Thank you for using the beautiful fall foliage picture of the West Rutland/Ira ridgeline to accompany your article "Vermont gears up for fall foliage gold" in the Sept. 6 business section of the Rutland Herald. The article by Bruce Edwards forecasts a strong, economic projection for the upcoming fall foliage season and underscores the importance of tourist dollars received from visitors coming to enjoy the beauty of our region.

I find it ironic that the mountains chosen by the Rutland Herald to exemplify our state's beauty are the same mountains that will be visually spoiled by the Vermont Community Wind Farm's proposed plan to erect 45 400- to 500-foot wind towers.

Along with the turbines come the 36-foot-wide access roads cut into the mountains, the removal of the top of the mountain for footings and the power grid lines. If completed, the tourists will cross the border from New York state to Vermont on Route 4 and be greeted not by natural beauty that is unique to Vermont, but by huge wind towers standing four to five times the height of the highest tree and all the accompanying roads and power lines. It has been projected that this project will not decrease power costs, but actually cost the ratepayer more.

Are we also willing to lose the revenue that is generated by the tourist escaping the visual pollution of development to enjoy Vermont's natural beauty?