Orangeville: The sad realities of a town divided

Editor,

The "divide and 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 March 25 public hearing on Invenergy's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Stony Creek industrial wind installation. Sadly, despite the fact that this is the biggest, most divisive issue to ever hit our area -- resulting in ongoing lawsuits -- no local news media covered the hearing.

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 and federal governments.

The only reason industrial wind power should exist today is if it can actually live up to its promoters' claims that it will meaningfully help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., CO2) -- not because of financial incentives being dangled like a carrot by Big Wind salesmen. However, the comments made by the 13 proponents at Orangeville's public hearing -- five of whom were Invenergy employees, and most of the other eight who were signed leaseholders, had nothing to do with the DEIS, and made perfectly clear once again, that "It's all about the money!" If industrial wind will reduce a tax bill, or bring a personal "windfall," who cares whether it actually does what they claim or not -- 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?
Typical propaganda the wind industry has spent tons of money brainwashing the American public to believe, i.e. "emissions reductions" and "energy independence," were the basis of the Invenergy salesmen's and supporters' comments. The fact is, that with over 100,000 industrial wind turbines in the world today, CO2 emissions have not been significantly reduced.

In fact, Robert Bryce's newly-released book, "Power Hungry: The Myths of 'Green' Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future" (http://tiny.cc/bbu7b) documents the fact that industrial wind does not reduce CO2 emissions -- a fact that is corroborated by the statistics coming out of Denmark, which has taken the wind experiment further than any other country.

See also: "The Wind Farm Scam" (http://tiny.cc/tgxea) by Dr. John Etherington.

At least 22 Orangeville citizens made comments targeting specific inaccuracies and inadequacies in Invenergy's DEIS that the Orangeville Town Board is willing and anxious to overlook in their pursuit of perceived financial gain.

Just a few of the shortcomings cited regarding Invenergy's cut-and-pasted DEIS included:

- failure to provide an extensive listing of alternatives for the project, as is required by SEQRA,

- proposed setbacks which are less than what turbine developers recommend for the safety of their own workers -- which obviously fail to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all Orangeville citizens;

- proposed wind-industry-set sound levels which exceed World Health Organization and DEC recommendations;

- lack of citizen-requested, independent third-party studies;

- lack of studies and safeguards to assure protection of wells and aquifers;

- lack of a property value protection plan; etc.

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 lives in Silver Lake.