Shame on you, Gov. Butch Otter, and every other representative for Idaho (including the Fish and Game) who is letting our Fish and Game regional supervisor take this in the backside and then deny that you've even done anything wrong. Don't you advertise for people to move to Idaho because of its wildlife? Why do you, governor, do commercials with the backdrop of eagles, wildlife and green pastures? And why does the governor's office need to OK a government employee's opinion to the editor? This isn't just Fish and Game's problem.

At times, the process seemed like a circus. Although everyone who wanted to speak had a chance to address the zoning board of appeals - as true democracy dictates - the time it took to put everything on the table was far from efficient. In looking at how other appeals boards have handled this process, Logan County metaphorically set the record with the time it took to wrap up its hearings. And some professionalism was also lacking within the appeals board. Members were told they could not have extra time to read important materials pertaining to the subject before taking a vote, and one zoning board of appeals member even applauded after a proponent spoke on the issue.

In Tazewell we detect something more to the spat between the state's attorney and some County Board members than just a difference of professional opinion. While we're none too keen on one part of local government suing another - attorneys win, taxpayers lose - Umholtz is on the right side of this issue by taking his stand on principle. ...the everybody-does-it defense employed by some Tazewell board members is a cop-out for those who know they're on shaky ground but want to rationalize a "yes" vote. Sorry, but these elected officials can read and comprehend the law.

Furthermore, if turbines can never generate enough electricity to pay for themselves, and if government pays the majority of their cost, then they are an additional drain on the nation's economy - and if they are only 30 percent efficient - and if they are detrimental to the health of people living at even a much greater distance than 1,000 feet, then why, oh why, is Boone County even considering reducing the setback from 2,000 to 1,000 feet?

The Boone County Board is considering a zoning ordinance that would permit wind turbines as close as 1,000 feet of adjacent property. That is a far cry from the current setback of 2,000 feet, which after numerous meetings of the Zoning Board of Appeals, three Boone County Board meetings and two years of litigation in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, was deemed reasonable given the limitations to aviation, crop dusting and quality of life of adjacent property owners. ...An enterprise can be a good neighbor when it listens to its neighbors and makes adjustments accordingly. That is what a zoning ordinance should encourage, and no doubt does encourage for other industry. But why are wind projects any different?

Who decided they could put this industrial wind project in a residential/agricultural area? We are taxed under a residential rate, but live in an agricultural area. How can the wind company propose measuring distances for safety from noise from the corner of our residence instead of the property line? Nowhere else in any zoning laws does this exception apply. Who gave them that right to use our backyard as their buffer zone? ...The cost of ``free'' wind doesn't figure into it the astronomical cost to upgrade the transmission lines. The utilities passed that cost on to us! We ask that the board study the issues objectively and find their own answers through independent research. There are better choices instead of spending upwards of $200 million for this project. The money could be better spent on education.

In Odell Township, less than half of the turbine sites are owned by folks from the township. Those that live in Wisconsin, California and Chicago are happy to ruin a place they don't have to look at or live in. How convenient it is that there is no mention of these spinning, blinking, eyesores as being 500 feet tall. Which of our county officials have seen a 500-foot tower in person? ...Why do they need to be so big? In poor wind areas you need bigger turbines to produce power, and the state of Illinois has identified this area as economically marginal.

Yes, I have strong opinions about the wind farm issue, not that I believe wind energy is good or bad, rather that the whole episode has been handled so wrongly. Thirteen months ago I had no opinion at all, then I attended a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing and could not believe the audacity of the supporters and participants toward those who objected. ...Then eleven months ago I was part of a group of residents from both Lancaster and Waddams townships that drafted a compromising plan for proper and safe zoning setbacks of wind turbines with property protection for neighboring residents. When that proposal was presented to the county's Plan Commission it was rejected with one board member making the comment "we don't owe these people anything,"

The biggest concern that we all should have is how certain members of our county board have swayed many to believe that there are no alternatives but to push through with the construction of wind turbines. They have disregarded county zoning restrictions and recommendations (which exist to give residents a right of appeal) only to write their own rules which can lead to serious ramifications down the road. There was a concentrated effort to disallow the petitioned voice of nearly 1800 county residents who have various health, safety and financial concerns about the construction of these enormous structures. To throw out approximately 60 signatures as illegible ... seriously? I think the chairman has underestimated and insulted the intelligence of the rural population in Stephenson County to think that so many can't write their own name.

Opponents of these projects were initially stunned by the blatant disregard of public input by county board members on these zoning matters. Lawsuits have subsequently been filed, challenging the special use permits of each planned wind farm, and arguing the validity of a petition that may have changed the outcome of the county board decision to eliminate special use permits for wind farms. In the end, the question of whether these legal actions would have been initiated if county board members had been more receptive to public input should be asked.

From my perspective, the future for Illinois is bleak - due to the failure to meet rising demand for electricity. Industry requires power and will migrate to areas with assured supplies of electricity. That isn't Illinois. ...This problem cannot be legislated away and will only be solved by adopting rules and legislation that encourage construction of new power plants here.

Do we want to leave the entirety of our surroundings to the administrative technicalities of a zoning office through the mere vote of 12 people whose interests raise grave doubts of motive? Of course not. Clearly, a matter of this gravity and importance should be decided by public referendum.

Forty-three owners with 72 tract of land have agreed to construct turbines. How can we allow so few to dictate to so many?

The issue: The right of citizens to petition for legislation Our view: An important right that should be protected Opponents of wind farm projects presented the Stephenson County Board a petition signed by 1,800 landowners last week, citing a little-used state law that empowers citizens to change how legislation is approved by the county board, by petition. Statutes dictate that validated signatures representing 5 percent of the landowners in a county can require a "super majority," or three-fourths approval on legislation being considered by the board. In this case, wind farm opponents sought to petition the county board to prevent it from adopting a revision to the zoning ordinance that changes permitted uses for land in the prime agriculture category. County officials put the petition aside, and after further consideration, discussion turned to whether the exact number of landowners in Stephenson County could be determined. Land ownership can be confused by trusts, marital status, estate holdings and other legal "tools." Regardless of your opinion on wind farms, preserving the right of citizens to initiate action through petition is a vital right in our democratic system of government. In such cases when an electorate is unable to find sufficient consideration for its opinion through its elected representatives, the opportunity to prompt action through independent petition is a viable alternative.

I grew up, operated and still actively participate with my son on our family farm. Over all that time I have seen many trends in the agricultural business, but wind power generation is not one I consider to be agricultural based. Yet, our county leadership wants to allow these types of facilities permitted uses in our agricultural zones without any zoning board review or forum for public protest. The claim is to streamline the system but all it actually does is open the door for more and more wind turbines to be scattered about without any formal protest opportunity for neighboring land owners.

Acting now, at a time when Stephenson County is being sued by two property owner groups opposed to proposed wind farm developments, subverts the public process. Adopting this proposal would create an opportunity for the developers to withdraw plans for the two wind farms now being considered, thereby negating the lawsuits. These same developers, if the revision is adopted by the county, would then resubmit plans for the wind farms and public input on the process would be limited to hearings, hosted by the developers and attended by county officials who are not answerable to the ballot box.

Simply put the Oak Prairie wind farm is a good example of how developers and the county boards are ripping off the American taxpayers who fund these projects through subsidies. They are simply locating these projects wherever they can find a farmer/landowner who does not care about his neighbors and they think the resistance will be light (low income areas). There is no concern for power output. This is costing us all millions of dollars; many MW's of energy and gives the wind power industry poor performance numbers.

Town officials who want to find out about wind power should book a room at the Flat Rock Inn in Tug Hill, in the midst of New York's largest wind plant, which has more than 150, 400-foot-high turbines. If they like the look during the day and the sound at night, they should come back and tell their constituents that the current proposal for wind power is just perfect. We, however, disagree. Yes, wind power is a wonderful solution to our energy problems but, like many good things, it can become a bad thing when used irresponsibly. Wind power plants must be carefully and responsibly sited and operated. The proposal as it stands is unsatisfactory and would seriously harm our community.

Mr. Keller writes about surprise in "extent of the decline" in the production of the province's four wind farms. There is no surprise among those who have studying the bigger industry picture and are not seduced by the exaggerated claims made by the industry and its supporters. Perhaps that surprise comes from the dawning realization that these turbines are not all that they have made out to be....... Wind generation is not even a partial solution to our energy needs, and climate concerns.