Opinions
So when it comes to taxes and government, I understand what you are facing. When I visit home, my wife Lynn and I make it a point to cross the bridge from New Bedford on Route 6 so we can see the water and the outline of the town from a distance. From a tourist's perspective, the skyline of the town is gorgeous! We look forward to driving by the high school, the library, the Unitarian church, Fort Phoenix, and other points of interest. The owners of the homes in the town should be commended on how beautiful the area looks, and the town should be proud of maintaining the New England charm which makes Fairhaven so special.
As a tourist who visits the area, I notice what is transparent to most locals, and for me the skyline of Fairhaven is priceless. If the citizens of Fairhaven allow the wind power project to be built at the current proposed location, I believe you will be making a terrible mistake. The town may gain some money in taxes and offset some electrical energy costs, but it will not offset the loss in green space and, more importantly, the beauty of Fairhaven's historic charm.
A wind farm was proposed in the mountains of western Maine where I live. The Land Use Resource Commission sided with the pleas of a few citizens and not the power company by rejecting the proposal. Tourism is important to Maine, and visitors come to relax and escape the city life and enjoy the cool air and majestic views. Tourists don't want to hear the whirling of wind turbine blades or see a wind farm across a mountain ridge line. Does Fairhaven care about the tourist perspective on building a wind farm?
You would think that with all the trees in western Maine, we would care less about our green space. Not so. Being environmentally conscious is our livelihood, and if we take away green areas, we purchase and plant new ones. It is a long-term policy in place to protect the aesthetic value and historic character of our town. I hope Fairhaven's policy is the same or will at least require it for this project. After all, isn't Fairhaven trying to be green?
The quaint New England town character that Fairhaven enjoys so much will be changed once turbine towers are erected. Photos are one way to convince the people to approve this proposal, but it is not the same as seeing something erected from your backyard.
A few years ago in Farmington, Maine, a cell tower was proposed. The residents demanded that the cell phone company set up a crane to demonstrate the height of the potential tower. Has anyone proposed that a crane be erected to a height of the turbine and then add the blade length, then hang a huge red ball from the location so everyone can see for themselves how far away the wind turbine will be seen? This may sound trivial, but there will be a blinking light at the top and blades will be spinning, which you will see for the next 20-30 years.
Demand the crane and have them keep it up for a few days, not a few hours. You'll be amazed how far away you can see the tower. Then go back and talk about it.
What about the folks who live less than 1,000 feet from the proposed location? There is much debate about how close is too close to live next to a wind turbine because of the shadow, noise and electrical leakage. It appears that a conflict exists between the setbacks recommended by UMass and the town of Fairhaven. The setback distance should err toward the side of caution. The town of Fairhaven recommends a closer proximity to the turbines. If Fairhaven will not agree to the greater distance, then they should offer the owner a buyout or the building of the turbines should not begin.
There is a wind farm already in place at Mars Hill, Maine. Mars Hill is a northern Maine town with a declining population, but the local government benefits from the wind farm in tax revenue. Unfortunately, the residents who once had prime real estate because of their mountain views have seen their property values decrease. And it also appears that most people who are searching for property in the area do not care to look at over two dozen wind turbines in the distance.
Mars Hill is a realistic situation which many towns desiring to pursue alternate energy sources will have to face in the coming years, and many lessons can be learned from their experiences.
So, what do residents do? I think everyone can agree that everyone should do something to decrease dependence on foreign oil. But are large-scale wind turbines in urban areas the answer? Is there anywhere else in the area around Fairhaven you could relocate your wind project so as not to impact the urban center?
In my opinion, any new building permit should require roofs to face the best direction and angle for the sun so everyone could place solar panels on their roofs. The direction and angle would be approved by a permitting authority. Panels have come down in price and net metering (the ability to feed electricity back into the grid system) is now a reality. I think it's time for low-interest or no-interest loans from the government to make this happen. New England did it for insulating homes in the late 1970s and '80s.
Today, placing solar panels on everyone's roofs is an investment for the future. Here's a suggestion: Why not have every town building install solar panels and start net metering? Better yet, why doesn't Fairhaven start an initiative to install solar panels on every rooftop by the year 2020 and become the model for small New England towns on preserving their character, creating their own power, and preserving the environment?
I support using renewable energy, but at the least expense of others within the community. Solar panels on roofs have little impact. Although there are environmental trade-offs, hydro-electric is clean and quiet. Even wind turbines located in remote unpopulated areas are excellent. But why choose a wind turbine in your backyard when your town is so historic? Granted, the turbine is not being placed in the center of town, but it will be noticeable from more points than you can imagine.
I am aware that the process has been approved at a Town Meeting by a few hundred citizens. It is my hope that the citizens of Fairhaven demand a full town vote so everyone's voice may be heard for such a huge project that impacts so many. Not everyone can make it to a Town Meeting.
Please be absolutely informed as a voting community before making such a long-term commitment. I wish you well.
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