Sustainable energy plan possible without ruining our ridgelines 

We are presently at a critical point in N.H. Foreign wind farm companies are rushing to construct huge wind turbine projects along N.H.’s ridgelines, in ways that will forever change the landscape of our state, unless we act now. We need to institute an immediate state-wide moratorium on such projects, before we reach the point of no return.

Significant wind turbine development projects are currently planned for construction on pristine ridgelines in N.H.’s Lakes Region. Large foreign companies, such as Spanish Iberdrola and Portuguese EDP, are working behind the scenes, preying on N.H.’s small, rural towns with NO zoning laws and WEAK land-use regulations, to erect 500-foot wind turbines across N.H.’s mountain ridges. The process has already begun in some towns around Newfound Lake. Small towns such as Alexandria, Hebron, Groton, Grafton and Danbury are unprepared to deal with such behemoth international corporations which are intentionally seeking these “easy targets” to establish their next wind farm projects in N.H.’s Lakes Region!

Dr. Benjamin Luce, physicist and professor at Lyndon State College in VT, is an expert on sustainable energy and ridgeline wind power. He recently spoke at Newfound High School, to report his findings that ridgeline wind power is not an effective means of energy production in N.H. For this reason, N.H. would require thousands of large ridgeline projects throughout the state to produce energy of any significance. (Can you picture that?) This should give us all cause to stop, think and ACT to stop these projects before it’s too late.

I support green energy, but not at the expense of New Hampshire’s ridgelines or our economic base of tourism. Will tourists come to N.H. to see an industrial skyline of 500-foot wind turbines on previously pristine, forested ridgelines? Probably not. Realize that if N.H. tourism suffers, our entire tax base suffers, affecting N.H. as a whole. Once our ridgelines have been bulldozed, clear cut, filled with cement bases, and dwarfed by huge steel wind turbines, it will be too late. And what will become of these towering, defunct turbines once more efficient energy production methods become available? Will they be retired to sit and rust like so many others around the country? This issue warrants our immediate attention.

Please support the following legislative bills which are being heard in the coming weeks:

— House Bill 508 (HB-508), calling for a state moratorium on wind turbines projects, until more complete impact studies can be conducted;

— HB-484, requiring the Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) to more closely review local impact issues before approving wind farm projects;

— HB-306, calling for an updated proactive statewide energy plan, required to stop this constant “reactive” state we are now in.

Together, we can preserve the beautiful, forested ridgelines of our Lakes Region for generations to come, while developing a truly sustainable energy plan for NH. Let’s not roll over and play dead. We must act now. For further information, please view the upcoming bills at: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/HouseBillsInCommittee.aspx?code=H24. Join “NH Wind Watch” on Facebook or go to www.nhwindwatch.org, where you can view a video of Dr. Luce’s presentation.

Write your State reps and town officials now. Make your voice heard. Please take action to stop these projects before it is too late. Thank you for your time attention to this matter.

Jae-ann Rock
New Hampshire native
Tilton