Letters to the Editor
Clinton County News
I recently attended the same Bengal township meeting as Jeff Armbrustmacher on wind turbines. I would also be one of the people who he would consider to be with an unopened mind.
There are several concerns about turbines and several law suites starting in other areas.
I agree with Jeff on things, but strongly disagree on others. Michigan’s economy is a disaster. As far as I have found the amount of jobs to be produced in the manufacturing of turbines is 2000-5000. With this in mind there are 7-coal factories in Michigan. Each of them has 4000-5000 employees. With the closing of one factory we have lost as many jobs as we have gained.
It has also been said that 3 people will be able to maintain a 60-Industrial Turbine Wind Farm, not a lot of jobs.
The next problem is that wind energy is not cheap. It is estimated to cost 30% more than coal to produce electricity, so your electric will go up.
Tax on the turbines gives townships very little money. Most of the tax on turbines goes to state and county, meaning area townships will benefit little. Schools will benefit little if any.
The only people to gain from turbines are landowners who get a great amount of money per turbine placed on their land. Hopefully these landowners can sleep at night knowing that they took a great quality of life from their neighbors and tore a community apart.
Stan Sillman, Bengal Township
Portland Review and Observer Wind energy developers are strongly considering Clinton County, as well as Ionia County, for the development of industrial wind turbine farms. Many of these wind farms consist of 30 to 60 wind turbines. Each of these turbines stand 400 feet high and are anchored to concrete foundations that are approximately 14 feet deep with 90 tons of rebar. A Clinton County ordinance is currently being written to accommodate these wind farms. It is crucial that responsible property set-backs (from residential homes) be incorporated into this ordinance. All county citizens need to be informed of the risk factors involved with wind farms, such as turbine noise, shadow flicker, and the potential loss of property value to area homeowners. Please educate yourselves and share your concerns with your local township board members and your county board of commissions who have the final vote on the wind ordinance. Glenn Simon, Fowler
Clinton County News
Possible effects of industrial wind farms on health
What could happen if an industrial wind factory is build in our area? Many physicians from around the world have conducted studies on the ill health effects among people who live near industrial-scale wind turbines, including, Dr. Robert McMurtry, Ontario, Canada; Dr. Nina Pierpont, USA; Dr. Amanda Harry, UK; and Dr. Robin Phipps, New Zealand. Dr. Pierpont reports Wind Turbine Syndrome as the effect of low frequency wind turbine noise on the organs of the ear. Symptoms include, sleep disturbance, headache, nausea, irritability, problems with concentration and memory, panic episodes, and more. Shadow flicker -where the sun behind the turbine blades creates a strobing effect on the ground and in your home -may also be harmful. Also, an increase in noise can cause sleep loss and stress, especially in rural areas where nights are expected to be quiet.
Not only may our health be affected, but what about the value of our homes? According to Real Estate appraisers in Chicago and Texas, homes near wind turbines average a 30% lower value, perhaps as high as 50%. I mean, how many people are looking to buy a “surrounded-by-wind-turbines dream home”?
Please educate yourself about industrial wind farms and their effects on people, animals, homes, communities, neighbors and friends. Go to the various web sites that are available and learn the facts. There is a place for industrial wind farms, but not in a rural residential area.
Vicki Horak, Bengal Township
Clinton County News and Meridian Weekly The winds of change are blowing and their blowing quickly into Mid-Michigan! Property owners in Eagle, Bengal and Dallas Townships of Clinton County have been approached by developers to install industrial wind power plant farms. Are they coming to yours too? Does Clinton County have enough adequate wind to support such an investment by these developers? If you look at a wind resource map the best winds are located along the Great Lakes shoreline. Our tax money and future projected utility bills demand the most efficient area for these wind turbine power plant farms. So why do the developers want to install these devices here in Mid-Michigan? The simple answer is due to the Federal & State tax credits, grants, and tax exemptions that make it profitable for these large corporations to establish these huge structures without a sound business plan. For example, these wind turbine power plant owners operate under the exemptions of the Industrial Personal Property. These wind turbine power plant owners get property tax exemption on the State Education Tax (SET, 6 mills) and the local school district operating millage (up to 18 mills). To a great many of us, these corporations and developers are taking advantage of our local farmers. To these farmers it might appear to be easy money to lease your property or is going to be a huge regret? These wind turbine power plant farms also affect the surrounding area, maybe even for miles within the view-shed. Evidence about the effects on property values are surfacing throughout this country, due to these 400’ monsters. It’s probably not the appearance of the turbine but the noise, shadow flicker, and the ice throw risk factors that cause the view-shed property values to decrease. The noise factors are perceived to be as loud as a jet engine or to a low frequency vibration that we can’t hear but still affects our bodies. People can’t live in their homes and they can’t sell their homes according to the United States Congressman Eric Massa (D, NY) who said this during a radio interview on WLEA (Hornell, NY) on April 25 of 2009. Proper setbacks from these wind turbines are what is needed, the 1000’ that our county is considering is not far enough for me. Lake Township in Huron County is overwriting their county’s wind ordinance. Lake Township obviously feels compelled to take the additional time to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of their residents and property owners. The Lake Township government is performing their due diligence for their people’s rights. Unfortunately, their county, Huron, rushed into their wind ordinance despite the thousands of names on a signed petition against these wind turbine power plant farms. So, do not let Clinton County rush into a wind ordinance on industrial wind turbines without the proper notification to us so we can have our input. Do your own research by searching the Web and start by reviewing the Lake Township website: www.laketownship.net or try www.windaction.org. Attend the county planning and zoning meetings, your township meetings, and let them have your input. In conclusion, I live in the country to enjoy an open window and a gently breeze with the quiet of the night. This is what I have worked towards and it’s where I put my wealth. Hopefully the winds of change will not destroy this countryside by blowing my family and me away. Peter Klein, Greenbush Township
Clinton County News
Open ‘Wind’ Communication
The proposal of a wind turbine farm being placed in Clinton County has caused much concern for local landowners. It has been stated that the proposed project is not a secret and legal/public notices have been in the papers 3 times. The legal notice which was posted in local papers was for a special land use permit to erect a temporary meteorological tower. When we inquired on how to make the connection from the public notice between the meteorological tower and the possible construction of possibly 60 382 ft. turbines, we were informed that without prior knowledge of development for these types of projects we may not have known. We believe we are not the only ones who might not have been able to make this connection.
With nothing to hide, we would like to see the County Planning Commission and all related boards communicate the dates, times and locations of any and all meetings that may relate to the proposed project, especially ‘non-official’ meetings that do not require public notice. A simple posting on the county website would be ideal for short notice meetings and/or changed meeting schedules. This would allow for ALL interested parties to be involved in the planning process. The county should be open to all county residents’ concerns regarding these potential turbines and not be quick to dismiss them as they arise.
If Forest Hill Wind, LLC would like to invest in our community and our county, we encourage the company to be proactive and have open communication with all members of the community, not just select landowners. This is an investment which affects not only landowners with potential turbines on their property, but also the land of surrounding neighbors.
If the project is worth doing, it is worth spending the time, money and energy on independent studies regarding concerns people have. This would show a good faith effort has been considered for both sides and that the Planning Commission is open to discuss all residents’ concerns. This is a decision which has possible rewards and consequences for many for generations. It is not a decision to be taken lightly or rushed into.
Jeremy & Kathy Boak
St. Johns
County residents need to know that a wind turbine company is proposing to build industrial wind turbines in our area. We need to be aware of all the effects this will have on our land and homes. These turbines will significantly reduce the values of our homes, some possibly to the extent that they would be nearly impossible to sell. Also, know that once these turbines are constructed, they will be here for generations to come.
Glenn Simon
Bengal Township
With the prospect of a commercial wind project being developed in Clinton County, we need to pay attention to how some national figures respond when the scenario is presented to them along with the facts surrounding them.
Senator Ted Kennedy and his nephew, Robert Kennedy Jr., both from Massachusetts, who continue to push green energy, are fighting against a proposed commercial wind farm in Nantucket Sound. The Cape Wind Project would erect 130 wind turbines six miles away from the Kennedy’s ocean front property in Hyannis Port. With the Kennedy family not wanting wind turbines six miles from their backyard, we should be asking why would we want them just 1,000 feet from our homes?
So what about the job creation from the green energy movement? In a Wall Street Journal article, dated March 30, 2009, the country of Spain, a renewable energy leader, did a study on job creation. Every “green collar” job created resulted in 2.2 average jobs lost. The Obama Administration would like to use Spain as a model for the United States green energy push. We need to ask, how will wind turbine construction really affect the job situation we find ourselves in now?
We need to question many aspects of wind energy including how efficient and cost effective are wind turbines? Typically, wind turbines only run at a maximum of 30 to 40 percent efficiency. The energy produced costs about two times as much as conventional resources. Can we really afford an increase in our utilities right now?
And what about our tax dollars used for green energy? Taxpayers cover about 75 percent of the 2.3 million dollars needed to erect a wind turbine. The state and national budgets are already deeply in the red; do we really need to spend our tax dollars on unproven energy and then passing the debt burden on to our children and grandchildren?
Please, educate yourself with the different websites and resources available on the internet. Please, contact your township and county officials with these and other concerns you have about wind turbines.
Deb Pung
Bengal Township
The Clinton County Zoning and Planning Commission is currently developing a Wind Ordinance for our county. As it stands now, with no ordinance in place, any industrial wind turbine company can come in and essentially place these 400 feet wind turbines as close as 1,000 feet from our homes and they are not bound by any laws or standards, just by a set of suggested state guidelines. To date, I have not seen a comprehensive study completed by the county which outlines the negative impacts these wind turbines could have on our community, our quality of life or our property values. I encourage every resident of Clinton County to get involved, do the research, ask the questions and let your voice be heard. This is a county-wide ordinance and just because your “backyard” has not been identified as a possible industrial wind turbine development at this time, this doesn’t mean it won’t be targeted in the near future. I encourage you to contact our county commissioners and let them know that you want a say in how the ordinance is developed and what the standards will be. This ordinance will affect many families in our community and this industry could have severe repercussions in the future if we do not carefully weigh the costs versus the benefits. We need to educate ourselves on all aspects of the industrial wind energy industry and ask that our leaders ensure that we are given a voice regarding wind turbine placement. If hundreds of these turbines are placed in the county without careful planning and consideration of all residents, the impact will be apparent for years to come. We must put all personal agendas and motives aside and do what is best for the community and the county as a whole.
Lori Pung
Bengal Township