The wind projects have brought the most dissension to the community in recent years. It has pinned neighbor against neighbor and family member against family member. This is why I strongly support HB 401 and SB 234. These bills bring a local vote to the residents in the affected townships. Without these bills, options to intervene are limited for townships and the county. I was in Columbus in November for adjudicatory hearings and also when Representative Bill Reineke introduced HB 401. Having a strong presence and involvement in these important issues is critical.
As a representative of all the residents, I have considered the issue from both sides. I recognize the rights of landowners to lease their property to the wind company, but I also have to represent all those who will be affected by the huge change a wind project brings with it. The list of concerns I have heard is long, some that will have serious safety and financial consequences. For these reasons, I oppose wind as a source of energy production.
If there was an opportunity for local citizens to vote on an industrial wind project and the majority were in support, I would then support the development if the concerns of citizens were addressed. Further, I feel the current state minimum setback distance for industrial wind turbines is too short and should be increased.
I live and farm within the footprint of a proposed wind project and have an agreement with the wind company. I entered the agreement to help a neighbor in a tough spot, but also knowing that the farm would not be used for a wind turbine due to flight patterns. Any lease money received has been donated to support local organizations. The agreement with the wind company was not entered for my personal gain.
Despite having an agreement with the wind company, my opposition in the project is strong. The more I have learned about the project, the companies and the strong concerns of the community, I do not support the development of an industrial wind project in Seneca County, especially without any local control.
I believe that the Ohio Power Siting Board should have put safety precautions in place before a single project was allowed to be built in Ohio, including the review of safety manuals to verify safety zones around the turbines and that any and all industrial wind turbine incidents and failures be reported. Public safety is too important to overlook these important matters.
