Saturday, February 17, 2007

The Direct Approach

Board adopts tall structures ordinance

The Enterprise, February 17, 2007, Stuart, VA.

"The issue that roared into Patrick County like a windstorm almost a year ago blew away Monday like a gentle breeze.

"The Patrick County Board of Supervisors voted to pass a tall structures ordinance that will prohibit the construction of 400-foot wind turbines on the county’s mountain ridges. Telecommunications towers and church steeples are exempt from the tall structures ban."

Full story.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Writer's Tool Kit

Thinking of writing, but don't have the time? Try using these tools:

1.Talking Points - Wind Salesmen’s Talking Points and the Facts that Refute Them

A point-by-point refutation of common claims made about the effect of windplants on reducing CO2 emissions, oil consumption, foreign oil dependence, fossil fuel consumption, global warming, electricity generation costs, electricity user costs, future energy shortages, local tax base, local employment, local businesses and tourism economy, health and safety of neighbors, and forests, watersheds and ecosystems.

This has been prepared for use, freely and without obligatory attribution of any kind, in writing media and elected officials. It’s in Word file format, so that users can copy/paste as expedient.

2 Address Books – Also in Word file format, for easy copy/paste to letters and envelopes. Email addresses and phone numbers included where available.

Politicians: Directory of state, county and township officials

Media: Directory of regional and local media

SOAR: Address Book for Bedford County Members

.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Allegheny Township News

Windmill ordinance to be advertised
Somerset Daily American, Jennifer Garlesky, February 6, 2007

ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP - At Monday night’s meeting, supervisors voted to advertise the township’s ordinance regulating the placement of wind turbines.
...

The township ordinance requires a setback of five times the turbine height between the windmill and the home or business of a non-participating property owner. A non-participating property owner is someone who has not given the developer permission to build a tower within the setback distance.

The township setback requirements are more stringent than the county’s wind energy ordinance because of the measurements used to establish the figure. The county ordinance states the turbine must have a setback of five times the hub height, not the total height of the windmill. Full article.