We live in Leota Township not far from the present wind farm. Instead of peaceful rolling countryside, we get to look at a hundred hulking towers over 300 feet tall. Imagine if all the street lights in Worthington were all bright red and blinked on and off at the same time. Imagine if there were 10 windmills across the middle of Lake Okabena, and the people surrounding the lake got to look at and listen to these 300-foot towers with whirling blades in the daytime and the 10 bright red beacons flashing on and off at night.

A while back there was an article in the Daily Globe about another 144 windmills going into northwestern Nobles County. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, establishes that the federal government use all practical means to ensure all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically (emphasis added) and culturally pleasing surroundings [42 U.S.C. 433(B)(2)]. To further emphasize this point, "the final decisions regarding projects are to be made in the best public interest taking into account adverse environmental impacts, including among others, the destruction or disruption of aesthetic values."

We live in Leota Township not far from the present wind farm. Instead of peaceful rolling countryside, we get to look at a hundred hulking towers over 300 feet tall. Imagine if all the street lights in Worthington were all bright red and blinked on and off at the same time. Imagine if there were 10 windmills across the middle of Lake Okabena, and the people surrounding the lake got to look at and listen to these 300-foot towers with whirling blades in the daytime and the 10 bright red beacons flashing on and off at night. If you sat out on your deck at night or even had your windows open, and the wind was right, you would hear the squeaking of metal against metal and the constant, low "whoosh whoosh" 24 hours a day. I don't doubt that when you closed your eyes at night, you would probably still see the bright red lights incessantly blinking.

Many people that live near or within the wind farm have that situation. Their peace and quiet is gone forever except on days when the wind doesn't blow, which isn't very often in this country.

I have heard that most of the power from these towers ends up in Chicago. I know that much of the rental revenue from them goes to absentee landlords. In some areas of the country, especially in New England, residents have been pretty successful in keeping out the wind farms. Now you know the reason why.

Web link: http://www.dglobe.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19195&...