Winds of change
Details Coming Tuesday

A citizens' group that has formed to combat the location of 79 massive turbines in northern Potter County says it has a convincing case against the proposed industrial wind plant.

Save God's Country will present that case, complete with a video and a PowerPoint presentation, during a public meeting to be held on Tuesday at the Potter County Courthouse, starting at 7:00 p.m. The presentation will include expert assessments and anecdotal evidence.

AES Corporation is among those companies that have capitalized on federal and state tax incentives to generate electricity from wind. AES operates more than 120 electrical power plants worldwide, fueled by coal, oil, natural gas, wind and other energy sources.

The company wants to build 79 industrial wind turbines on leased property in Ulysses and Hector townships. The machines are approximately 450 feet high, with blades whirling at upwards of 200 miles per hour during optimum wind conditions. They would be linked to a new substation on Bailey Hill.

Save God's Country is an informal citizens' group started by property owners in the targeted area who are opposed to AES plan. The group's leaders say it could evolve into a grassroot citizens' lobby that takes on other causes.

However, next week's meeting will be specifically focused on the wind plant. The group cites the following objections: damaging health effects, noise pollution, negative impact on wildlife, declining property values, construction of new roads and underground transmission lines, shadow flicker, negative impact on tourism, visual intrusion on the landscape, and absence of any direct energy benefits for Potter County.

"We'll be able to make a pretty strong case that this project would be bad for Potter County," said Save God's Country spokesman Herb Miller.

Another member of the group, long-time Potter County resident Arthur Kear, cites testimony from residents living near other wind plants in strongly opposing the AES plan.

"Supporting this project is condemning all people directly affected by these turbines to a life-changing catastrophe, with nothing gained," Kear said. "There are other alternate energy sources, such as bio-mass that uses crops that could be grown locally without destroying lives and property with these turbines."