Money is the real issue
Toolbox
Published: November 10, 2009
The Vermont mountains and ridgelines are for sale and slated for industrialization. If Vermont Community Wind Farm and other would-be wind turbine developers have their way, anyone with a view of our mountains may be impacted, anyone living within two miles of them may suffer from noise and health effects, and anyone thinking about buying land in Vermont better beware, as they may have 400-500-foot wind turbines as neighbors. Since the wind developers remain essentially unregulated, they can try to set up shop anyplace they wish and with government subsidies and tax breaks (i.e., your money) even less than ideal places may be profitable for them.
Much has been made about how "green" these projects are. To the local community it is very clear that they are not. They require clearing of large areas of forest, ingress of large roads, blasting, create serious noise and light pollution, create health and sleep disturbances. All while having little to no impact on total greenhouse emissions. The reasons are complex, but suffice it to say these are not going to solve global warming.
Since the total impact of these projects on greenhouse gases is negligible, this is really simply about money and not global warming. The same big banks and companies that brought us the recession and Enron are the ones who are trying to speculate on this largely unregulated and subsidized industry. The conversation that needs to take place about these projects is not about global warming, but do we want our ridge lines to be developed and industrialized for the financial profit of the few, at the expense of the many?
TEDDI LOVKO
Center Rutland
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