Moratorium needed on wind project
The outcome of the Cherry Valley election should not be interpreted
as a mandate for Reunion Power to go ahead with its plans. In the case
of Johnson, it was a vote for “more of the same.” It seems ironic that
the wind industry threatens to change the environment on a radical
scale, yet the town seems bent on keeping things the same. (They’re in
for a shock!)
Some people, including Patrick Rooney, don’t seem to recognize that
most of the Advocates for Cherry Valley are local residents, not “a
swarm of locusts” from somewhere else. Mr. Rooney speaks of their
threats against their neighbors, when it’s clear that the neighbors
who’ve been signing secret contracts with wind developers have
threatened the stability of the whole town. The fact that they’ve been
helped and sanctioned by the local government makes it clear that we
really do need change here. We need elected officials with a
conscience.
If it’s clear also, which it is, that some residents will suffer as
a result of this industry, it should not be welcomed. I have waited for
a public hearing on this issue for the past 3 1/2 years, and it has not
happened. Most residents are still in the dark about the scale and the
impact of the wind turbines.
The “open house” did little to convey anything in depth. Neither
Reunion Power nor the town officials have shown any interest in helping
people understand this project. Given the very short-term usefulness
and hideous scarring of the landscape that would result, we should nip
this in the bud. A moratorium is a good idea. Otherwise, this very
unnatural mess will continue to spread.
Pam Livingston
Cherry Valley
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