No gain, much loss from wind

Jane Iredale, Berkshire Eagle, June 5, 2006

[Reprinted with permission from the author.]

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To the Editor:

In response to Chris Andersen's letter of May 23 ("Wind project's promise for Savoy,") let me assure you that Dutch windmills are totally different from the massive wind turbines proposed for the Berkshires. Dutch windmills are small, quaint relics that used to grind grain and are a pleasure to look at. The latest wind turbines proposed in the Berkshires are 420-feet tall, the equivalent of 42-story office buildings with perpetually flashing lights, and are anything but a pleasure.

For all of their bulk, they produce small amounts of electricity and in fact need electricity to run. But they do provide huge amounts of public subsidies for a few wealthy investors.

Because the turbines produce so little electricity and are so uneconomical to run without enormous public subsidies, once the turbine owners extract all the public subsidies available they have a habit of disappearing. Small towns are left to pay for the upkeep or for the removal and cleanup costs. Up go our taxes. If we are unwilling to pay, then the turbines sit there rusting and decaying in our view.

These massive turbines lining our hills certainly won't enhance our one remaining thriving industry, tourism. People come here for our scenic views, quiet outdoor recreation and cultural activities. They spend upwards of $280 million a year, support thousands of jobs and pay millions in local taxes.

Second-home owners come here for the same reasons as the tourists and also provide substantial tax revenue for our communities. Without them, up go our taxes again.

Why would we jeopardize any of that with industrial monstrosities on our mountains that produce no more electricity than one energy-saving light bulb in every Massachusetts household would do? Towns in Vermont are voting against wind turbines. They recognize the enormity of their impact. New York towns, too, are waking up to the unacceptable risks. If we spoil our landscape, negatively affect our environment, and substantially add to our noise pollution, those states will be all too happy to host the tourists that used to visit the Berkshires.

Once we let wind turbines in, we can't then change our minds. And we won't be trading turbines for power lines. The turbines aren't reliable enough and won't produce anything like enough electricity to do away with that form of delivery.

JANE IREDALE

Great Barrington, June 1, 2006