The Jordanville Wind Project’s 68 proposed wind turbines, which would stand nearly 400 feet tall, could have a visual impact on southern Herkimer County and as far away as Cooperstown. A debate is emerging among residents about how the sight of the turbines would affect the beauty of the landscape, land values and tourism. Some think the impact will be small or nonexistent, while others believe there could be many downsides. People visit the Cooperstown area not just for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, other museums and tourist attractions, but also for the scenic views, said Harry Levine of a citizens’ group called Advocates for Springfield. “I think we have to be very careful how we treat this background landscape because it could have a long-term effect on tourism,” Levine said.

Campaigners in Eden have welcomed a government-sponsored report that highlights the damage wind farms can do to tourism. Members of COLT, Communities Opposing Lamonby Turbines, say the report backs their view. Plans for turbines at Whinash were thrown out after a public inquiry. Further applications for turbines at Lamonby, Skelton and Shap are being opposed by campaigners. The energy policy document, written on behalf of the Small Business Council, focuses on the impact on tourism and the rural economy of putting turbines up in rural areas. The SBC advises trade and industry ministers on the effect of Government policy on small firms. The report refers in part to a survey of 212 Cumbrian firms, in which 42 per cent thought that wind farm developments would detract from visitors’ experiences. Opinions of some in the report would like to see more offshore wind farms.

The Environment and Public Works Ministry is in favor of developing wind farms on Greek islands but wants to place strict restrictions on such development. The Greek islands, buffeted by winds for most of the year, have great potential as wind park locations. Ministry officials estimate that as many as 7,000 turbines could be installed, producing about 14,000 megawatts of energy annually. Private investors are fighting over prime locations. The islands also happen to be among Greece’s major tourist attractions. An overdevelopment of wind farms would create both aesthetic conflicts and great noise pollution, as anyone who has visited a wind park can confirm. Thus, the new land use plan for renewable energy sources being prepared by the Environment and Public Works Ministry would limit wind parks to 4 percent of a municipality’s area (versus 8 percent on the mainland and on the island of Evia), which should limit the number of wind turbines to 2,000, producing some 4,000 MW of energy.

Broadcaster and author Eric Robson has spoken out against plans to build a windfarm on fells alongside the M6 at Shap. The Cumbrian, who chairs Cumbria Tourism, has become a patron of Community Opposed to Shap Turbines (COST).

East Yorkshire’s tourist industry would be hit if huge wind turbines were built in the region, according to business owners. However, energy companies developing the wind farms have said the schemes could attract visitors to the area. The claims were made ahead of an East Riding Council planning committee meeting being held today.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the adventurer and outdoor campaigner, has launched a scathing attack on the Scottish executive’s renewable energy policy, claiming the country’s landscape is being ruined by wind turbines. Fiennes, a world-renowned explorer and mountaineer, accused ministers of creating a blight across much of rural Scotland and of putting the country’s tourism industry at risk. He said rural communities were threatened with destruction and urged Jack McConnell, the first minister, to scrap his renewables target until other methods of green energy generation are found.

Tourism brochures tout the region’s mountains, lakes, ski slopes and trails. But some officials think those promotional guides should start including windmill sites. While the turbines popping up on the Cambria-Somerset horizon may not have the charm of the backyard devices among the tulip fields of Holland, these structures already are playing a role in drawing tourists to Somerset County. Some believe the windmills could do a lot more than generate power. “It’s how you sell it and how you market yourself,” said Erik Foley, director of the Renewable Energy Center at St. Francis University. “We could become the clean energy capital of the world.”

Plans to build England’s largest onshore windfarm would hit North Devon’s vital tourism industry, a public inquiry into the project was told yesterday. The warning was made by Martin Wickham, the general manager of the North Devon Marketing Bureau, at the public inquiry into plans by Exeter-based Devon Wind Power to build 22 wind turbines each 360ft high at Fullabrook Down, near Ilfracombe. Mr Wickham said the beautiful rural nature of North Devon and Exmoor was the underlying reason for people to come to the area and they might find other places to go if they felt the view had been spoiled by a windfarm.

Nimby-ism (Notin My Back) is almost understandable when talking about a gas pipeline or an ugly McMansion. But when it comes to environmentally friendly, quiet and- some say- beautiful windmills, an astonishing number of people are saying "no". Melanie Wold asks, "Why? Is it all the dead seagulls?"

Editor's Note: This article appeared in the October 2006 issue of Shattered Magazine. The pdf version is available via the link below.

The development of wind turbines around Dartmoor could damage the area’s vital tourism industry in the same way as foot and mouth disease, a public inquiry into windfarm plans has been warned.

“The MCofS originally objected to the proposed Beauly to Denny transmission line on grounds of lack of evidence of need for the line, the devastating impact it would have on landscape, and as a consequence of that the effect it would have on Scotland’s tourism industry.” “The proposed string of pylon towers over 200 feet high is inextricably linked to the large number of wind farm proposals currently in the planning and approval pipeline, which if approved by the Scottish Executive, would devastate the hitherto unspoilt scenic upland landscape of Scotland for generations.”

Scottish tourism must go green, according to industry leaders, with less dependence on short-haul flights into Scottish airports and protection of scenic areas against planned wind farms. They warned yesterday that the rapid growth in visitor numbers could be harmed if the wilderness was spoiled by power-grid pylons or turbines, including the prospect of offshore wind farms threatening to spoil sea views. “Tourism-fragile zones” are being proposed in rural visitor honeypots, where there would be a block on wind farms, at least until a national review of their expansion.

THERE could be “potentially catastrophic effects” on both the local tourism industry and the roads network if the Griffin Forest and Calliacher windfarms get the go-ahead, according to Mid-Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Murdo Fraser. He explained that the proposed Griffin Forest development would consist of 68 turbines, almost all with a maximum height from base to blade tip of 124 metres. They would be built to the east of the A826, between Aberfeldy and Trochry, covering a total area around the size of Perth. The Calliachar development would consist of 27 turbines, with a maximum height of 100 metres, and would be built to the west of the A826, between Aberfeldy, Kenmore and Amulree, covering around 624 hectares.

A TOURIST board has come out strongly against wind farm developments which could impact on Northumberland as a top holiday destination. Northumberland Tourism has called for an independent study in the wake of a rush of renewable energy applications across the county. There are currently eight live applications with another 17 in the pipeline – totalling nearly 300 turbines.

Trump has partnered with Bethpage caterer Steve Carl to create Trump on the Ocean, a $40-million upscale catering hall and restaurant on Jones Beach's boardwalk. They will announce the deal this afternoon...... The ballrooms and lobby will feature Atlantic Ocean views - and Trump said he wants them unobstructed, strongly objecting to the proposal for a 40-turbine wind farm three and a half miles off the beach's coast. "I think it's terrible," Trump said, adding that he thought solar and wave energy were better alternatives. "If they want to destroy Jones Beach and the entire Long Island shore, then I think they should build a wind farm."

THE local tourism board for Northumberland has come out strongly against windfarm development which could impact on Northumberland as a top holiday destination and has called for an urgent independent study. The plea from Northumberland Tourism comes in the wake of a rush of renewable energy applications across the county. There are currently eight 'live' applications with another 17 in the pipeline – totalling nearly 300 turbines.

Coutryside guardians yesterday echoed fears that the drive to generate green energy was threatening serious harm to Northumberland's vital tourism industry. The Campaign to Protect Rural England says the potential influx of hundreds of huge wind turbines would damage the county's natural assets and hamper its ability to attract more visitors and their spending power.

Tourism chiefs in Northumberland fear the rush to erect hundreds of giant wind turbines poses a serious threat to the county's natural beauty and could drive away visitors - and their money. Northumberland Tourism - the agency set up this year to promote the county's visitor industry - is the latest player to enter the debate over wind farms.

MONTEREY — “Now is not the time,” said Highland County supervisor Jerry Rexrode in response to a request for money and a letter of support for a feasibility study to establish a tourist trail in the Alleghany Highlands. “Maybe six months from now and I would support it,” he said. At Tuesday night’s supervisors’ meeting, the trail idea concerned officials because of pending litigation faced by the county. Rexrode said he does not oppose tourism or money spent to enhance tourism in Highland, but repeated it was the wrong time to commit to the project.

Developers behind plans for an Aberdeen offshore wind farm are denying that their proposals have been ‘watered down’ in response to concerns raised by billionaire Donald Trump.