Bird migration is underway on the southern shore of Lake Erie. At the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), a road through a remnant of the once-vast Great Lakes coastal marsh is filling up with cars driven by birders, clutching binoculars and eager for an early glimpse of migratory birds. Robert Sink comes a few times a week from Findlay, Ohio, about an hour away, with his tripod and telephoto camera lens. He posts daily on a Facebook group for Ohio bird photographers. “When the season becomes warmer, I’ll be up here every other day or so,” he tells me.

Impact on Birds Impact on People Ohio

Impact on People Ohio

The bottom line is that this group of big-city representatives along with Stacy want the setbacks reduced so more turbines can be installed in Seneca County, consuming more taxpayer funded subsidies, while ignoring the increased safety risks and quality of life of rural residents. If Stacy truly cared about the well being of Ohio and county residents, she and the other pro-wind advocates would be lengthening the setbacks instead of trying to shorten them. This is exactly what is happening in other states.

Impact on People Ohio

Living with visible shadow flicker in their homes as well as noise — audible and inaudible — are two quality-of-life concerns of residents in eastern Seneca County who would have wind turbines near their property if two proposed wind farm projects are constructed.

Impact on People Ohio

In his comments, Punch voiced his concerns over low-frequency sound emitted by industrial wind turbines, commonly known as infrasound. According to Punch’s research, the turbines used in wind farm developments can have negative effects on a person’s mental and physical health.

Impact on People Noise Michigan Ohio

For every flawed study the Big Wind industry presents with no real loss of property value resulting from massive turbines, there are 10 more studies indicating that is definitely not the case.

Impact on People Ohio

Impact on People Ohio

“But our highest priority should be to protect our natural resource,” says LEMTA chairman Tom Mack in a statement. “Lake Erie has a unique frontage for many Ohio communities with resorts, parks, marinas, campgrounds, beaches and more. The pure vista of its unbroken horizon attracts tourists from around the world and contributes billions of dollars to our Ohio economy. Having hundreds of 500-foot spinning towers destroying that picture should make any question of offshore wind farms in Lake Erie moot.”

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Some residents in Sandusky and Seneca counties say towering turbines would shatter their peace.

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If a sworn affidavit is submitted and approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board, who has to approve any wind farm application before construction can begin, the townships' trustees will be the voice of the people in front of the state.

Impact on People Ohio

Impact on People Ohio

Impact on People Ohio

A potential 200 Megawatt Wind Farm with dozens or perhaps hundreds of turbines has been proposed for Eastern Seneca County and Southern Sandusky County. But a group of concerned citizens want more say in where the wind turbines could go.

Impact on People Ohio

Impact on People Zoning/Planning Ohio

Kimberly Kaufman, Black Swamp Bird Observatory executive director, told The Blade she learned about the decision during a recent meeting with Camp Perry leadership. She said her group will once again seek legal help from a national advocacy group, the American Bird Conservancy, to block the project.

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Butler said the deal still left about 62 percent of the project intact, much to the dismay of many of the remaining homeowners still inside the footprint of the project. Butler said that Fight The Wind feels there should be no compromise and that all residents living in the project are just as important as others.

Impact on People Ohio

Over the past eight months, wind developer EverPower has been meeting to hear the concerns of citizens and landowners in the Indian Lake area, where the company plans to construct its Scioto Ridge Wind Farm. As a result, EverPower has agreed to reduce the number of turbines in the project to address concerns regarding viewshed from the lake.

Impact on People Ohio

"Over 850 Ohio residents who are threatened with the prospect of industrial wind development in their communities sent a letter to Governor Kasich outlining the repeated and continuing failures of the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) to protect them from loss of their property rights and respect adjacent property owners right to protect and enjoy their property," Ledet said.

Impact on People Ohio

Kevin Ledet, of rural Greenwich, spoke at Tuesday's Huron County Commissioners meeting and said now that the windfarm is approved, it's important the commissioners do not approve an alternative energy zone or any other type of tax abatement for the windfarm so, at least, the county can reap the full benefit of the project.

Impact on People Ohio

Meeting Monday in Columbus, the board approved a plan to run a power line that will stretch from Fremont to near Sandusky. The board said the Hayes-West Fremont 138 kilovolt Transmission line will bypass Peninsular Farms, a historic property near Fremont. A previous proposed route had threatened the farm.

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