Sierra Club’s inconsistency 

At the Dec. 16 Carteret County Commissioner’s meeting, Robert Scull, who identified himself as representing the Sierra Club, said during his public comments that while the Sierra Club had opposed the Pantego Wind Project in Beaufort County it is not opposed to the Mill Pond Industrial Wind Project in Carteret County. My immediate reaction was “What the heck?” Why does the Sierra Club think that it’s OK to protect a goose in Beaufort County but not a gander in Carteret County? Maybe it’s just that the Sierra Club has not done its environmental homework or that it is simply supporting an “environmental” policy driven by the current political environment.

It appears from the public record that the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society opposed the Beaufort County Pantego Project because of the potential mass slaughter of a lot of pretty and some endangered birds. The Audubon Society has already gone on record expressing concern over the Mill Pond Industrial Wind Project in Carteret County that could result in the death of some rare birds and bats. In its letter to the North Carolina Utility Commission, the Audubon Society said:

“The Mill Pond Wind Farm lies mostly within the Croatan National Forest Important Bird Area (5,800 acres of the total project area of 7,363 acres). This globally significant IBA [Important Bird Area] hosts a wide array of land bird species including the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and other high conservation priority species like Bachman’s Sparrow and Prairie Warbler. The wetlands embedded in the project area also support a variety of wetland dependent species like Bald Eagles, wintering waterfowl, and a variety of high priority marsh birds like Black Rail, Virginia Rail, and other species.”

Based on Mr. Scull’s statement, the Sierra Club must not know we in Carteret County, like Beaufort County, have IBAs that include a federally endangered species. Alternatively, maybe the Sierra Club just jumped into bed with the Department of Interior’s new rule that says it is OK for wind energy companies to whack American bald eagles to death (Reference – http://beforeitsnews.com/food-and-farming/2013/12/interior-department-gvies-wind-farms-30-year-exemption-from-bird-kills-2458462.html).

In either case, the Sierra Club’s position now seems to be that it is OK to kill birds and bats in Carteret County, and its position was stated on the public record during the county commissioner’s meeting.

If you disagree with the Sierra Club, make your concerns known to the N.C. Utilities Commission by submitting your comments by email to statements@ncuc.net. Cite docket number SP-3085 Sub 0, and include your name, address and phone number in your email. While according to NCUC Dec. 18, a deadline for comments has not yet been set contrary to announcements that the deadline is Dec. 23rd, NCUC will soon announce that it will hold a public hearing in Carteret County on the Mill Pond project. If you send comments it will notify you of the hearing date by email. Otherwise, the public hearing notice will be published in local papers, and of course many local groups will use a variety of methods to let you know of the hearing date so you can participate.

KEN LANG

Stella, N.C.