Posted on 08/04/2008 9:33:59 AM PDT by Graybeard58
What's in store for America when most of its electricity is generated by the sun and wind? Trouble, turmoil and tyranny. With more than 125 wind farms, England is many years ahead of us when it comes to alternative power. But it has just as many NIMBYs per capita as America, and theirs detest wind farms.
A 2007 government-commissioned study found upward of three-quarters of people living within 1.2 miles of "condor Cuisanarts" say the loud whooshing sound the blades make is ruining their health and quality of life. But their biggest complaint was about falling property values. More than a few homeowners have gone to the trouble and expense of selling their homes at a loss or a discount just to get away from the noise.
The British Wind Energy Association scoffs at such "subjective perceptions," but the judiciary begs to differ. A judge last month ruled one couple's home, worth $330,000 in 2006, has been rendered worthless by the deafening roar of the wind farm built since then in their neighborhood, the Telegraph of London reports. As a result, thousands of homeowners may see the value of their homes and their tax bills plummet, throwing the housing market and government budgets into turmoil.
However, the government remains committed to the deployment of 7,000 more windmills by 2018, and it's not about to let NIMBYs dash its green dreams. So while officials continue to reject windmills in national parks and other sparsely populated areas, they are crafting a law to forbid homeowners from complaining about noise from wind farms.
For those who refuse to be believe such green fascism might visit America one day, think again. Though not yet so severe, it's already here, and it's metastasizing.
When discussing national energy policy, logic is not permitted. Naughty.
It should disturb everybody.
The transformation began in the 60s in strange pockets of affluence, like Marin County California.
It became official and government-imposed with the passage of the Environmental Quality Act and the Endangered Species Act, and subsequent enhancements.
Prior to that time projects such as in the Tennessee Valley and Hetch-Hetchy in California, Hoover Dam, created infrastructures far in excess of what was necessary at the time. But the mood of society then was not "me, me me!" screw future generations. All of those projects would be impossible today.
When community General Plans are updated, now, as required by state laws, the most common criticism is that some elements are "Growth inducing".
The original legislation was sold, and later perverted to where we are now. It was never intended to ever stop any project; it was simply an attempt to identify all possible consequences and to either mitigate them or, if necessary, to simply accept all the consequences. The choice was the benefit to humans, with no surprises due to lack of thought.
That, clearly, is not the way it is presently interpreted, 40 years later.
To give you an absurd but true example:
In the 50s, Sacramento, Calif, the capital, was relatively small, but the spirit of community and the benefit to future generations was firmly in play. As a result, the decision was made to purchase the land necessary to circumvent the main parts of town in the future similar to the Paris Peripherique or DCs "Beltway".
Fast forward 30 years...
The new "thinking" became, if we actually plan ahead, we are inviting growth. Growth= bad. Let the future fend for itself, or let it happen somewhere else.
So the "new political evolution" forced the sale of all the land previously purchased for the express purpose of frustrating the original plan.
Repeat this countrywide and there is your explanation.
Then you have a pile of junk sitting out there!
Somehow this slipped through. I apologize for missing it. I appreciate what you have said here, and agree with you, with regard to what I have seen.
We are way down the road to crippling political correctness.
We’re losing this nation.
Did I just hear a splash??
I’ve stood next to and under the wind turbines on 200 and 300 foot pedestals. To me they make amazingly little noise, even in 25-30 knot winds, but some sound is there.
Maybe so. Did you? LOL
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