Together we can save the Grand Canyon Corridor 

Once again we want to let the community know that the Perrin Ranch Wind Complex issue is still being resolved and you are needed at the April 26 Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing. They will be hearing a request by NextEra Energy regarding two of the conditions placed on the Conditional Use Permit they were given to construct the industrial wind project just north of Red Lake in the Route 64 corridor.

The first condition has to do with the location of the substation, transmission and work yard complex. The County specified a preference for this complex to be in the location that would be less visible from Espee Road rather than the location higher up on the ridgeline. This is an industrial area for maintenance, with work area and buildings surrounded by a six-foot chain link fence topped with barbed wire. It is an industrial complex that does not belong in a general zone, which is largely residential. We urge the communities around Red Lake to let the County P&Z know that this was not acceptable before and that if they change the condition it is a virtual rezoning of the area and should be subject to a referendum so that the community can vote.

The second condition being appealed is the requirement for the night lighting on the turbines to be radar controlled rather than the constantly flashing red lights that are always on. NextEra claims that it has “new” information regarding this lighting and the GE turbines. They are asking the County to allow them to put the radar lighting on after it is approved by the FAA rather than during the construction phase. Their “new” reasoning is that GE will not honor its warranty on the towers “if the radar is attached before it has approval.”

This is of course a ridiculous premise. The turbines either work with the units on or they don’t. The stamp on a piece of paper saying FAA approved will not change how they operate. This is just a maneuver to save a bundle of money – $2.5 million that the company does not want to spend – at the community’s expense.

Please plan to attend the hearing on April 26 to tell the P&Z Commissioners no changes to the conditions imposed by the County Supervisors. Please write letters or email your Supervisors and P&Z that you are opposed to changes in the conditions. We, the community, are still in this battle and we are not giving up yet. There are still a lot of options that we have available and we are gaining more support as people become more aware of the negative aspects of industrial wind power. It is not green, and it is not cheap, and it is not reliable. We urge everyone to visit the CCCRRE website at www.cccrre.com to learn more about industrial wind energy.

We also want to thank our many supporters for their contributions and words of support. We do have a separate account for donations to pay for the expenses involved in fighting this industrialization of our community, and we want thank those who have helped in any way – whether by writing letters, attending meetings, putting together mailings, maintaining the website or donating to the legal expense fund. Together we can stop this industrialization of our community and save the Grand Canyon Corridor for the world.

Thanks, and remember you are the most important part of this battle. See you on April 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the County Office Building on Cherry Street. If you need transportation please contact us and we will arrange rides to the meeting – (928) 600-4354.

Linda Webb

Williams