Petitioned language involving Ira's future approach to renewable energy was amended on the floor to add "in accordance with the town plan." ...In the end, people knew exactly what they came for, and exactly on what they were voting. There were no further questions or discussion. The vote was a resounding 89-20 in support of an Ira renewable energy policy that leaves industrial wind turbines off Ira ridgelines.

Like it or not, the future of Newburyport rests soundly on the aesthetic value of its historic architecture, ecological resources, wildlife and beautiful views. The question for every citizen after knowing what impacts these towers will produce will be, "What benefit is it to the city to have these towers present and how will it affect my home?"

Many people seem enthralled about the “clean green” wind farm proposed for Lake Michigan four miles out from Pentwater. But if you’ve ever sailed the lake and if you ever worked in a big power plant — and I have done both — you see several dirty little devils in the details. Plus that, an Internet search shows wind power may not be all that clean. But it certainly looks very, very green — at least to the developers, people eager to rake in the boodle of big federal grants and subsidies and then get out of Dodge — or Pentwater.

The industry was passive on setbacks in the early days of siting the towers and turbines. Communities relied on ordinances adapted from other industrial projects, or took the word of developers. That was a mistake. Most notably in Mars Hill, where the state's first major wind power project was built, residents tell horror stories about not being able to sleep. ...Better data is needed, and it is needed soon.

In the words of Jeff Holyfield, spokesperson for Consumers Energy, "Last year, the wind blew ice floes onshore with such force that a half-dozen homes were crushed on the shore of Lake Michigan ... protection of turbine towers from such pressure and stress is a major concern."

It's time for our representatives, both state and federal, to take a serious look at the possible health effects of wind turbines. It's possible reported problems are psychological, but we will not know conclusively until a reliable test is available. Yes, this will cost a lot of money, but it will be nothing compared to the price we will pay if we erect hundreds of turbines in the Upper Thumb and then find proof of a problem.

After being immersed in the windmill debate via our newspaper for more than a year - and openly looking at the issue from both sides - I personally do not support the project. But it's not my call to make - it is a decision that should be decided by the residents of Tazewell County. At the public hearing on the project, 71 individuals spoke in favor of the ridgeline ordinance, while 18 spoke against it. That's an overwhelming anti-windmill majority.

So much is invested in Michigan to save the shoreline, protect Lake Michigan, keeping the invasive carp out of our waters and to keep the quality of Michigan's natural resources protected, why all of the sudden would our state do a 180% turn? The Scandia Wind Offshore, LLC is talking about putting these wind turbines in some that stretch 450 feet as close as two miles off from the shoreline in Pentwater.

As the cold winter wind whips through the region, there's one bright spot to think about - the state's potential to harness that energy into electricity. But that potential also brings concerns about wind turbines making noise, harming birds and disturbing the bucolic landscape. That's why municipalities need to take a proactive stance.

So far, more than a dozen families near our existing wind turbines have complained. That's with only about 75 turbines in the area. What will happen when we have 2,800 of them here? If we don't speak up now, we'll have more than 400 families reporting health problems - just because the turbines are constructed too close to homes.

On October 28 the Darrington wind farm appeal process finally concluded. ...No less than seven parish council have declared their opposition to the proposed development. ...Mr Robinson, the inspector, must now deliberate and make his recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will announce a decision next spring.

One thing everyone in Merritt Township seems to agree on is that it sure is windy on the flat, former lake bottom that is Bay County. Add the prospect of 66 giant, electricity-generating windmills to the argument, as they were proposed last week by a Florida energy company, and consensus starts to fracture. ...Warranted or not, a great deal of suspicion shrouds windmill developments. Some residents near "wind farms" in the Thumb region have complained of noise and vibration from the turbines. And for every specific complaint, there is another resident to rebut the claim, saying the units are unobtrusive.

Does anyone in Orangeville believe the Town Board is working for them? On Sept. 23 at the Town Hall it was obvious that we are being represented by a lawyer, not the Town Board. The wind turbine law that was voted on specifies that 450-foot turbines can be built 700 feet from your property line and 1,320 feet from your residence. Approximately 200 residents filed petitions objecting to these setbacks for health and safety reasons.

After much soul-searching as an advocate of both growing our needed renewable energy and protecting our honey pot of the environment, I have chosen to be an opponent of the proposed wind ordinance. I make this choice mainly because of the "back-room" way it has been drafted. I'm really sick of the cowardly darkness of the "behind-the-scenes" smugness emanating from those who must creep away before the fair input of the public sun can rise. Despite their political pretenses, they drain energy and our future quality of life, rather than renew our wherewithal and protect our powerful natural resources.

Is it right for the Town Council of New Shoreham to change the terms of a gift of land to the town, 31 years after the gift was made? This is the thrust of the public hearing on October 5, in reference to the windmill project proposed for the Transfer Station site. ...Numerous groups have bonded together to preserve more that 40 percent of this island. For those of you who enjoy these preserved areas, please realize that this kind of "spot zoning" sets a precedent that can put all of these, now public, areas in great danger. For those of you who may be thinking of donating land or are working toward the preservation and conservation of an area for a specific use - think hard - your dreams are in danger!

I am writing to express my desire to carefully review the wind turbine proposal for Winnebago County. As a resident, I want to see several things in our decision process. I would like to assure that we are taking into account that human development and environmental sustainability are both considered. A connected plan will best serve the long-term interests in our county. Let us use the direction of experts such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the available research.

A few weeks ago I wrote about Public Act 295, called the “Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act.” This deceptively named law requires all Michigan utilities to produce 10% of their energy from renewable energy sources by 2015. Of course, the “renewable energy” they’re talking about is the kind we don’t have. Its water, biomass, and wind. It specifically excludes coal, nuclear and oil, three things we can buy or build that generate lots of cheap electricity. The kind of reliable, cheap power that people look for when they’re going to build a plant that employs people.

While debate stemming from a recent Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board meeting in Bad Axe has mostly been about whether future wind turbine development should be allowed in the local area, there have been other concerns raised that should be acknowledged. They are in regard to the board's actual makeup: That there's too much representation from the utility and transmission industries, and not enough representation from other entities, including counties, public health, agriculture and the Thumb region.

What seems to be happening here is that power developers moved covertly into our neighborhoods to solicit some landowners, with the result of bitterly dividing the community. If we are to move forward with a plan that aims to harness the wind and pump life into our economy, then we should do it in a way that makes us a strong community. You can be assured that the power companies have a business plan. So should the town of Hammond.

Black Fork Wind LLC, the project name of the wind farm planned for the Crestline/Shelby area, has filed for waivers to Ohio Administrative Codes to allow them to cut corners in the development of this industry in Richland and Crawford counties. ...This issue concerns me very much and I hope everyone (both in and out of the proposed site) will do their research.