Opinions
Citizens should question wind turbine deal
For all of us who cherish the beauty and natural qualities of Allegany and Garrett counties, our citizens have a responsibility to seriously question the state of Maryland government as public officials negotiate with the company, U.S. Wind Force, to erect 100 wind turbines, each the size of the Washington Monument in our mountains. ...Most importantly, and not really surprising, is the indisputable fact that little has been done in the area of planning and policy development at the local, state, and national levels of government on erecting wind farms on public lands. Has any one at the municipal, county, or state level given any thought to what constitutes protection of public health and safety for siting and operating these giant 400-foot industrial turbines with capacities of 1.65 to 2 megawatts of power? There is a lack of planning capacity in rural Allegany and Garrett counties, as well as the rest of the Maryland, to deal with this complex issue, and the state does not seem to want to provide any assistance or do much to stand in the way of the wind developers.
Let's face it, from a statewide perspective Western Maryland is the place of least resistance.
January 8, 2008
by John N. Bambacus
in Cumberland Times
For all of us who cherish the beauty and natural qualities of Allegany and Garrett counties, our citizens have a responsibility to seriously question the state of Maryland government as public officials negotiate with the company, U.S. Wind Force, to erect 100 wind turbines, each the size of the Washington Monument in our mountains.
The towering 400-foot monstrosities will be visible from Deep Creek Lake, the Savage River Reservoir, and most of Garrett County. To place these turbines on our ridge-tops would mean the permanent destruction of at least 400 acres of public land and habitat and forest ecology in... [continue via Web link]
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