Reporting only told one side
Dear Editor:
While I love seeing this story for the community to engage in different opinions (online at “Residents organize to fight wind turbine project in eastern Henderson County”), I find it insulting you failed to provide any form of counter view. This story reads like something I would see on Fox News. The opponents were quoted over and over how they “believe” various negative impacts, yet you really did not offer an educated counter to their beliefs. Let’s look at some of the issues regarding the wind turbines.
1. Health impacts: I have read no science-based report showing any health impacts other than opinions. One should point out the new Alliance Coal Mine which will be open by the end of the year will add to the approximately 1,000 deaths each year due to black lung.
2. Environmental issues: I have not read about reported barrels of oil leaking into the soil from wind turbines. There is some reporting of the disruption of the land where roads are made to go into the one acre where the windmill is located. That is the biggest disturbance. With that issue… Where were these landowners when 45-plus oil/gas pumps were placed on the land. No hysteria when the new county coal mine was announced. So, one wonders why the outrage for the environment or their land? Honestly, I find offense as someone who has Native American in my roots to hear these people speak of how they have owned this land for generations. I would love to tell them face-to-face how progress happens and why they are farming land with machines now instead of horses.
3. One person stated a concern of fire breaking out on a 700-foot-tall machine and our local teams not able to handle it. While there are fires which happen, it really does not have much effect on the height. But we could locally place restrictions on maintenance schedules, fire suppression systems, line restrictions and other things known in the industry along with some form of insurance requirement for land below if a fire breaks out. While none of this needs to be mentioned in the story but the fact you mention the Judge’s statement on three things the county can do… under restrictions it could be mentioned how various newer windmill areas have placed moratoriums to simply write land codes. In many cases those codes make things a win-win for everyone and not a poison pill. But some communities that object to any form of alternative energy sources write laws to make it impossible. An example of such is the one individual who wants a limit on 200 feet, but anything less than 500 feet is not economically viable. So, from the sounds of it, the two very vocal people want to totally ban any alternative energy yet have no issue with coal mining or oil rigs polluting the land, air and water in our community.
So, what am I trying to say, finding one local person with knowledge of solar or windmills to offer a counter view to the opinions you flooded your story would have been nice to show a balance. A factual statement or quote from a scientific source to either back up or counter the opinions offered would have been nice—such as most projects must be 500-plus feet to be viable or a quote from experts showing there are no health hazards from windmills beyond possible fire. A mention of the number of coal mines in the 3-4 county area and the number of oil rigs in Henderson Co alone would have shown some perspective. When you quoted the County Judge Executive you could have offered some perspective of other communities who have put on moratoriums to allow time to put in place codes and requirements for the new type of zoning. The requirements for access roads, the requirement for insurance for land below, requirement for fire suppression systems, a required maintenance schedule to lessen the chance of fires.
We are not illiterate or uneducated as some reports have shown Kentucky to be ranked, so we should attempt to show our intelligence or attempt to educate our community when given the chance. This reporting has only made the reader LESS educated about the topic. I know we can do better.
Doug Briggs
Henderson
Editor’s note: The Hendersonian strives to be fair and accurate. We will continue to cover this important community issue as it develops. Although each story may not itself be comprehensive, we are eager to share all pertinent local views and credible information.
Common citizens need legal representation to combat wind turbines
Dear Editor:
I truly believe that the “common citizen of Henderson County” deserves legal representation in the face of the threat of wind turbines. Trying to read through the “legalities” of the conditions of approval for the turbines is comparable to falling down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Seemingly, the public are only allowed to comment at designated times, after much has been “processed,” which suggests the public opinion is considered an afterthought.
How can one believe that the residents’ well-being is even part of the equation when vegetation is suggested to mitigate the damaging effects of a turbine? Really? There are going to be plantings of vegetation that grow as tall as a turbine?
There is a saying that “I’m not as green as I’m cabbage looking.” However, residents continually are treated as a row of cabbage. When challenged about suspect management of the residents’ welfare, their reasoning is even more suspect.
Consequently, the residents need to have representation by a legal expert to challenge those with the deep pockets that facilitate the ways and means to accomplish self-serving agendas. There is a saying “Not in my backyard” and one must wonder where the officials live.
I would support a “Go Fund Me” for legal representation for those whose rights, health and voice are being disregarded. However, is there a lawyer out there that believes in championing the residents’ cause versus the powers that be?
Kathleen Strout
Henderson
