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Sunday, November 09, 2014

Somerset Planning Commission Chair Resigns Over Windpower Turbine Farce

Mary Fleury, who is the only member who voted against the proposed ordinance that would allow a maximum turbine height of 575 feet (with blade tips much higher) has resigned. In her announcement, Dr. Fleury cited the lack of meaningful information presented to the Planning Commission to warrant that height and the serious safety aspects that have been reliably reported.

The draft ordinance originally called for a maximum turbine height of 400 feet, but the Texas investors wanted taller windmills. That group, Pioneer Green, was recently refused permission for its proposed windfarms into other states that rejected its proposed legislation, and it has abandoned plans to put them there. Other states have objected to windfarm development of the kind proposed for Somerset County – the so-called "great bay" project.


With the change in Maryland government resulting from last week’s election, it is possible that the State of Maryland may abandon active support of Pioneer Green’s scheme for Somerset County, which has been endorsed by O’Malley, Brown and Mathias. In any event, with the opposition to the proposed windfarm recently voiced by the Department of Defense, the draft ordinance, if passed by the Somerset County Commissioners, may be dead on arrival.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some planning commission members developed the ordinance according to Pioneer Green's needs rather than manufacturer safety recommendations. Another commission member's sister's husband has partnered with Pioneer Green to lease turbines.

Anonymous said...

Somerset County Ethics -- AWOL once again. What's new?

Anonymous said...

The taxpayers duck another (rare) bullet.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who does the most casual investigation into the wind farm industry will find out that it benefits no one except the wind farm investors and their cronies.
Wind farms don't work, they are not a reliable substitute for conventional energy and they create huge problems like noise, bird killing and a danger zone radius 5 time their height.

Anonymous said...

12:44,right on

Anonymous said...

Pioneer Green refused to provide the acoustics study. I wonder why? Pioneer Green also said the turbines would not be louder than a refrigerator, 40dba, but then said 40dba would zone them out. Glen Ains, Pat Carson, and Kevin Anderson then voted to reduce the noise limits to appease Pioneer Green. These 3 commission board members were working for Pioneer Green and refused to visit the SU sound lab to experience the sound firsthand. Another planning board member was removed in September for asking to many questions about safety.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Mary Fleury is highly intelligent and a woman of integrity. I applaud her principled action.

Anonymous said...

It's hilarious that the same green liberal democrats are the very ones that have virtually killed this project. This is the first good thing that Milkulski, Cardin, Hoyer have done in there entire career.