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Sunday, March 15, 2015

The Wind Farm Scam

The specter of global warming and the political panic surrounding it has triggered a gold rush for renewable energy sources without an open discussion of the merits and drawbacks of each. In The Wind Farm Scam Dr Etherington argues that in the case of wind power the latter far outweigh the former. Wind turbines cannot generate enough energy to reduce global CO2 levels to a meaningful degree; what’s more wind power is by nature intermittent and cannot generate a steady output, necessitating back-up coal and gas power plants that significantly negate the saving of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the inefficacy of wind power there are ecological drawbacks, including damage to habitats, wildlife and the far-from-insignificant aesthetic drawback of the assault upon natural beauty and the pristine landscape, which wind turbines entail. Dr Etherington argues that wind power has been, and is being, excessively financed at the cost of consumers who have not been consulted, nor informed that this effective subsidy is being paid from their bills to support an industry that cannot be cost efficient or, ultimately, favor the cause it purports to support."

Dr John Etherington, The Wind Farm Scam

273 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 273 of 273
Anonymous said...

7:58, I am a teacher in our county. I do deal with 25 kids in the classroom while fulfilling federal mandates. I talk to children everyday about poverty. And I am strongly opposed to wind turbines.

Anonymous said...

7:58 Get the Walmart Distribution center here---Mr. Mathias should be able to help with that --That would create jobs and should not affect the sleep of those people close to it .

Anonymous said...

7:27 The polls were done by independent companies. How do they not represent hard working Americans that understand wind energy? You make the claim of lowered property values again. Let me again refer you the all the research done by the Lawrence Berkeley Lab that shows no negative impact on property values. Let me again ask that if you have anything to contradict it you cite it so we can read it. So far all that has been cited to show any decrease in property values is an opinion report that cited wikipedia and an instance of a single house in Vermont. This does not really compare to several peer reviewed publishing's from Berkeley Labs.

Anonymous said...

7:30 It is true that Maryland has a renewable mandate. However other states do not. Kansas is a huge state for wind energy and a poll there found 91% of Kansas voters support wind power. Kansas has no renewable energy mandate. If wind needed a mandate to survive then how does it do so well in Kansas? If wind costs more then how does it do so well in Texas which deregulated?

Anonymous said...

7:27 Kansas and Texas are both big states for wind development. In Kansas there 91% support wind development. In Texas wind is the cheapest source of power. Instead of relying of SFS rhetoric you should try Google.

Anonymous said...

5:44 It would be a shorter trip to drive to Lewes and talk to people living in a new development less than 2000ft from a turbine that has a 1% disapproval rate.

Anonymous said...

1:55 2.9 million in county tax revenues and 1 million in economic growth helps everyone in the county. Not all of the county is as content as you are to rely on the state and charity to take care of the county.

Anonymous said...

10:31 So to get your comment straight you are against businesses helping out in the school system??

Anonymous said...

9:33 You accuse me of half truths for calling an expired PTC expired? Why don't you comment on 5.58 that implied that the PTC was active? Is it a bigger lie to call an expired PTC expired or active in your mind? Also I am still waiting for some information on this nonexistent cash grant that you guys I am not sure how you define labeling a expired PTC "expired" is dishonest but once again you have someone else implying that the expired PTC is active, which is outright dishonest. Apparently you have no common sense if you are making an argument because someone is referring to the expired PTC as the expired PTC. Have you called the DOE and asked them to stop calling the PTC expired?? The whole truth is the PTC is expired and there are no bills currently introduced to renew it.

Anonymous said...

Great post 7:58. It is hard to believe these people are vilifying a company for trying to do something for the schools.

Anonymous said...

8:51 The people in somerset need to talk to people living in areas with more than 1 INDUSTRIAL TURBINE and hear about the health issues and poor quality of life after they are up and running. Your spin will never work with me .

Anonymous said...

9:25 That has been said several times. I do not think they understand it or as someone else said they might have trouble with reading comprehension. The opposition does seem to have trouble processing information. Look at the other thread. They had a bunch of stuff wrong that was public information, and they blamed it on Pioneer for not informing them of it! No Joke! This group tried to blame Pioneer for the oppositions inability to look up public information and get it correct.

Anonymous said...

If PG had really cared about schools they would have made it a top priority 4 years ago. Now that they have a big PR problem and people see them for what they are they are just trying to make themselves look good. We see the democrats doing this all the time when they want to pass a wasteful spending bill. It's always the same old story "it's for the children"! It's just a lot of BS is what it is.

Anonymous said...

@1:55 Please read “Economic Impact of Wind Generation Project in Somerset County” Kenneth R Stanton, Ph. D., University of Baltimore, Jacob France Institute. That pretty well explains what the GB project will do for the poor in the county. It is very telling that you think that since the nearly 30% of Somerset is given handouts the problem is solved. That you feel since the children living in poverty are well taken care of since they get two meals a day during the school week. Or you see no difference in people having the opportunity to better themselves with a productive job versus a handout. Or that you would prefer to live in an area with economic decay rather than an area with economic growth and opportunity.I really have to wonder why anyone would prefer to be surrounded with poverty, does it give you a feeling of superiority?

Anonymous said...

@8:23 the WalMart distribution center will most likely never materialize. If you will recall, after it was announced, the MD Legislature passed what was dubbed as the "WalMart bill" which required MD employers with more than a certain number of employees to provide health insurance. That bill, in effect, ruined the prospect for WalMart in Somerset. And also to refresh your memory, that bill was pushed by former Senator Norman Conway. And yes, it would have provided much needed jobs. But also recall, that as it was announced, the "say no to everything" crowd had already started with the problems of bring that into Somerset - increased road traffic, declining property values, ruining the beauty of the county, etc. Sound familiar?

Anonymous said...

@9:40 - why do you think that there was a letter of support from the prior superintendent of schools? It was because Pioneer was working to build a relationship with the schools and to help the students. That was in May, 2012 - almost 3 years ago. But the Board wouldn't move forward - the politics became more important than benefits for kids.

Anonymous said...

@7:43 I do wish you people would read the thread before commenting! That has been covered. Opponents have tried to compare the economics of the turbine at Chesapeake College and the one at Crisfield High School to an industrial sized turbine. It's like comparing the economics of hauling freight with a tractor trailer vs. a wheelbarrow. If you are going to look at the economics of the GB project look at modern turbines of at least 2 MW. However it mystifies me why it is even a concern. GB is entirely privately funded and will have to sell the electricity on the open market. Yes Maryland has a mandate however it is not for GB only for Green Energy so the power companies can buy from any Green Energy provider on the Grid. The power companies will look at what GB offers as far as MW and reliable electricity and will make an offer at what it is worth to them. If this does not cover the cost GB has invested only the investors lose! Since I know many of the opponents have reading comprehension problems let me repeat this if the money offered to GB from the power companies does not cover GB's cost of production only the investors lose!

Anonymous said...

@8:21 - hats off to you for being a teacher. I applaud your daily efforts in working with the children of our county. And I have no problem with your opposition to turbines. I do have to ask you if you teach our children how to differentiate between good resources and not so good resources when using the internet. I have seen the opposition use so many poor resources in their arguments (you tube, wind watch, wikipedia, etc) that I am alarmed and hope that our children are being taught better than that. Again, thank you for your efforts in the classroom.

Anonymous said...

I was all for wind power too, until they came to Somerset County. Just a quick review of the "benefits" proclaimed by the wind companies makes it seem like a great idea. When I realized that these industrial giants could be looming over my home I began to do a little research. The negative effects on neighbors was overwhelming, so I'm opposed.

Anonymous said...

10:13, you don't want opponents to compare the crisfield and chesapeake turbin to your wind farm but you keep saying that people should go to Lewis and compare their (one) windmill to your enormous wind farm. Another double standard.

There is really nothing to compare with your wind farm because nothing on earth can compare to it and that is the problem. Even you can't accurately predict what the impact of you wind farm will be.

As far as your studies, there have been way to many believe studies about global warming for me to believe any of them. You only reference studies that help your case, all the others cannot be wrong.

Anonymous said...

It is a shame that leaders in Somerset are willing to entertain businesses that promise the county tax revenues but cost the citizens through higher energy prices and lower property values.
Too bad none of the commissioners live in the footprint. Somerset Intermediate School is in the footprint and will be surrounded on every side by turbines. Students will have to ride within 550 feet of turbines to reach their school.

Anonymous said...

The biggest supporter is Randy Laird and he doesn't have any windmills proposed in his district. If PG were putting them in Laird's district he would probably be totally opposed to them. Politics is a nasty game and it never has anything to do with what is best for the people. It's usually about money and corruption.

Anonymous said...

9:48 I live in an impoverished county so I can feel superior? Sorry,you must have me confused with one of the PG people. And once again,the claim that this will help schools in the county is pure baloney.
BECAUSE this is a poor county,some of the schools get all kinds of Federal money.You can hardly say this school system is in dire straits when they spent who knows how much to give out free tablet devices to hundreds of students not too long ago.The school system might be more solvent if they did not waste so much.
"For the children" has used for decades as an excuse or pity ploy by liberals and elite to push forward programs that benefit THEM.

Anonymous said...

Global warming causes more wind.That combined with the hot air in Somerset will create the perfect wind turbine environment.

Anonymous said...

I hope the PG guy hasn't had a heart attack. He hasn't commented since this morning and that is very unusual for him. Maybe he is meeting with his boss to plan the next strategy since "it's all for the children" isn't working.

Anonymous said...

7:56 You guys never answered the question. Are you opposed to any business trying to help with the school system or just businesses you don't like? BTW I think I stated before, I do not work for Pioneer. Get some help with your reading sometime.

Anonymous said...

11:39 Once again several studies and sources have been cited that refute your tale of higher energy prices and lower property values. If you wish to dispute them could you offer us something more than your word? A source maybe? Or is it a lie that you are afraid to attempt to back up?

Anonymous said...

10:13 One 400+ turbine compares a lot better than the two units at Crisfield and Chesapeake. Ok you do not like the peer reviewed studies the proponents have cited. Provide us with your sources of information please. Do you have a source of information or are you getting everything from youtube? So far on this thread all the proponents have cited was an opinion article by someone paid to testify against the wind industry and a case of a single house in Vermont. Can we have a little more information about your viewpoint?

Anonymous said...

10:59 No system is perfect. The peer review system is not perfect either. But it is the best means available to eliminate bias from research. If you actually researched and read what you were trying to discuss you would actually find global warming has had quite a few skeptical papers written in the past years. However your suggestion that we disregard science and mathematics and just follow your word is B.S. You may have the best intentions but your post reads to me as "Don't believe any publication you read. Don't believe any peer reviewed research. Believe my post. They are all wrong, I'm right. They are all lying but I'm telling the truth. Don't worry about data, just believe what I'm telling you." Anytime in my life someone has told me "don't bother researching this just believe what I'm telling you" I have made it a point o thoroughly research the topic. I have never been disappointed. I hope the people of Somerset take the same attitude. The refusal of SFS to provide sources for their claims to me speaks volumes. Check out their website. 95% of it is youtube videos. How can anyone take a group seriously when they educate themselves with youtube videos while declaring peer reviewed research to be unreliable?

Anonymous said...

@8:54 - good post. But a follow up comment - I wonder if any of the SFS people are teachers who are teaching our kids to disregard science and rely on youtube videos?

Anonymous said...

Sorry there is a big problem with your poll numbers showing support for wind. I guess you disregarded the voice of those opposed just like you have the safety of those in Somerset.

Anonymous said...

9:15 The polls posted were done by independent groups as you can see. No one was disregarded. I am assuming you just do not like it being pointed out just how fringe a group SFS is. I do not think anyone is not concerned about safety. Do you have anything on safety you would like to cite aside from baseless rhetoric?

Anonymous said...

9:09 The ADULTS need to be taught to rely on science and math rather than youtube. These people talk about the President and lets look at the root cause of his re-election. People relied on propaganda rather than reliable sources to make decisions and yes some of the pro-Obama youtube videos that went semi-viral were part of that. Instead of watching the news people relied on what was said on MTV, ergo we ended up with the same President for another 4 years. Similarly instead of relying on scientific information and credible sources, SFS relies on youtube and wind-watch. The opposition has a lot more in common with the President's election committees than they would ever admit.

Anonymous said...

@9:09 and 9:45 Two good posts! Personally SFS has reminded me of the Ferguson protesters shouting " Hands Up Don't Shoot" despite all evidence to the contrary! It's pretty much the same mentality as turbines lower property values despite all evidence to the contrary! Just different examples of people who cannot accept reality.

Anonymous said...

10:06 Exactly! Exact type of mentality. Like on here. The opposition makes a wild claim. Someone refutes it with a verifiable fact. They argue it. Then someone simply asks them for the source of their information and suddenly it gets dropped. But 6 lines later they repeat the same lie with no source. Its just like talking to people at work. Everyone has one of those "Hands up, don't shoot" people at the workplace. You talk to them for a minute. Pull out your smartphone and pull up the articles that refute their claim, ask where they are getting their information and the whole thing gets dropped. But the next day you hear them going on about the "senseless, trigger happy shooting of an innocent teenager with his hands up" to another co-worker. Exact same type of mentality, "Don't confuse me with the facts when I already have my mind made up."

Anonymous said...

Pioneer Green cheerleader relies on studies funded by the wind industry while those with questions rely on facts. Property values have been lowered by VT on several properties. Banks in Scotland and Canada are not lending money on homes that are in close proximity to wind facilities. People are sick and cannot sleep. There are thousands of them. These are the realities of wind.

Anonymous said...

Any new viewers beware...Pioneer Green has paid a wind leaser to post on this site. He has mental problems and cannot keep his hands off the keyboard. He goes by the name of Kevin Miller.

Anonymous said...

10:37 I am not Kevin Miller. Another tidbit of information you have gotten wrong. I am not paid anything to post on this site. Wrong again, I just enjoy breaking apart the lies you tell. 10:35 The property value studies cited which showed no loss in property values were done by Lawrence Berkeley Labs. The Lawrence Berkeley Lab in addition to being a well respected institute is NOT funded by the wind industry. Yet another piece of information you get wrong. The links on the SFS website for the VT property values shows one house had it property values lowered and a quick Google search shows that the single house which was devalued belonged to couple of long standing anti-wind nuts that actually pushed to have their house value lowered. By the way you said properties not property, typo or lie?

Anonymous said...

10:35 If "thousands" were getting sick then explain to me the results of the Simon Chapman Study in Australia. Simon Chapman is the Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney. He did a study that 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.

Anonymous said...

10:35 You claim thousands get sick. SFS has contended it is the low frequency noise that makes people sick. According to a peer-reviewed paper cited by SFS, Leventhall (2004) only 2.5% are sensitive to low frequency noise. To put this in perspective the poultry farms in the county pose difficulties for people with asthma, approximately 8% of the population suffer from asthma, over 3 times the number sensitive to low frequency noise, so should we ban all poultry farms?

Anonymous said...

10:35 Other than the Jacobs France Economic Impact study none of the studies I have seen on here were funded by the wind industry. Your points have been refuted several times with peer reviewed information and yet you come here again with the same rhetoric. Once again I will ask you to please offer your sources if you are alleging that all the peer reviewed information cited is wrong. Are you afraid to list your sources and have them exposed for propaganda or do you not have any and your really are just making this all up?

Anonymous said...

8:37 You cannot honestly expect SFS to get their information right. They cannot get the heights of the turbines right (they have claimed one hundred feet over and one hundred feet under but never the actual number shown on the FAA permit), the names on their phase one map right, or the one mile radius line of the phase one project on their map right. If they cannot get basic public information right how do you expect them to get anything else right?

Anonymous said...

I have heard that there has never been a wind farm like this project built any where in the world especially in the same environment. If that is true than none of the studies mean anything. The studies are all smaller windmills, fewer windmills, different terrain, etc. That is why I do not trust any of the studies that PG wants us to believe are the gospel truth. They just don't compare apples to apples, more like apples to peanuts. Give me a study of something that actually compares what PG wants to build here to something that actually exists in this world and I'll keep an open mind while reading it.

Anonymous said...

Hey Kevin, actually someone posted a bunch of studies that show negative effects of wind turbines. You pretended to be an expert and just claim that those studies are meaningless. Some of the studies you site show that property values do not drop. If this is true, then why is Pioneer Green so opposed to putting a property value clause in the ordinance? And before you claim that Pioneer Green would lose money to due to market fluctuations, you should know that these property value clauses that have been done elsewhere account for independent housing market fluctuations. So I'd ask Pioneer Green to put there money where there mouth is and offer up a property value protection clause. You say the turbines don't effect property values. Fine. Gaurantee it, and if your right, you won't lose money.

Anonymous said...

11:15 I'm not a Kevin but I will feel free to answer. Numerous studies have discounted the SFS myth of turbines hurting property values. I personally am against a PVG as it is another deterrent to business. A PVG is a liability as you indicate. Any business that accepts one realizes that it is probably that eventually someones property value will decrease and regardless of the cause they will blame it on the business. The business then has to go to court and fight a legal battle or settle. Either way it is a loss. I am also against the idea that we make "special rules" for businesses. Businesses need to be treated equally in order for new businesses to feel they can invest in an area. If you make Pioneer sign a PVG then you would also in fairness need to make any new business sign a PVG. These conversations tend to steer to agricultural comparisons and this is no different. If a farmer was considering buying land for a poultry house, cattle farm, hog farm, etc. would he ever buy land in a county that would make him sign a PVG or would he look across county borders to land that does not require a PVG?

Anonymous said...

11:15 I do not think anyone claimed any study was "meaningless." Someone did post an opinion piece from a real estate agent paid to testify against wind turbines and then posted about a single house in Vermont. I think here you have to weigh credible information vs not credible information. Numerous studies from the Lawrence Berkeley Labs shows no loss in property values, a single house in VT that has been discuss was devalued 12% under request and a real estate agent was paid to state in a non-published article that turbines hurt property values. Berkeley Labs is much more credible than either of those sources. The opinion piece cited wikipedia as a source which to me destroys any credibility as that is obviously not a reliable source.

Anonymous said...

Your argument does not hold water. We are already zoned agriculture. Other business are not putting up structures taller than the Washington Monument that can be seen for miles. Also, like I said, these clauses are already designed to take into account market fluctuations for issues not having to do with turbines. Short of it is that Pioneer Green is willing to claim no harm but they are not willing to actually put there money where there mouth is.

Anonymous said...

9:46 I would think every wind project out there is different than any other. If you do not like the literature cited then please feel free to post some that helped you determine your point of view. I never took PG's word on any source either as they would obviously have a conflict of interest in what they hand out. Of course I did read what they were willing to hand out but I compared it to what I read elsewhere. That is why I read everything I could get my hands on about the subject. Most of what I have cited didn't come from PG. It is all available, most of it is readily available online. Most of the people on here have not even read it far enough to realize that their claims that it was all funded by the wind industry are false. There is no other Somerset County Maryland out there so no there isn't going to be a study available on what xxx model turbine will do in Somerset County Maryland. However when you state that you do not accept what research and peer reviewed information has taught us because it is not the same model turbine in an identical place as Somerset County Maryland then I have to ask what would you base your information on?

Anonymous said...

Common sense 1:08, common sense. You must admit that there is nothing out there that even comes close to being what you want to build. It doesn't exist so it can't be studied. It doesn't have to be another Somerset county, just something of it's type and size. You know it has never been done before so we have nothing to compare. Since your project is much larger it has to have more negative effects no matter what they may be.

Anonymous said...

1:04 Most of the areas where wind turbines are placed is agriculturally zoned land. This is not a new precedent. These clauses in theory do account for market fluctuations however they are still a liability. If someones house value decreases they can still claim that the turbines caused it right or not and the owner then would have to defend in court. Also as I said it is not a pro-business move to make special rules that only apply to select businesses. If you are asking for a PVG for all new businesses then you are condemning Somerset to even poorer business concepts. You can try as hard as you like to market to new businesses this concept but most businesses are not going to want to assume this liability because they can see how they would eventually end of in court over someones claim.

Anonymous said...

1:04 How many counties in the US that have land zoned agricultural require all new businesses to sign a PVG?

Anonymous said...

1:18 I believe the Great Bay Wind project is supposed to be 150mw capacity right? A simple Google search will show you there are numerous wind farms over 500mw.

Anonymous said...

1:31 The area in question is not zoned agricultural. It is agricultural/residential. There is a big difference.

We live here. Very few of the lessors do and none of the County Commissioners.

Anonymous said...

Read the book that started this thread. Unless you have been bought by the Texas lawyers, it should convince that the whole "green" energy thing is a fraud.

Wind turbines supply no power except the power that our "leaders' get by controlling our entire lives.

The salesmen from PG are politically operatives trained to "spin". The local PG salesman was previously a propagandist for Barney Frank.

Anonymous said...

@4:49 Wind turbines supply no power??? Except the power that our leaders get by controlling our entire lives??? Please turn off wind watch and go take your meds!

Anonymous said...

@11:15 Who said any of the studies cited by SFS were meaningless? You simply have to read them like all studies with a discerning mind. I was very complementary to the Salt study and felt it had a lot of good information. I tend to agree with him that the ear hears sound that the brain doesn't recognize. I disagree however that a sound the brain does not recognize can cause sleep problems. And their is no evidence that it does. Furthermore the human brain does an excellent job of tuning out stimulus that is not a concern. Another study made the case that some people were more susceptible to low frequency noise, about 2.5% of the population. These people would then be bothered by ocean waves, grain bin fans, many poultry house fans, highway traffic and most heavy equipment. I think a few wind turbines would be the least of this 2.5% worries. You also mention a property values guarantee. I can think of no more sure way of making Somerset dismal economic prospects worse! No company will invest in this county with that threat of litigation over it's head. Rest assured it would be applied to all future business. Even Agriculture. If GB was forced to sign such an agreement do you think Wildwood would not demand it for the poultry houses in the area. This would then have to be done for all poultry houses and who would build on? Who would finance one? I encourage SFS to request this from the commissioners as I am sure all of them have more sense then to even consider it.

Anonymous said...

If he worked for Barney Frank he must be gay. For sure he is a liberal. These are exactly the kind of people that we do not need in Somerset. Hope and change, blah blah blah.

Anonymous said...

1:56 I believe you are comparing one GB windmill with an entire wind farm. Check a little closer, GB will not volunteer any information that would make them look bad.

Anonymous said...

The more I read the more I am against this project. GB has everything to gain by building these windmills and Somerset county residents have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Put me in the against column.

Anonymous said...

Definition of referendum "submission of an issue of public importance to the direct vote of the electorate".

I ask again, what is wrong with having a referendum vote? If this windmill isn't of public importance than nothing is.

I really do not need to here from GB again telling us that no other business would ever want to come to Somerset if they thought they would have to have a referendum vote because that is a ridiculous argument and they know it. Most businesses would be welcomed with open arms, it's just that we don't want windmills.

Anonymous said...

7:48 But that is the point. A county has to maintain some standard of fairness to business if it ever wants business. Furthermore no business would go somewhere where they thought they might be subject to referendum after investing millions. Furthermore you cannot put property rights to referendum. You do not want wind turbines and you think because of that you should be given unlimited opportunities to kill the business. You lost at the zoning board twice. You are trying to use a ethics complaint to get the ordinance kicked back for a third time and on top of that if it doesn't work you want a referendum.

Anonymous said...

7:31 You think that one turbine is 150mw? Ok you obviously haven't done a lot of reading on the topic. I believe from what I have heard and read that the entire project is supposed to be 150mw IF there is a second phase. I believe there are supposed to be 29 turbines in between 3-3.5mw. I may be wrong so anyone feel free to correct me on that. With the current ordinance I know they lose at least 2 so that would be 27. That is roughly 95mw capacity. There is a 70mw wind farm right next to a major resort in Hawaii for comparison. There are several 500mw+ wind farms in the US. Chapman in Australia studied 49 wind farms with a total population of just under 33000 people and only 120 people ever voiced a complaint. 63% of the wind farms studied never even received a complaint.

Anonymous said...

What I want is for Southern Maryland legislators to kill this project once and for all. I believe they can and will do it.

Anonymous said...

3:34 Yes the zoning here is ag/res which is common placement for wind turbines. I think you know this already. How many of the land lessors do not live in the county? What bearing does that have with what they should be able to do with their land?

Anonymous said...

The only person that is calling this a property rights issue is PG spokesman. This issue goes way beyond property rights because it effects every citizen in the county either directly or indirectly so would certainly be a perfect issue for a referendum.
Admit it PG, you don't care in the least about the future of Somerset county and other businesses that may want to come here. You only care about PG and making your easy money and moving along to pimp another area.

Anonymous said...

4:49 The book is based on european energy markets which operate much differently than ours. I assume you know there are some major differences there and yet you try to reflect a book on the European system onto a American company in Texas. Misleading or Misinformed?

Anonymous said...

9:18 And you people claim to be for property rights. You come out and state that you want western Maryland legislators to come in and interfere with the livelihoods of our local farmers even more. If you believe they can and will do it then sit back and relax and stop getting your blood pressure all worked up. Let SFS stop trying to turn the county on itself.

Anonymous said...

9:24 I do not know about you but I was born and raised here. I am not going to get into a ridiculous argument about "who cares more about the county." However I do get concerned when people want to take something like business and property rights and put them to a common vote. What you are asking is exactly putting property rights to a common vote. Property rights are not something that goes to a referendum. If you want a vote on what your neighbor can do with his or her property move to a HOA. When you live outside of a HOA you have to deal with your neighbors and their decisions for their properties. I bought my property. I paid that bill, not you. Since you didn't pay the bill why should you have any say on what I do? If you had a case that somehow this would interfere with your rights then you should have presented that to the zoning board. I guess they were not impressed with your youtube videos. Or maybe you just told so many distortions of the truth and outright lies that you lost all credibility. As I paid the bill for my property I will do with it as I please as I am allowed by the county and its zoning. The area in question is zoned ag/residential which is common zoning for wind development. The county zoning board has twice passed an ordinance that would allow this project. You think you should get your way regardless of others rights so you are now filing selective ethics complaints to try to bully the commissioners into sending this back again to zoning. You lose twice so you feel they owe you a third try? You are also stating that because you lost twice in zoning that property rights should then be put to referendum. I doubt you could ever understand property rights.

Anonymous said...

@9:24 Again there is no PG spokesman on this blog. You are correct in that everyone in the county will be affected. Almost 3 million in tax revenue will have a major effect on everyone in the county. How about you admit an obvious truth! SFS could not win a referendum this is all about delay! SFS spent better than 10 grand on a propaganda forum and got about 150 people. SFS has gone door to door pestering people to sign a petition and has a couple hundred signatures and several of them are not valid Somerset voters. SFS endorsed 3 candidates in the last election, two were Republicans in a Republican year and all three lost. On top of that GB has not fought for public opinion, if there was a referendum GB would be out there correcting misinformation. Furthermore the press would get involved correcting misinformation and the focus would become on what would happen without the GB tax revenue. It's easy to attack something comparing it to nothing but when people are informed that without the GB tax revenue to expect huge tax increases that changes everything! Another thing is a referendum would be the whole county, the northern and eastern side of the county would be choosing between a huge tax increase or turbines they wouldn't even be able to see. Crisfield would by then have a small turbine of its own and wouldn't care about seeing more on their way to Salisbury and again would be looking at a tax increase. SFS would be unlikely to even win the Westover and Marion area because there are more landowners involved than SFS members. If it were not for the fact that I respect my Constitutional Rights and the sacrifices that have been made for me to have them and the fact that if a county starts putting industry to referendum it would be impossible to ever get any investment in the county I would be all for it.

Anonymous said...

@9:26 You are right! It is based on UK policies which are vastly different than ours. Not only that it is 6 years old and there have been huge changes in the wind industry in 6 years. And it's big gripe is government support and since the PTC has expired wind energy is the only form of electrical generation that receives no subsidies or tax credits of any kind.

Anonymous said...

10:19 Waiting for the SFS cheerleader to come out with- "The PTC is not expired! It is just suspended indefinably with no foreseeable prospect of renewal!"

Anonymous said...

@10:20 And that a county in Vermont gave a 12% assessment value decrease on one house so that proves that all the property values studies done by credible institutions examining over a million transactions showing no loss in property values are wrong! And that because an obscure county health board in Wisconsin that has done no research and has no regulatory authority has declared wind energy a health hazard that is more credible than scientific panels around the world with the best scientists and doctors available tasked with researching all available literature on the issue, who have all declared wind safe are wrong! And that because SFS has a couple hundred signatures on a petition they have the authority to speak for the whole county.

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