Facing the Prospect of Walking Away from My Little Mountain Cabin
As I have mentioned in passing a number of times, a proposal by a foreign company to place 40, 525' tall wind turbines on the ridge near my house in the Pocono Mountains, may ultimately necessitate my walking away from it!
Will post details throughout the day …
Some background.
https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/05/12/bethlehem-turbine-project-faces-headwind-in-the-poconos/
More later.
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While hearings before the potentially-affected area's zoning board continue ad-infinitum, the speculation over health issues, environmental destruction, property value declines, impassable local roads, the possibility of a compromised water table and water-well systems … the legal tactics and ploys come into play.
Zoning board hearings with local residents/property owners present along with the wind farm executives and attorney, have been conducted at a fire house. This venue enables people like myself to attend, express concerns and a show of opposition to the wind farm.
But at recent hearings, the attorney for the wind farm representatives (Iberdola and the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Water Authority) has claimed that there have been "death threats" leveled at herself and company executives. I and others are waiting for verification of that allegation … waiting.
In addition to now attending a hearing with armed body guards, the attorney is attempting to have the hearing venue moved to a location that would certainly make it more difficult for residents to attend.
Get the picture?
While the State of Pennsylvania has parameters regarding wind farm placement proposals, IMO, should the wind farm construction actually begin, aside from the health, environmental and other concerns, THERE IS THE ISSUE OF POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURES associated with wind turbines and farms.
For example: My house being one of the closest to the proposed turbines location …
• What happens during heavy rains and snow melts after hundreds of acres of pristine forest are replaced with millions of pounds of concrete turbine foundations?
• If a mud or rock slide takes down my 900 square foot house, if a propellor blade breaks away and crashes through my roof and maims or kills a family member, if my water well is rendered unfit for human consumption, if I cannot sell my house, or, if I can only sell it at less than half its current market value … if a wind turbine motor bursts into flames one dry, windy autumn day and the entire community burns to the ground …
My educated guess is that despite the State's protocols regarding liability, individuals will be forced to sue for damages as the company argues that "it is not liable" … and individual legal fees in a series of protracted litigation proceedings, will exceed the "little guy's" financial and time constraints!
The deep pockets will likely prevail in such cases, and should this scenario play out, I see no other realistic outcome than to simply walk away from my house.
Even in its current limbo status, the possibility of 40, 525' tall wind turbines has begun to see people selling, trying to sell, leaving the community and some of the amenities of "my little dream house/land" vanish. What used to be my "happy place" is now a situation of apprehension, stress and at times, even depression.
While there are LAWS …
There ain't too often JUSTICE.
Typical ploy, death threats and bringing in armed security. It happens all the time Mac. Just look at Cannon Ball ND...Peaceful demonstrations, so the governor calls out the National Guard, and cops from all over ND. Claims of scary masked men, pipe bombs etc. All of which had to be withdrawn by the Sheriff when asked to come up with proof.
So it goes with the big corporations and local authorities when they want to get something done..Scream Fire and scare the shit out of everyone so the courts (if it ends up there) have a jaundice view of the protestors. Works almost every time.
Sorry to hear about this situation with your cabin.
I used to, up until this and issues with the lake/dam in the community (which has been closed for some "repairs" reason -- with no visible evidence of any repairs) … consider buying a bigger house so I could invite guys like you, Enoch, Larry Crehore and Hampton, Buzz -- all at once (and a few others from NT), for a few days of fishing, photography, showing the sights, good friendship and conversation … and in time, leaving the house to my grandkids.
That was the dream-of-dreams regarding the possible latter-day "bigger" cabin in the Poconos.
It hurts, my friend … it hurts.
I'm sure that it does hurt, Mac....
Recalling an expression we used back in the 60s when something like this happened:
What a drag.
Recalling an expression we used back in the 60s when something like this happened:
What a drag.
With regard to a wind farm …
IT BLOWS!
We are always fighting those green energy tree huggers around here too.
We are always fighting those green energy tree huggers around here too.
Green energy is fine provided it is implemented sensibly, honestly and it's not about "Long Green" as in money and kickbacks.
To allegedly provide environmentally-positive energy via a process that endangers/destroys pristine forests, endangered wildlife, and, has known adverse health effects on humans, is a scam and a sham.
The wind farm in question WOULD NOT PROVIDE/SELL ELECTRICITY TO THOSE IN ITS WAKE, SHADOWS AND DECIBELS … rather, to consumers in other states AND AT A HIGHER RATE THAN THEY CURRENTLY PAY!
Further, the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will receive $ 100,000/a year from the provider while refusing to put the turbines in its own back yard some 20 miles south of my house, Further, further … there are wind turbines engineered specifically for cities like Bethlehem … smaller … and more efficient. But Bethlehem Water Authority wants the bigger, noisier, more potentially dangerous ones over near my place.
There is an expression … "Throwing out the baby with the bathwater." That's what this is.
The Nature Conservancy has an easement on the property that allows turbines as long as certain best practices are followed, according to the authority.
Bud Cook, senior project manager for the Nature Conservancy, said he could not comment on the impact because the plan hasn’t been presented yet.
Why hasn't a plan been presented yet? Shouldn't an environmental impact study be done before anything else even?
Why hasn't a plan been presented yet? Shouldn't an environmental impact study be done before anything else even?
I've been in touch with Bud Cook; the Nature Conservancy sold out allegedly to "preserve" what will likely be destroyed if the turbines go up. Somewhere I have a PDF of the deal. I'll see if I can post it. Basically, paraphrasing, it says "We won't do anything to harm the environment … unless we decide to do something to harm the environment".
An environmental study has been done with the potential damages clearly described.
What a bunch of BS.
I have the pdf but not sure how to upload it here.
Any suggestions?
Post it as a giant picture? Maybe? Or the link online?
I don't know what I could do to help from here, but I'm happy to try... One thing that seems to stop these kinds of things in their tracks-- are there any airports nearby that could be affected, flight path wise? The airport doesn't have to be right there, but if it interrupts the flight path in any way, the FAA will not allow it. At least that's what happened in Hancock County, KY.
While I'm all for "green energy", it must still be used with caution, and with an eye toward the big picture of wildlife and responsibility. This sounds to me like just another one of those, "it's good for the energy grid, so it's good for America" kind of things-- taking no account of the lives of the people who live there.
I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this, and with the loss of your dream. I love you, A. Mac, dear friend. I'm so sorry this has come to pass!
Other sell-outs.
A report from one of the hearings …
AMac,
Dr. Spiggle was very well qualified and presented evidence that wind turbines definitely have negative effects on health. He spoke of his personal interviews with about thirty people who currently live close to wind turbines and how their lives have been disrupted . I think this type of testimony, unfortunately, is too easy to dispute because the data isn't there to support the theory, or even the claims of the victims. He did, however, make a very good point that, in the absence of analytical data, we need to take precautionary measures. As an example, he used the tobacco industry and the health effects of smoking that were not proven until thousands had died from cancer. Many lives may have been saved if the evidence had been supported by research.
Kim Van Fleet, the ornithologist/biologist was a perfect witness. Her credentials were unimpeachable. Her testimony was based on knowledge and statistics and delivered in a confident and credible manner. She demonstrated how the habitat for many species would be diminished by the wind turbines to a degree that is even worse than we anticipated. She named specific species that would be affected, including one bird (the golden winged warbler, I believe) that is on the endangered list.
Chris Mangold also testified as the objector of record. He spoke clearly and presented his concerns in an organized manner. The attorney for Atlantic Wind, Debbie Schulzke (sp?), was particularly rude to Chris. She produced a copy of a threatening letter that was presumably sent to Craig Poff's parents and asking if Chris had sent it. Of course, our attorney objected, but she managed to get it into the record that members of the Atlantic Wind and even their families were being harassed by some of us.
Here is Paragraph 3 which makes everything else in the agreement, BULLSHIT!
As for the drinking water, that is pretty much standard language... NOt sure about the forest management portion and timber rights.
Sorry to hear that your piece of paradise is being adversely affected by wind turbines
Many of us who live along the shores of Lake Erie feel the same way about planned and contemplated wind turbines off the coast of northern Ohio which will spoil the natural beauty of our lake.
I hope things work out
I hope things work out
Thanks for the input and good wishes, RIO.
Mac,
I am so sorry for your woes but all is not loss. We fought hard in my village against a development that would flood our tiny village with 55 new family homes and won! It was the environmental impact that really worked for us, since we are situated on Hempstead Harbor. I am sure you have a lot of bird that would be killed by these turbines. Hopefully, you have some endangered birds or your in a fly way. Maybe a compromise can be reached with the smaller turbines?
You might also want to look into this:
The science to this is very solid and may be a help.
So sorry you're having to go through all this. It's heartbreaking! Best of luck!
birds you love to photograph. What a shame!
There's at least one Black Bear that has established his territory on the ridge/slope … I see him once-in-a-while … even Timber Rattlesnakes (endangered) … they belong … they have seniority and are indigenous; maybe we as humans are hypocrites … building on their habitats … we do it to each other as well …
As a species, of course, we have to live somewhere on the planet … but when money trumps life and quality-of-life, when alternatives are dismissed, not for humane reasons, but for material gain, then what are we as a so-called "intelligent entity"?
BF, I know you like the tropics and rain forests … I've enjoyed your photos; in their own way, the deciduous forests and ecological climaxes of the Pocono Mountains may not be as spectacular as the tropics, but the "sound of silence" to be experienced on a starry night … lets a non-religious guy like myself look up, or around into the forest-lined back road, and talk to God.
God/The Cosmos creates the beauty …
… I just take pictures.