When I read Jeff Dickson's article titled "Economic Considerations: Wind on Little Equinox," I wondered if he was suggesting that a five-turbine wind farm in our area might attract tourists like the "thousands of turbines in Palm Springs, Calif." I went online to research the topic and located a site for Palm Springs Windmill Tours (www.windmilltours.com). I found that these windmills are located not on the mountain peaks but instead on the desert floor off Interstate 10.

Photographs on the web site showed that the wind farm is constructed in a stark landscape, virtually devoid of vegetation. I also noticed that there were no buildings in the pictures. This led me to wonder more about the surroundings, so I decided to call the tour company and ask a few questions.

The woman with whom I spoke graciously answered my queries. She told me the windmills are 15 minutes out of Palm Springs and not visible from the city. When I asked her if there were any homes in the area, she answered, "Oh, no," in a tone suggesting that my question was quite ridiculous.

This last statement led me to wonder about other information in Mr. Dickson's article. He stated that according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) "...wind farms do not harm property values and, in some cases, the values increased."

I do not imagine that property values in certain areas as desolate, undeveloped, and unpopulated such as those near the Mojave Desert would be impacted by the construction of wind turbines. But what would be the effect on an area that already has high property values and an economy based, in part, on the charm of a New England village chartered in 1761? Is the data on property values provided by AWEA skewed because so many of the wind farms are located on virtually worthless property to begin with?

There are many areas in our country where wind farms make sense. In my opinion, the peak of Little Equinox overlooking historic Manchester and the Battenkill Valley is not one of those locations. I urge your readers to go to the web site indicated above. I found the pictures of the windmills that were taken at night particularly impressive.