Wind Turbines, Gorham, and NIMBYism
Speaking of Wind Power, the Town of Gorham is probably going to ban the useful sort of wind turbines through zoning regulations.
From the Messenger Post newspapers:
As it stands, Gorham is poised to effectively ban large-scale wind farms, the type that generate power for sale to the grid, by setting a lower-than-standard height restriction.
The current draft would allow turbines of 300 feet or lower; typical commercial turbines are about 400 feet tall.
Empire State Wind Energy CEO Keith Pitman confirmed that the height restriction of 300 would eliminate most commercial interest in Gorham.
Why?
Why shoot yourselves in the foot? If you let ordinary citizens set up turbines, they could make money by selling it back to the grid. If you’d let enterprising entrepreneurs set up rows of turbines, (”wind farms”) you’d have green collar jobs as windmills spring up around the town. Personally, I find Wind Turbines aesthetically beautiful. They’re also beautiful in the hope and promise they represent.
By the way, Itchy found an interesting brief paper by Cornell regarding Wind Power in Western New York. I know there are concerns about corporate control. What if the towns set up incentives to help local rural folks set up their towers for a “winter harvest”?
Meanwhile, the town of Hamlin commissioned a study: it recommends capping any wind towers at 400 feet. As far as I can tell, that’s about right for industrial production. Good for them.
The town of Benton already has some sort of wind turbine law. The town of Potter wants to copy it. Does anyone know what this Benton law is all about?
Are we witnessing the return of NIMBYism?
Wind Turbines are so lovely and graceful, it seems a shame.
That’s too bad.
NYSERDA has a series of wind speed maps online at http://www.windexplorer.com/NewYork/NewYork.htm
There’s a good collection of MP articles about Gorham wind at the lake visions blog
NIMBYism-Thanks for the acronym. Sure seems to fit, doesn’t it?
[...] of local governments, and give it to the state. I gues they’re tired of local communities passing laws effectively prohibiting wind [...]