Craig Mountain Today
But for how long???
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Craig Mtn simulation with turbines
view south toward Ramo Flats
Craig Mountain Today But for how long??? |
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Craig Mtn simulation with turbines view south toward Ramo Flats |
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Your
generous donations . . .
help us educate
the public about the
true impact of wind energy. Please send your donations to (new as of 3-1-13): FGRV PO
Box 116
Union, OR
97883
Make your check payable to
FGRV.*
For more info call 541-910-8263 * As a 501 (c)(3) donations are tax deductible. |
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prevent
our
wildlife
-
health
-
environment
-
economy
from
being
thrown
to
the
wind!
FGRV Yard Sale nets $875 During Union's Grassroots Festival
on August 13th FGRV added $875 to its war chest for
Protected
eagle
halts
future projects and possibly legal actions in its continuing fight to keep more wind industrial complexes out of the Grande Ronde Valley. A bake sale and information table provided a little extra benefit to those stopping by for a good deal. Of course the best deal was the printed info and SWINDLE bumper stickers that were handed out. Thanks to energetic FGRV members headed by orgainizer Bonnie Dunn more people have joined the fight while these funds were raised. * Grassroots Festival provided another venue for the 'grassroots' efforts of FGRV. * Union was highlighted as Oregon's 'Volunteer Town' in a PBS documentary several years ago. FGRV members continue the volunteer tradition by giving their time, talent and treasure to protect the Grande Ronde Valley. Eastern Oregon wind farms  by Ted Sickinger The Oregonian 9-29-10 The endangered
golden eagle has grounded the first wind farm in Wasco County and is
throwing another in Gilliam County into doubt.
read the rest of the article  Lightening Strikes Again Idaho
Power
website
gives
up todate info on what wind actually brings to the consumer - higher rates. Idaho
House,
Senate Request
Changes to PURPA by Michael Foley,
Idaho Power
Ontario'w Wind Policy Blows
by Rob Granatstein,
The Toronto Sun
Are Tax Incentives for
Commercial Wind Farms Good for Idaho?
by Steve Priebe,
Idahoans for Responsible Energy Policy
by
John
Miller,
Daily
Reporter
April
7,
2011
www.greenfieldreporter.com
excerpt: “We already give them massive federal subsidies,” Christensen told The Associated Press after the vote. “If they can’t survive on those alone, they should not have any more of our taxpayer dollars.” read the entire article Editors note: several attempts by Idaho's grassroots groups failed but they finally suceeded! Our Congratulations to them for their efforts, and determination and victory. Wind power is
a technological, economic
and environmental failure." John Droz, Physicist Wind farms are not farms ... they don't grow anything. We call them factories.  Call, write, email our county commissioners and tell them STOP wind power in Union County Steve McClure smcclure@union-county.org Mark Davidson mdavidson@union-county.org Bill Rosholt brosholt@union-county.org 1106 K Avenue La Grande, Oregon 97850 phone: 541-963-1001 Fax: 541-963-1079 How is this green?
In Baotou, China, where
neodymium
is extracted, a vast man-made lake of foul-smelling radioactive waste,
five-miles wide, has been created from the by-product. It has
killed farmland for miles around, made thousands of people ill and put
one of China's key waterways in jeopardy. One of the largest users is a
top- capacity wind turbine that uses 4,400 lbs. of the neodymium-based
permanent magnet material.In advisory vote, eastern Oregon residents reject proposed wind farm By a slim majority Tuesday, Union County voters said they don't like the idea of Horizon Wind Energy building the 300-megawatt Antelope Ridge Wind Farm near Union. Excerpted from the article Dennis Wilkinson, the head of Friends of Grande Ronde Valley said: "With the defeat of Measure 31-75, the people of Union County have made an informed and educated decision that they do not want the Antelope Ridge Wind Farm in their community." ... the vote will "resonate throughout the country proving that people in rural communities are standing up to the foreign corporations that are attempting to destroy the land, way of life, wildlife, health and more in the name of 'clean, renewable energy." click to read entire article thanks to www.wind-watch.org
~~~~~~~~
Union County
Election Results November 2, 2010 Totals 11/03/10 3:16
AM All 19 Precincts
Counted 70.98 voter
turnout total ballots cast 10,810
Measure 31-75
"Do
the
citizens
of
Union
County
support
the
Antelope
Ridge
Wind
Farm
application
currently
before
the
Oregon
Department
of
Energy?"
Yes 5,060 votes (48.09%) NO 5,462 VOTES (51.91%) OF OREGON'S RENEWABLE
PORTFOLIO STANDARD
A Beacon Hill Institute & Cascade Policy Institute Policy Study March 2011 David G. Tuerck, PhD Michael Head, MSEP Paul Bachman, MSIE excerpts from Executive Summary: Since renewable energy generally costs more than conventional energy, may have voiced concerns about highter elecrticity rates. Moreover, since Oregon has a liited ability to generate new renewable energy, the state will start from a low power generation base. In addition,m some renewable energy sources (wind and solar power in particular) require the installation of conventional backup generation capacity for cloudy, windless days. The need for this backup further boosts the cost of renewable energy. Oregonians will begin to see these higher costs on their electric bill this year. Pacific Power and Portland General Electric Implemented rate increases (in some cases double-digit percentage increases) directly tied to SB 838. read the entire study
by The Oregonian Editorial
Board www.oregonlive.com March
15,
2011 excerpt: Oregon has
stopped
throwing money at anyone who mouths the magic words: "Green
energy." But a three-part series in The Oregonian made it clear
this week that the state must further tighten the rules --- and the
oversight --- of its Business Energy Tax Credit program. excerpt: Given the
enormous
cost, the green subsidies demand stronger scrutiny from lawmakers, the
governor and the public than they've received. Former Gov. Ted
Kulongoski's energy policy --- y'all come --- ignored the mounting cost
until hundreds of millions of dollars were committed, no small amount
of it to companies that failed to live up to the promises of jobs,
economic development and green energy. excerpt: ... If we're
going to
toss $300 million to green energy developers every two years, we should
know exactly what we're getting in return.
Reasons for projected OTEC rate increases in 2011 thanks to Super Talk Radio
KLBM 1450 www.otecc.com Pod Casts 9-16-10 Werner
Buehler,
OTEC's
General
Manager,
and
Steve
Schauer,
OTEC's
Manager
of
Member
Services
discuss
a
BPA
wholesale
rate
increase
scheduled
for
October
2011.
Date: Thursday, September 16,
2010Part 1, length 8:25 Part 2, length 9:52 When Green Subsidies
are gone this is what is left!
 Komoa wind farm abandoned
 Komoa view The Gas Is Greener by Robert Bryce June 7, 2011 published in The New York Times
Oregon green energy tax breaks face sweeping changes, cutbacks Harry Esteve June 9, 2011 published in The Oregonian Editors note: This article discusses Oregon House Bill 3671 excerpt: "As written, the bill would stop the practice of subsidizing half the construction cost of wind and solar energy developers, who receive tens of missions of dollars worth of tax credit." Here's the link to the full article |
Shepherd's Flat
wind farm tax credits to be reviewed
by Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian updated February 23, 2013 excerpt: "The Oregon
Department of Energy said it will reevaluate its recent approval of $30
million in tax credits for the Shepherd's Flat wind farm, a collection
of 338 turbines in Gilliam and Morrow counties that bills itself as one
of the largest wind farms in the world.
The decision came last week as The Oregonian pressed an investigation into whether the wind farm qualified for multiple Business Enerty Tax Credits under exlicit state rules governing what constitutes a "separate and distinct" renewable energy facility." read the entire article News Bulletin February 22, 2012 correspondence from ODOE Oregon Department of Energy has
acknowledged EDP Renewables' request to delay the Draft Proposed Order
for the Antelope Ridge Wind Project until fall of 2013.
Action Needed Now There are glaring omissions and
poorly argued verifications in the Oregon Health Department's STRATEGIC
HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN OREGON that was
released on January 3, 2012 for public comment.
NOW is the opportunity for anyone to review and comment on this document. These comments will be considered for the final version of this report. Your Public Comments must be
submitted by 5 PM (PST) on March 30,
2012
to any of the following: (email) windhia@state.or.us / hia.info@state.or.us / wind.hia@state.or.us Wind HIA Comments Office of Environmental Public Health 800 NE Oregon St., Suite 640 Portland, Oregon 97232 STRATEGIC HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN OREGON PDF What are YOUR PRIORITIES ON HIA (Health Impact Assessment) PDF Your individual participation in the HIA comment submissions is enormously important. These pages are meant to merely assist you in finding material. Select what is important to you and add your own concerns about the HIA findings. Please attend the March 20 public information sessions in Pendleton. Time and location yet to be determined. WIND WISE RADIO Live Internet Talk *** Wind Energy in the 21st Century: An Exploaration with the Experts http://www.blogtalkradio.com/windwise Join the conversation. Podcasts will be available. Sundays 4-5 PM pst The premiere episode on February 12th will feature Robert Rand and Stephen Ambrose and a discussion of turbine generated infrasound. Wind Wise Radio is a live internet-based talk show and includes interviews with experts and q & a from callers. Episodes will stream live each Sunday Night 4 PM pst and podcasts of archived shows will be available in the itunes store, at our site, and elsewhere. Fight energy tax credit extension HR 3307 Call House Ways and Means Committee 202-225-3625 Stop your tax dollars from filling pockets of ??? Listen to Windy - check out her STATS Blumenauer proposes renewable energy tax credit extension November 2, 2011 by Christina Williams Sustainable Business Oregon excerpt: The "American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension" bill calls for an extension of the credits through 2016. read the short pdf announcement Paying wind farms for zip 12-12-11 Tricityherald.com excerpt: Even as the state
and the nation cut back on food for the hungry, education for the poor
and care for veterans, there is one industry so close to the
politicians' hearts that it may never have to suffer at all.
 Oregon Historic Trails Advisory Council Recommendations re: proposed ARWF Letter to Horizon / EDP Renewables October 5, 2011 excerpt: Archaelological
Investigation Northwest has determined that the Oregon Trail
archaelogical iste on Ladd Hill is eligible for placement on the
National Register of Historic Places and the Oregon State Historic
Preservation Office concurred.
excerpt: So towers A8 - A11 and towers A1 - A5 should not be built ... read the entire letter to know all of their recommendations America's worst wind-energy project Robert Bryce National Review Online www.nationalreview.com October 12, 2011 excerpt: The more people know about the wind-energy business, the less they like it. And when it comes to lousy wind deals, General Electric's Shepherds Flat project in northern Oregon is a real stinker. excerpt: During the webinar ... "after reading arguments for and against wind, wind lost support." ... concerns about wind energy's cost and its effect on property values "crowded out climate change" among those surveyed. excerpt: "The things people are educated about are a real deficit for us." After the briefings on the pro and cons of wind, ... "enthusiasm decreased for wind." editor's note: the article
includes costs and tax subsidies for Shepherds Flat.
(Australian) Nationals conference: moratorium on all wind farms Yass Tribune www.yasstribune.com.au October 12, 2011 excerpt: "The motion calls
for a moratorium on all future wind farm developments, including those
for which applications have been lodged, until all social (including
health), financial (including property rights) and environmental
aspects have been fully investigated."
read entire article Senator calls for
moratorium and health study on wind turbines
by Kristin Byrne www.wbay.com October 10, 2011 excerpt: "We owe it to
ourselves as legislators, and as a state and country, to not harm
people when new things come down the pike.
read entire article Evaluating the impact of wind turbine noise on health-related quality of life authors: Daniel Shepherd; David McBride; David Welch; Kim Dirks; Erin Hill September - October 2011 www.noiseandhealth.org excerpt:
Those exposed to turbine noise also reported significantly lower sleep quality, and rated their environment as less restful. Jerusalem needs bond rule for wind farm regulations by John Christensen published in The Chronicle-Express www.chronicle-express.com September 27, 2011 editor's note: This
additional regulation being considered by a New York local government
is regarding loss of property values.
excerpt: ... asked the board why there was no clause requiring a bond for property value protection. With three of the four major wind energy companies being owned by foreign corporations, Grabski asserts that without the bond requirement, it would be difficult if not impossible to recover any damages even if proved. read the entire article Technical Information and Guidelines on the Assessment of the Potential Impact of Wind Turbines on Radiocommunication, Radar and Seismoacoustic Systems Author: Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) and Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) April 2007 excerpt:
Studies have shown that the rotating blades and support structure of a wind turbine can impact AM (amplitude modulated) RF (radio frequency) signals. FM (frequency modulated) signals are much more immune to this phenomenon and may only become impaired in very close proximity to a wind turbine. excerpt: Wind turbines can affect radiocommunication and radar signals in a number of ways including shadowing, mirror-type reflections, clutter or signal scattering. download or read the entire 22 page document related article on this page editor's note: This document as well as many more have been brought to our attention by National Wind Watch Newsletter that you can easily and with no cost subscribe to at subscribe. The lessons of Solyndra: green swans, opportunity cost and fast neutrinos by Patrick Michaels Forbes www.forbes.com September 27, 2011 excerpt:
The sudden implosion of Solyndra and Big Solar throughout the country may have been an historic inevitability. Years from now Solyndra's demise, (and the terrible loss imposed on its California employees), should be a business-school case study in what governments should not have done about global warming. The corollary study will be on the follies of wind power. read the entire article A New Hampshire Solyndra? Wind farm gets fed loan Editorial from New Hampshire Union Leader www.unionleader.com September 28, 2011 National Wind Watch Note:
Granite Reliable's wind farm is not proven, and Granite Reliable is a limited liability company, which provides broad investor protection if the company goes down. If the wind farm flops, and investors cut their losses, the taxpayers stand to lose $135 million. excerpt: Why would a company created by a $3.2 billion company and backed by a $2.7 billion private fund need federal loan guarantees? That would be an important question at any time, but it is more pertinent after the bankruptcy of Solyndra, a solar-panel maker that got a $535 million federal loan guarantee from the Obama administration last year. read the entire editorial Videos from National Wind Watch more videos are available in their Resource Library Turbine developers on hook for fire protection by Mary Golem www.ownesoundsuntimes.com September 27, 2011 excerpt:
Wind energy developers in Arran-Elderslie now face more hurdles after council unanimously passed two bylaws at its meeting Monday. excerpt: The bylaw calls for a certified copy of a valid service contract with a high-angle rescue service provider "who shall respond to any and all emergencies that may occur at the proposed structure." read the entire article Renewable policy and jobs: Testimony of Robert J. Michaels Testimony before Congress on September 22, 2011 excerpt:
The reality of most renewable electricity, particularly from intermittent sources, is easy to summarize. It is expensive, undependable and environmentally problematic. Some renewables such as biomass and geothermal are exceptions, often capable of passing market tests that wind and solar cannot. Unchallenged data from the Energy Information administration show that the subsidies per kwh actually generated by wind and solar power are over 80 times those received by non-nuclear conventional sources, and over 15 times those for nuclear power. Most subsidies to wind and solar are politically-inspired wealth transfers, rather than tools to incentivize improvements in their competitiveness. In all but the most extreme scenarios, the Department of Energy projects that they will be uncompetitive with conventional resources, even if carbon policies come into being. excerpt:
The economic theory behind claims that renewables will increase employment applies (if at all) to an economy that hardly resembles today's. Advocates of job creation almost invariably fail to note the concomitant destruction of jobs in industries whose products are no longer bought because consumers must pay taxes or higher prices for the renewable power. excerpt: ... Even if we only look at jobs in renewables, their impacts on employment are minimal. The Brookings Institution estimates slightly over 80,000 renewable energy jobs, many of which are short-term construction work. The millions of "clean" or "green" jobs mentioned in the media are overwhelmingly positions that would be filled even if all renewable electricity vanished -- bus drivers, refuse workers, and some building trades, to name a few. Calling these workers part of the "clean" economy can only mislead the public about the likely effects of energy and climate policy. excerpt: ... Wind and solar largely exist because government can coerce payments for them. read Robert J. Michaels' full testimony before Congress concerning the economics that underlies H.R. 2915. download PDF of this same testimony Wind energy and radar: A National Security Risk WindAction Editorial posted September 24, 2011 excerpt:
author Kent Hawkins
March 14, 2010U.S. air space has been made less safe by tubines and our national security compromised because of a reckless policy of siting wind towers within 50-miles of radar installations. Military radar experts in the field know the damage that's been done. But with the debate surrounding energy policy dominated by politics and money, the military has bowed to the pressure. Military leaders are under pressure to not disrupt White House green energy policies even while green energy technology is disrupting our navigation aids and impairing U.S. national security. read the entire editorial conclusion: Introducing large amounts of renewable sources into the electricity system does not contribute to society's environmental goals. The only argument for the current renewables push is political expediency driven by the prevailing conventional wisdom. The diversion of scarce resources into technologies that fail the important tests discussed herein should be reconsidered for environmental, not only economic, reasons. read the entire report Wind companies lack strategies for disposal of aging turbines by Melissa McEver for Houston Business Journal www.bizjournals.com September 23, 2011 excerpt: As thousands of wind turbines go up throughout the United States, companies seem ill prepared for when the blades stop spinning. BPA reworking process for planning transmission lines by Lindsey O'Brien for Daily Journal of Commerce djcoregon.com September 30, 2011 excerpt: Renewable energy developments in the Northwest may soon benefit from more flexibility in the transmission planning process. excerpt: The four proposed transmission lines would cost the BPA a total of $787 million. read the entire article Dr. Nina Pierpont interviews Falmouth, Mass., wind turbine syndrome victims -- September 2011 LANDOWNER GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING WIND ENERGY PRODUCTION CONTRACTS By Stephen B. Harsh, David Schwekhardt, Lynn Hamilton Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics Michigan State University 2008 excerpt: The process of evaluating a wind energy development contract can be complex, and the signing of such a contract involves a long-term commitment by the landowner. read the entire document The Not-So-Green Mountains The New York Times by Steve E. Wright September 28, 2011 Mr. Wright, an aquatic biologist, is a former commissioner of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department excerpt: Bulldozers arrived a couple of weeks ago at the base of the nearby Lowell Mountains and began clawing their way through the forest to the ridgeline, where Green Mountain Power plans to erect 21 wind turbines, each rising to 459 feet from the ground to the tip of the blades. This desecration, in the name of "green" energy, is taking place in Vermont's Northweast Kingdom on one of the largest tracts of private wild land in the state. Here and in other places -- in Maine and off Cape Cod, for instance -- the allure of wind power threatens to destroy environmentally sensitive landscapes. excerpt: It requires changing the profile of the ridgeline to provide access to cranes and service vehicles. This is being accomplished with approximately 700,000 pounds of explosives that will reduce parts of the mountaintops to rubble that will be used to build the access roads. editor's note: What a sad sad day it would be if our headline read "Bulldozers arrived a couple of weeks ago at the base of nearby Craig Mountain ..." How much more destruction would be done to Craig Mountain with the intrusive construction of 164 wind turbines? Please
join
the
fight
to
stop
Antelope
Ridge
Wind
Farm
today!
BPA to build new high-voltage power line between Washington and Oregon The Associated Press published at www.oregonlive.com September 23, 2011 excerpt:
The Bonneville Power Administration announced plans Friday to build a new high-voltage power line between Washington and Oregon to move energy from east of the Cascade Range to Pacific Northwest population centers, marking another step in the agency's efforts to absorb the region's increasing renewable energy production. excerpt: ... transmission lines in the region have been increasingly taxed by new power produced from wind turbines and other renewable energy sources, and a recent study by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council found that Northwest wind power could more than double by 2025. read the entire article Feds try fast-tracking energy transmission approvals -- again by Jim Malewitz www.stateline.org September 28, 2011 excerpt: But the proposal has drawn a flurry of critism on several fronts. Many states fear that FERC would not be as responsive to local concerns as state regulators would be. excerpt: ...the rule change would enable transmission companies that fail to get state approval for their projects to apply for a FERC permit. Or the companies might bypass the state altogether, eliminating local input on projects. read the entire article Integrating Wind Power: Wind Fails in Two Important Performance Measures author: Kent Hawkins posted on National Wind Watch August 28, 2010 excerpt: Drawing upon the recent literature, this present paper argues that wind plants do not reduce CO2 emissions and, lacking capacity value, do not make any worthwhile contribution to elecricity supply. Adverse health effects of industrial wind turbines: a preliminary report authors: Michael Nissenbaum; Jeff Aramini; Chris Hanning 10th International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem (ICBEN) 2011, London, UK posted at National Wind Watch September 19, 2011 excerpt:
Complaints of adverse health effects were made shortly after IWT installations at Mars Hill and Vinalhaven, Maine, USA, began operating. A preliminary survey at Mars Hill, comparing those living within 1,400 m with a control group living 3,000-6,000 m away showed that sleep disturbance was the main health effect (Nissenbausm 2011, submitted for publication). A further study was therefore carried out at both Mars Hill and Vinalhaven using validated questionnaires and comparing those living within 1.5 km of the turbines with a control group living 3,500-6,000 m away. Study looks at wind farm impact on Union by Bill Rautenstrauch La Grade Observer September 5, 2011 excerpt:
Among issues looked at by ECONorthwest were possible devaluation of property, potential loss of property tax revenue and possible extra costs for city services. Promise from green jobs overstated, harms ignored by Dr. Gabriel Calzada, dailycaller.com September 5, 2011 excerpt:
However, instead of rehashing an old debate, I want to warn American policymakers not to go further down Spain's path. The U.S. can learn from Spain's costly example only by paying attention to it. Wind Energy Industry Acknowledgement of Adverse Health Effects Society for Wind Vigilance January 11, 2010 An Analysis of the American/Canadian Wind Energy Associations - sponsored "Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review" December 2009 excerpt:
Perhaps the most egregious conclusion is that no more research is required. That statement implies that the science is settled which quite simply is false. It also demonstrates a disdaitn for the scientific method itsellf. excerpt: There is but one conclusion: independent third party studies must be undertaken to establish the incidence and prevalence of adverse health effects relating to wind turbines. Beyond that a deeper understanding of the potential mechanisms for the impacts must be elucidated in order to define the mechanisms by which the sleep disturbance, stress and psychological distress occur. Court won't enforce turbine noise rules by Erin Mills published in East Oregonian August 25, 2011 excerpt:
The Morrow County Court stunned a crowd Wednesday when it refused to enforce an Oregon law that linits the noise a wind project can make at nearby homes. read the entire article on August 24, 2011 Morrow County decision ATI Releases Part 3 in its Video Series Explaining Possible Outcomes in Its Lawsuit
Against the State of Colorado's Renewables Mandate August 14, 2011 American Tradition Institute www.atinstitute.org Video series Part 1, 2 and 3 The Boondoggle of Boondoggles August 2, 2011 by Nick Sibilla, research associate at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon's free market public policy research organization. Oregon is a pioneer in green power. But we're also a pioneer in wasting other people's money. Right now, Oregon is home to one of the largest energy boondoggles in the nation: Shepherds Flat wind farm. Currently under construction in Gilliam and Morrow counties, Shepherds Flat soon will have the largest wind farm in the world. Since wind power is expensive, Shepherds Flat has received over $1.2 billion in federal, state and local subsidies. Apologists say these subsidies will create jobs. But according to The Oregonian, this wind farm will create only 35 permanent jobs. In other words, each job created will cost American taxpayers over $34 million. Meanwhile, Caithness Energy, the developer of Shepherds Flat, will bear only 10% of the cost. BUt Caithness will earn a 30% return on investment. In addition, this wind farm will not even power Oregon. All of the subsidized output will go to Southern California Edison, which provides electricity to places like Orange County. This project is nothing more than a triad of corporate welfare, governmnet subsidies and exorbitantly expensive jobs. So is it any wonder residents in Shepherds Flat are calling this projec the "boondoggle of boondoggles?" print this article from source Comments on the Revised Draft Guidelines for Land - Based wind energy Projects August 6, 2011 authors Eric Glitzenstein and Lisa Belenky excerpt:
In developing the Revised Guidelines, the Service has not only failed to repsond to the detailed comments that we submitted providing the precise information that the Service had initially requested from the public, but it appears that the Service has all together abandoned the issue of whether the guidelines should be made mandatory for wind energy projects on public and/ or private lands. read the comments Friends
of Blackwater Canyon, the Center for Biological Diversity, Animal
Welfare Institute and the Wildlife Advocacy Project submitted.
Evaluation of Public Service Provision Cost
Impact of Antelope Ridge Wind Power Project on the City of Union July 2011 released late August City of Union contracted but did not fund ECONorthwest to do this report The state requires energy companies to deposit funds for reports such as this. Editor's note: What a reader
should come away with after understanding this report is
that any impact on a samll town like Union has the potential of being
catastrophic. Oregon state siting rules has to consider the worth
of a project to a community.
PDF of the 48 page report Employment Assessment
of Oregon RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard)
August release of Report for Oregon Department of Energy excerpt:
It should be noted that these temporary postions do not necessarily represent net new jobs or unique personnel. Depending on the timing of a project it is possible that construction workers on one project could also have been employed on other wind projects. excerpt: Measures of Employment Job Years - A measure of employment capturing the number of years of employment created and not the number of workers employed. Fifteen job years could be one worker for 14 years, or 5 workers for 3 years apiece. Job - A measure of employment that counts the number of people employed and is less concerned with the amount of time employed. Fifteen jobs could mean 10 jobs for two years and 5 jobs for six months. Note: pages 3 - 6 of this 22 page report includes the following: Background; Statutory framework; Key Oregon Energy Legislation and Programs; Key Federal Programs and Incentives. Full Report of 2011 Employment Assessment of Oregon RPS Global Backlash Against Wind Energy by Robert Bryce posted July 29, 2011on National Wind Watch excerpt: The increasing opposition to industrial wind projects - opposition that's coming from grassroots organizations all over the world -- should be a wake up call for advocates of renewable energy. Instead, the wind industry's apologists continue to claim that they are victims of a conspiracy, and that they are under attack from the "fossil fuel industry." That's been the typical response from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and its hirelings, who prefer to use character assassination rather than engage in factual debate. read the entire article Editor's note: Within this article the number of anti wind groups is mentioned. We are not alone. Farmers: 'Wind turbines made us sick" July 25, 2011 News.com.au (Australia) "For the prime minister, wind
farms are the stars of Australia's clean energy future but health
problems from the turbine noise are forcing some neighboring residents
off the land."
here's the link to the full story SWINDLE billboard says it all June 30, 2011  FGRV puts up billboard on the Columbia Gorge on I 84 at Rufus  SWINDLE billboard brings attention
to what is really happening further down the road
heading east on I 84 in the Columbia Gorge between Oregon and Washington. by S. C. Smith updated July 11, 2011 Thanks to National Wind Watch's graphic
page we found the idea for this SWINDLE billboard that originated from
another individual fighting wind turbines.
Then our "FGRV Capitol Ladies" while driving to the Oregon State Capitol saw an empty billboard on the Columbia River Gorge where hundreds of wind industrial complexes are sprouting up like weeds. The billboard idea and Columbia Gorge locale were presented to the FGRV membership 4 days later and the money was raised within 2 days for this SWINDLE billboard to be an eye opener for the next 6 months. FYI: The FGRV Captiol Ladies spent a June day in Salem, Oregon delivering to each legislator's office packages of homemade chocolate fudge wrapped in gingham with an FGRV business card attached. This was their day of lobbying legislators to stop subsidizing the wind industry, to encourage rule changes, and to increase safeguards for communities. Our FGRV Capitol Ladies will continue their lobbying and educating the legislators with more treks to Salem. Agency scientists overrulled by energy industry pressure July 22, 2011 by American Bird Conservancy in American Bird Conservancy republished at www.windaction.org Excerpts:
"Given the administration's commitment to scientific integrity, it's hard to understand why the peer-reviewed work of agency scientists was dismissed in favor of text written by an industry-dominated Federal Advisory Committee," said Kelly Fuller, Wind Camaign Coordinator at ABC. "ABC would like to see the next draft include more of what the agency scientists wrote." "In addition, the new guidelines
remove protections for both birds and people that FWS biologist had
recommended in their peer-reviewed guidelines, including:
Comments can be sent to windenergy@fws.gov Web link: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/wind_farms.html Read the entire article Citizens See Fruits of Labor in Wind Rules published in East Oregonian July 10, 2011 Call it a victory for the ordinary
citizen, although the effort was certainly extraordinary.
The new rules for wind trubine development in Umatilla County are the result of a groundswell of citizen involvement. read the entire article Editors Note: This is how government for and by the people is supposed to work. Kudos to the East Oregonian newspaper for following the grassroots fight to control the ill effects of wind turbines. FGRV Helps You "Be Prepared" Friends of the Grande Ronde Valley Presentation June 28, 2011 The proposed
Antelope Ridge Wind Facility would surround the city of Union on three
sides and is estimated to be within a mile to a mile and a half of city
center. As proven throughout the world, residents living near wind
factories can experience negative impacts to health, property values,
well and stream water, electronic reception, livestock, etc.
. A Be Prepared Meeting was held for the city of Union residents on June 28th, 2011 at the High Valley VFW Post in Union. Charles H. Gillis, attorney at law, presented Lawsuit 101 explaining the importance of documenting the quality of life now and after the wind facility has been built. Legal recourse could be an option for the residents of Union against Horizon Wind, the developer, and the landowners who are leasing the land to Horizon Wind. Mike and Sherry Eaton of Ione, Oregon shared their three year legal battle to shut down the wind turbines close to their home and how living near wind turbines has affected the quality of their life and their health. A "Be Prepared Toolkit" was handed out to participants interested in learning how to document their lives in order to take legal action in the future. Sample letters were also included to write to federal, state and local lawmakers and officials. Health Affidavit
Health Record
Be
Prepared Sample Letters
UPDATE * Congratulations Blue Mountain Alliance! (result of Blue Mountain Petition Drive) County commissioners approve new wind power rules by Samantha Tipler published in East Oregonian June 28, 2011 "After years of work and months of
meetings, the Umatilla County commissioners approved changes to rules
deciding where and how wind farms can be built."
Read the entire article that shows the result of vigorous grassroots response to inadequate existing Oregon state siting rules for wind industrial complexes. FGRV congratulates Blue Mountain Alliance for their hard work and a county commission that decided to listen and protect the community. Blue Mountain Petition Drive Blue Mountain Alliance Spring of 2011 Working together we can help each community that is facing the onslaught of wind industrial farms. Blue Mountain Alliance is now fighting to strengthen set backs of wind turbines in Umatilla. Here's some info from their website. We are circulating petitions to let the Umatilla County Commissioners know how citizens of Umatilla County feel about where we live and that we expect protections for all people living in the County.Time is short and we need help gathering signatures. If you can help, email us at info@bluemountainalliance.org with your contact information and we will get all the details to you!Main points that are being reviewed by the Umatilla County Board of CommissionersPetition
Project pits green energy vs. wildlife by Steve Law June 9, 2011 Pamplin Media Group www.beavertonvalleytimes.com provided by National Wind Watch It's getting tougher to site new wind developments in Oregon, according to the folks at Horizon Wind Energy. As evidence, they point to a three-foot stack of application documents for their $600 million Antelope Ridge project in Eastern Oregon, piled on the floor of their downtown Portland office. read the entire article by S. C. Smith
February 11, 2010
Some of the effects of wind turbines are known. What should be our real concern on welcoming an eyesore to our valley are the unexpected effects. This article is not so much about one person in our valley experiencing negative effects of living near wind turbines as it is a SHOUT OUT that all the effects of this new wind technology are not fully known and are still being researched. Are we willing to be guinea pigs? How will 182 wind turbines traversing 47,000 acres along the Oregon Trail above our valley and within 1 ½ miles of the city of Union affect our health, peace & quiet, wildlife, property values, and tourist economy? Who are going to be the big winners and losers? Do we really know what to expect? click to read the entire article the
Proposed Antelope Ridge Wind Farm Union County will be destroyed physically, economically and carelessly if the proposed wind factory being developed by foreign-owned Horizon Wind is built. This massive industrial site will change Union County forever and it will no longer be a peaceful, pristine rural community. It is going by the name of Antelope Ridge Wind Farm. The plan calls for the construction of 164 whining turbines looming 40 stories high from Hot Lake to North Powder all along Craig Mountain and Ramo Flats, spreading over 47,000 acres of sensitive wildlife habitat and linked to 47 miles of power lines. Turbine (nacelle) being
pulled up newly cleared road
57 miles of new roads up
to 36 feet wide will be carved out of the mountain side and meadows.
Approximately
7,900 loads of gravel, massive amounts of concrete and rebar, 1,620
loads of
wind tower components, plus all the construction equipment required to
build
the project will pass over these new roads and our county streets and
roads. 80 foot diameter concrete base to hold 400 foot tower 164 pits, 80 feet in diameter and 10 to 12 feet deep will be dug into the earth. 400 yards of concrete will be brought in and poured over approximately 30 tons of rebar into each tower pit. A total of 65,600 yards of concrete and 9,840 tons of metal rebar will be put down into this sensitive wildlife habitat area. It
is a documented fact
that there are 154 wetlands in the area of Craig Mountain
and some could be destroyed as a result of this construction.
For
better wind
efficiency,
each
tower
requires
trees
to
be
cleared.
Vegetation
would
be
kept
down
with
herbicides,
further
poisoning
the
soil
and
water
table.
A
site
on
a
forested
ridge
would
require
in
some
cases
50
to
100
acres
of
timber
per
tower
be
removed.\ With road construction and the
clearing of forests and brush on Craig Mountain, serious snow melt
issues along with runoll and erosion will be created. Catherine
Creek and Powder River could suffer ill effects of the contruction.  through part of the calm rural country side  After the clearing of unwanted vegetation, this is what is left. The devastation will be
irreversible.
Once a natural habitat has been destroyed, it is gone
forever.
... why not
also talk about Big Wind?Senator Lamar Alexander, speech on Senate floor May 18, 2011 link to full speech excerpt:s: "Over the next 10 years, the wind production tax credit will cost the American taxpayers more than $26 billion ... The tax breaks for the five big oil companies amount to about $21 billion over 10 years." "However, during that same time 10.6 percent of our energy production was from renewables and 77.4 percent of our energy tax subsidies went to renewables. ... "So, federal subsidies for renewables are almost 50 times as great per unit of energy as federal subsidies for fossil fuels. (But) this would be distorted because hydroelectric power is included within renewables. Most people think of renewables as ethanol, solar, or wind and those are the renewables that actually get the subsidies, while hydroelectric does not." Editors note: This speech was brought to our attention by Lisa Linowes of www.windaction.org Is wind
power really GREEN?
The cost of green:
Huge eastern Oregon wind farm raises big questions about state, federal subsidies by Ted Sickinger
published
in
The Oregonian March 15, 2011
excerpts from the article: Stacking federal, state and county subsidies is perfectly legal. But the result is that taxpayers who subsidize a project may bear a greater burden for development than the company that profits from it. For Shepherds Flat, for instance, federal, state and local subsidies total more than $1.2 billion, about 65 percent of its $1.9 billion cost, according to a White House memo. caption of photo in this article: Willow Creek Valley landowner Clyde Smith sold out to the developers of Shepherds Flat wind farm in Eastern Oregon. He calls the heavily subsidized project a taxpayer "boondoggle." click here for the entire article which includes video of Clyde Smith.
Shepherds
Flat
wind farm: What's the Cost to taxpayers?
by Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian www.oregonlive.com March 12, 2011 The Business Energy Tax Credit started life in the 1970s as a conservation and clean energy incentive, but the chief rationale has become economic development -- namely green jobs. So just how much does a wind farm job cost taxpayers? The answer depends on the formula, and involves an implicit assumption that the jobs wouldn't exist without the subsidy -- questionable in the case of Oregon's large wind farms. read the rest of the article which includes: "Shepherds Flat is pre-certified for $30 million in state tax credits. At that price, the cost per permanent position is $857,000." Nina and Amanda Independently Dr. Nina Pierpont and Dr. Amanda Harry have undertaken case studies of the effects of wind turbines on individuals in the United States and Europe. Although they are both credentialed and respected in their fields their studies and those of others are ignored by government officials and of course by the wind industry and others that will profit financially. How else could we hear so often "there are no proven negative health effects upon humans", “noise isn’t a problem”, “low frequency noise is not harmful”, and “no scientific studies prove negative effects from wind turbines” . It is our responsibility to get the information out to the public and to those that continue to ignore the mounting number of health problems reported. Dr. Amanda Harry, M.B.Ch. B. P.G.Dip.E.N.T. Read her report http://www.wind-watch.org/documents/wp-content/uploads/wtnoise_health_2007_a_harry.pdf Dr. Nina Pierpont, M.D., Ph.D. “In this engagingly written, peer-reviewed report by a Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine trained M.D. and Princeton (Population Biology) Ph.D., we discover wind energy’s dirty little secret.” http://www.windturbinesyndrome.com/ Several copies of the Pierpont’s book The Wind Turbine Syndrome had been given to Oregon Department of Energy’s Energy Facility Siting Council earlier this year. Shouldn’t we ask if they’ve read it?
 photo by Sheri Wales
10-25-10 caption by S. Smith 10-28-10
A
determined
group of picketers gathered once again in opposition to the proposed
Antelope Ridge Wind Farm. While on the picket line several
picketers were interviewed by Tom Banse, correspondent for OPB
radio. 
|
On this page or links to
Other Organizations & Wind News Editor's note: There are over 170 anti-wind organizations in the U.S. and 250 more worldwide. The sWINDle and boondoogle of wind energy has been exposed.
 SAGE
GROUSE
 Living with Turbine Noise Excerpt from personal testimony letter from Mike & Sherry Eaton June 2010
"The turbine noise has turned our
lives upside
down. I have a preexisting vertigo problem because of an injury to my
head. It
can be triggered by movement, noise, & vibration. The vertigo
attack causes
severe nausea and dizziness which I have to take medication for. This
affects
me the most when the wind is from the South or Southwest & West. If the turbines are loud my wife and I both
have problems sleeping. Sherry wakes up feeling like her insides are
shaking.
We have sought relief in the form of sleeping pills from our doctor
which does
not always alleviate the problem. Sometimes we just have to leave for a
couple
of days to get relief. We are amazed at how well we feel after leaving.
When we
return and the turbines are turning we go thru the same cycle of being
sick,
not sleeping and generally feeling awful. Our
diary
shows
the
noise
was
memorable
enough
for
us
to
write
down
how
bad
we
felt
or
hadn’t
slept
on
132
days
last
year
from
Jan.
2009
to
Jan
2010."
read Eaton's entire letter to FGRV June 2010 see update Willow Creek told it must quiet down
by Letha
Joseph
Of the three, Oregon Semaphore Grass is extremely rare, found in only eight sites in Lake and Union Counties, and nowhere else in the world. Little is known of this species ecology. It is reasonable to presume that placing cone barriers around the plants during construction will not protect them from noxious weed seeds introduced by gravel hauls and ground breaking activity. The plants could also be harmed by runoff and overspray of herbicides used in weed controll after construction. It is also reasonable to presume that three rare plant species occurring in one limited geographical area must exceed what is found in other wind developments. by Greg Fladager
9-21-10
published in Casper Journal A survey by a local realtor
may have confirmed the worst suspicions of Stan Mundy, whose home is
closest to Chevron's wind farm northeast of Casper.
Glen Taylor, of Equity Brokers in Casper, did a real estate survey Sept. 10, 2010, and concluded properties directly adjacent to the Chevron Wind Towers are now "virtually unmarketable" at "any realistic price." click to read the entire article
WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO'S GREEN FUTURE Friends,
Click here to view and read
a
small
portion
of
photos,
reports,
news
articles,
and
comments
Jeff
Davis
has
compiled
on
the
effects
of
the
wind
industry
in
New
Mexico.
Some
of
the
photos
may
remind
you
of
the
silhouette
of
our
area
mountains,
in
New
Mexico
they
are
called
Mesas.
and
more
One week's
worth of news
from around the world taken from National Wind Watch email newsletter subscribe Preserve
Downeast
Maine
from Wind Industrialization Energy sprawl
threatens
open space, farmland Guardians
rally to slam wind farms
Realtor to add
voice to wind debate
Downeast
Lakes needs protection
Island residents oppose wind farms
Big
turnout for turbines opposition rally
Frankfort
adopts wind moratorium
Natural England backs
protests over
Wold wind farms project County endorses call
to deny turbines
Wind power project waivers
after subsidy cuts Council
pursues cases against wind developer's use
of rights of way
Rumford board
extends
wind development moratorium Editor's note: The gig is up. The public is aware of the true costs and effects of wind energy.
... the true cost of 'clean, green' wind ... by Simon Parry and Ed Douglas in Scotland, Daily Mail UK January 29, 2011 excerpt
from
the
article:
The reality is that, as Britain
flaunts its environmental credentials by speckling its coastlines and
unspoiled moors and mountains with thousands of wind turbines, it is
contributing to a vast man-made lake of poison in northern China. This
is the deadly and sinister side of the massively profitable rare-earths
industry that the ‘green’ companies profiting from the demand for wind
turbines would prefer you knew nothing about.
Hidden out of sight behind smoke-shrouded factory complexes in the city of Baotou, and patrolled by platoons of security guards, lies a five-mile wide ‘tailing’ lake. It has killed farmland for miles around, made thousands of people ill and put one of China’s key waterways in jeopardy. This vast, hissing cauldron of chemicals is the dumping ground for seven million tons a year of mined rare earth after it has been doused in acid and chemicals and processed through red-hot furnaces to extract its components. Rusting pipelines meander for miles from factories
processing
rare earths in Baotou out to the man-made lake where, mixed with water,
the foul-smelling radioactive waste from this industrial process is
pumped day after day. No signposts and no paved roads lead here, and as
we approach security guards shoo us away and tail us. When we finally
break through the cordon and climb sand dunes to reach its brim, an
apocalyptic sight greets us: a giant, secret toxic dump, made bigger by
every wind turbine we build. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Keith Bradsher published in NY Times December 28, 2010 excerpt from the article: China mines more than 95 percent of the global supply of the metals, which are essential for smartphones, electric cars, many computer components and a range of military hardware. In addition, the country mines 99 percent of the least common rare earths, the so-called heavy rare earths that are used in trace amounts but are crucial to many clean energy applications and electronics. link to entire article opinion
letter
(author
unknown)
to
tricityherald.com
May 24, 2011
Editor's note:
National Wind Watch supplied the link to this story via their daily
news update that you can subscribe to also. You will get wind
energy news from around the world. To subscribe go to this link subscribe
Northwest wind farm operators
want ratepayers to make up for the industry's losses when oversupply
curbs demand for wind power.
In other words, customers of public utilites, including every ratepayer in Benton and Franklin counties, should pay private investors to stop producing electricity wheb it isn't needed. The Bonneville Power Administration - which nanages and markets the Northwest's electrical system - has rightly rejected the ridiculous proposal. Unfortunately, we probably haven't heard the last word on the issue. Wind-power advocates appear intent on the public absorbing any risk to the industry's profit margin. It's a good bet that wind farm developers and investors will sue the BPA in an effort to ensure their losses comne out of our pockets. read the rest of the letter EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: LESSONS FROM THE SPANISH RENEWABLES BUBBLE from the Study of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources Universidad Rey Juan Carlos 3-27-09 Europe's current policy and strategy for supporting the so-called "green jobs" or renewable energy dates back to 1997, and has become one of the principal justifications for U.S. "green jobs" proposals. Yet an examination of Europe's experience reveals these policies to be terribly economically counterproductive. This study is important for several reasons. First is that the Spanish experience is considered a leading example to be followed by many policy advocates and politicians. This study marks the very first time a critical analysis of the actual performance and impact has been made. Most important, it demonstrates that the Spanish/EU-style "green jobs" agenda now being promoted in the U.S in fact destroys jobs, detailing this in terms of jobs destroyed per job created and the net destruction per installed MW. The Study's results demonstrate how such "green jobs" policy clearly hinders Spain's way out of the current economic crisis, even while U.S. politicians insist that rushing into such a scheme will ease their own emergence from the turmoil. click for the rest of this summary Full text Study of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources |
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