Dear Editor,
The "divide & conquer" techniques that Big Wind salesmen have successfully used time and time again in their financially-motivated exploitation of our beautiful state and its citizens, were evident once again at Orangeville's 3/25/10 Public Hearing on Invenergy's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed "Stoney Creek" industrial wind installation.
The story's the same in every town - Camp Wyomoco was filled for the hearing, and citizens who used to be friends, sat divided. There is no doubt, complete and utter civil discord is the only thing reliably-generated by this Enronesque Ponzi scheme - its' only beneficiaries, a few wealthy investors (primarily multi-national mega-corporations in search of increased bottom lines) in bed with our state & federal governments.
Comments made by the 13 proponents that evening - 5 of whom were Invenergy employees, and 7 who were signed leaseholders, had nothing to do with the DEIS. The proponents' statements made clear, once again, "It's all about the money!" Who cares if it actually works or not? If industrial wind will reduce a tax bill, or bring a personal 'windfall' - bring it on!
So who in NYS wouldn't like a tax reduction?!? But is selling out one's town and neighbors for a few bucks really what this country has come to???
Invenergy salesmen and others referred to typical wind industry propaganda (aka: hogwash) the wind industry has spent tons of money brainwashing the American public to believe, i.e. - "emissions reductions" and "energy independence". The fact is, that with over 100,000 industrial wind turbines in the world today, there is still NO proof of emissions reductions. (See: The Wind Farm Scam, by Dr. John Etherington, and Power Hungry, by Robert Bryce)
At least 22 Orangeville citizens made comments targeting many specific inaccuracies and inadequacies in Invenergy's DEIS, including: inadequate setbacks which fail to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all citizens; wind-industry-set sound levels which exceed World Health Organization and DEC recommendations; lack of studies and safeguards to assure protection of wells and aquifers; lack of a property value protection plan; etc.
Jim Nevinger, who asked why Invenergy had not done an extensive listing of Alternatives for the project, as is required by SEQRA, asked why the town couldn't consider a smaller Town-owned project. Harold Hopkins asked why the County had not pursued the Wind Tamer industry, which had been proposed by it's owner for development here in Wyoming County, and would have created over 1,000 permanent local jobs.
Pete & Sally Humphrey both cited numerous requests to the Town Board over the past year requesting pertinent information, including a Visual Impact Study and Industrial Wind safety manuals. The Town Board has totally ignored these requests to date, "failing to fulfill their fiduciary duties."
Mike Burgio, 25-year professional in the electric field as a safety specialist, stated that "turbine developers require greater setbacks for safety for their workers than Orangeville's Town Board is requesting for their residents." (Supervisor May's opening statement, "The Board will continue to work to protect the town, and its residents," certainly doesn't jive with this sad reality!)
The most heart-rendering testimonies of the evening however, the likes of which I always wonder how the financially-motivated proponents can ignore, were those of Joseph Fugle and Eric Daniels.
Fugle told the crowd he has a condition called "Carhart Notch", which makes him especially sound sensitive. He retorted to undertones in the audience in a choked-up voice, "It's NOT funny! You may think it's funny -- but it's NOT funny, and it really scares me!" He said he can tell if the existing turbines are on or not when he calls his wife on the phone, and he doesn't know what he'll do if they put more of these things up around him.
Life-long resident, Eric Daniels, also spoke in an extremely emotional voice as he requested that flicker studies not in the DEIS be done before any project is approved. Daniels fears for the health and well-being of his children - one who has congenital heart disease, and one who has epilepsy. Daniels elaborated, "I drive back and forth to Buffalo for work, and there are days when I come over the hill that the turbines [flicker effect] on top of Buffalo Hill scares me to death!"
Harold Hopkins added his closing, "I totally respect that the Board won the election. However, my guy didn't win the Presidency either, and now we're going to Supreme Court. So, I guess we'll be seeing you in court, too."
It is so sad that this kind of division is what it has come down to in our towns - all over over a few bucks, the duration of which will be short-lived at best.
As I sit and watch these scenarios play themselves out in our rural townships, I can't help but wonder --- What happened to mutual respect? The Golden Rule? Treating other people the way you want to be treated?
I can't help but think that if we all heeded what Jesus told us was His second greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself," we wouldn't even be dealing with this mess.
Mary Kay Barton
P.O. Box 69
Silver Lake, NY 14549
585-813-8173
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