government defaults and then subsidies will end and no one really knows what will happen at that time.
Whoever is managing yours 5:57 isn't doing a very good job. You still think it's a good idea to spend millions before you know if you can get a permit to build. You should really admit that that was a very dumb decision.
Somebody should buy the guy that said this post would hit a 1000 comments a beer.
I just can't wait until I get my next lease payment and a new hat!
I've forgot PG, tell me again how much money you want to spend in Somerset.
@6:07 - if you think poultry is here to stay, you could be surprised. Governor Hogan may have killed the PMT regulations, but remember, our state representatives are in session and the Eastern Shore delegation can only do so much. Further, since the right to farm in Somerset County has been challenged, even if it isn't overturned, you are going to see more and more people who don't like living near poultry houses with their big "industrial fans" blowing at their properties. Just saying.
I think if those same people who supported wind in March 2013 were re-polled their support would be gone now because people living in close proximity to wind plants are speaking loud and clear about the hazards it creates. Many of them describe it as LIVING IN HELL. Please vacate the county and take the Miller's with you. By the way, we know solar is junk too.
Don't forget the Kool-Aid with my Hat.
With respect to 12:58, indeed it is deceptive that PG is still using Dr. Miles statement as an endorsement for their project. I noticed that the PG spokesperson didn't refute this. The current superintendent DOES NOT endorse this project. And the PG spokesperson claims that the opponents have been lying, wow!
@7:48 Since you mention people living near turbines complaining let me reference you to a study recently done in Australia just released by Simon Chapman, the Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney,it suggests only a tiny proportion of people living near turbines do actually complain and, when they do, the complaints coincide with campaigning from anti-wind groups.
Chapman looked at health complaints made by residents living within 5 kilometres of all 49 wind farms operating in Australia between 1993 and 2012. After reviewing media reports, public inquiries and complaints to wind companies themselves, Chapman found evidence of only 120 individuals having actually complained - representing about 1 in 272 people living near wind farms.
But significantly, Chapman found that 81 of those 120 residents were living beside just five wind farms “which have been heavily targeted by anti wind farm groups”. What's more, some 82 per cent of all the complaints had occured since 2009 when Chapman says anti-wind farm groups began to push the health scare as part of their opposition to turbines.
Some 31 of the 49 wind farms studied had never been subjected to a complaint either about noise or health.
“The 31 farms with no histories of complaints, and which today have some 21,530 residents within 5km of their turbines have operated for a cumulative total of 256 years,” says Chapman's report. In Chapman's research, he says that anxiety among residents increases as media reports spread the stories of health concerns and as researchers start investigating.
8:04 Who claimed the new superintendent supported the project? If you have a problem with them posting a letter of support from the previous superintendent then you should contact Pioneer.
6:25 Once again how many million dollar project have you completed? I do not know who you are but I am fairly certain Pioneer has finished more than you.
6:23 Common sense dictates that the energy market is a lucrative one. Everyone needs power. Once again the tax credits have expired.
6:13 You claim to not be anti-business but then you say that you will oppose any business with a liberal at the helm. Enough said.
6:07 There is no scare tactic. The Maryland environmental regulations will eventually kill the poultry industry. People do have to eat but there are other states that are more business friendly that can grow chicken. Somerset needs to develop a new industry for revenues.
Using wind propaganda is fooling no one.
6:03 I am here to stay and I have plenty of friends and family. If you have a problem with that then you can deal with it or leave. On the other note plenty of Somerset residents do agree with me that Somerset needs new businesses and revenues.
5:59 So you are saying that this project will kill 5 times more Bald Eagles in a year than every other wind project in the nation combined did in 5 years? I would love to see the data you got that assessment from, if any exists.
8:28, The current superintendent did contact Pioneer Green and asked them to remove the endorsement, they did not.
@ 8:04 you may actually have a point and GB should take it down, however it is an authentic letter submitted by the Superintendent at the time. You would compare that to the dishonesty of SFS? Like claiming over 1000 signatures on a petition then admitting months later they only have a couple hundred or how about the unsubstantiated claims of corruption, or using innuendo with no facts to attack peoples character or continuing to claim turbines will be 690' or even 700' long after knowing they will be less than 599' or the continued claims GB will be subsidized when wind energy is now they only form of electrical generation without any form of Government assistance. I could go on but I think I have made my point. Simply read this thread, over and over SFS has made outrageous claims with no reference offered only to be refuted by the supporters with good reliable sources cited.
The county commissioners are pretty confident to think they could get away with destroying the resources in the county for the promise of a few bucks from sleazy wind developers. I think it is time for heads to roll starting with Randy Laird, Jerry Boston, and Danny Thompson. These fellas had underlying motives and did not give a damn about the people they took oaths to serve. How is the Crisfield turbine working out?
6:56 Since it has been posted several times let me just refer you to the Jacobs France Institute Study. I will summarize and say that there will be over 1 million per year in economic growth and over 2 million per year in county tax revenues. The rest of the study you should print out and take to the library and have someone read to you.
7:48 There were plenty of wind farms in 2013. I think a Gallop poll in 2013 is still more credible then your "expert" opinion now.
The Pioneer Green guy keeps asking for alternatives for economic development. How about tourism?
And PG cheerleader, before you claim turbines are a tourism attraction, this is questionable at best. More importantly, why hasn't our county done anything for tourism before? We have a county with incredible potential for tourism (natural beauty), but nothing has been done. Don't believe me? Ask the business owners in Crisfield, who've been trying to make a living in the tourism industry. Many of them have complained to me that the county has done NOTHING to promote tourism.
Could this be the end of the good ole boy system for Somerset? I hope so, because it is time for people to take the reins to ensure government works for their betterment. Somerset residents are resilient and hardworking. Sure there are a bunch that feed off the system and the current leadership would like for it to stay that way, because that gives them the excuse to say we are to "poor" and "dumb" to deserve anything but garbage like wind and solar development.
@6:56 I'm not Pg but I believe the estimate is for the project to be over 200 million dollars. Kenneth R Stanton, Ph. D., University of Baltimore, Jacob France Institute did a study on the economic impact this project will have on Somerset. I suggest you read it for more detail.
Hi Kevin,
31 Farms with no complaints...Hmmm, And how many do have complaints? All but 31!
@8:04 What evidence do you have that the current Superintendent does not support the project? SFS has a long history of overestimating its support, just look at the last election.
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