More Than Energy In The Wind
By Thomas D. Segel
May 5, 2008
A renewable source of energy that requires no coal, gas or oil, has no waste product and creates no greenhouse gases would seem to be the magical solution everyone is seeking. As gasoline tops $4.00 a gallon in many regions, Americans are screaming for a solution to the national attack on family budgets. With almost uncountable restrictive federal regulations, most of our available resources remain untapped. These same politically oriented restrictions have even stopped the construction of new refineries. In fact, the only resource our left-leaning political kings and their environmental jesters have not managed to completely regulate is the wind.
This does not mean they are ignoring attacks on wind power energy. From lamenting the possible death of birds and bats, to threats of damage to the ecology, charges and counter charges related to wind energy unfold in our newspapers and across television screens. In many regions of the country, these naysayers have managed to influence political bodies and regulations relative to permits and locale have been adopted. One of the few barriers to even more regulatory moves has been the fact that wind farms are constructed on private property.
However, the NIMBY (not in my back yard) crowd and environmental activists are now on the attack in Texas, just as they have been with every other attempt to increase energy across the United States. The latest of these attacks is taking place along the Gulf Coast where PPM Energy of Portland, Oregon is attempting to erect 240 wind-powered turbines on the Kenedy Ranch. This is the first of two planned farms on the 400,000-acre South Texas ranch. It is the start of an $800 million project that will eventually provide electricity for more than 100,000 homes, and have no negative emissions. According to a company spokesman, even before construction started it had completed three years of comprehensive wildlife studies. The conclusion of these studies was the farm would be outside the main migratory flight path and no endangered species or birds would be harmed. This failed to satisfy those opposed to the construction.
The first to attack the project was neighboring King Ranch President Jack Hunt. He claims the turbines will create an eyesore, even though the nearest highway is more than twenty miles away and there is little population to view the operation. He also claims the wind farm will harm wildlife and kill migrating birds. A coalition of state and local environmental activist groups started filing complaints early in 2007 making claims that birds migrating to the south flew on a path that led directly into the planned 200 to 400 feet tall wind-turbines. They predicted massive kills.
State courts and agencies have dismissed all attempted actions saying the King Ranch and the Coastal Habitat Alliance have no standing for action in a case that requires no permits and is on private land. Still the group persists and in December 2007 filed state and federal lawsuits to halt construction. If they fail to stop the building of the wind farm, they at least want to gain input in the project.
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