Items of interest:
1:”During a December commission meeting, (Garrett County, Maryland ) Commissioner Gregan Crawford voiced his concern about the effects of wind turbines on residents and noted that he would be willing to enter into a motion to develop zoning laws that would regulate the wind projects.” – Cumberland Times-News
A voice of reason in Western Maryland. Good for Commissioner Crawford!
2:”Between the growing concern about health effects from turbine audible and sub-audible noise and the outcry against excessively generous subsidies for turbine development, more news of decline in industrial wind may be in the offing.” – WindWise – Massachusetts
AT Note: Wind Wise – Massachusetts, calls itself “a fledgling alliance that joins together grassroots groups fighting industrial wind proposals around the state.”
Seems to me they’re getting their act together pretty quickly. Stop by their site for a visit!
3:”Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said his agency would continue a three-year-old collaboration with California to speed approval of renewable-energy projects and the transmission lines needed to connect them to the grid.” – NASDAQ
Yessir, Ken … better get them up quick!: “Since 2010, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) has approved construction permits for seven California solar-power plants and one wind farm on public land, and issued rights of way for transmission lines needed to connect five other solar projects to the grid. Most of the projects have moved ahead, but the fate of three of the solar plants has been in question after the developers filed for bankruptcy.“
4:”Pound for pound, uranium contains 2 million times as much heat energy as the best hydrocarbon, yet releasing that heat does not produce any SOx, NOx, fine particulate, mercury, CO, or CO2.” – Atomic Insights
5:Unfortunately, this one from our friends at Windtoons never seems to get old!
Allegheny Treasures 
Great Visual—Mr. Windtoons…..Handouts and more Handouts. A cartoon is worth a thousand words. But just in case you need some facts to share with your friends and the elected officals that support wind.
Remove the basket of tax goodies from the table and Big Industrial Wind will die
“The purpose of the 1603 payment is to reimburse eligible applicants for a portion of the cost of installing specified energy property used in a trade or business or for the production of income. A 1603 payment is made after the energy property is placed in service; a 1603 payment is not made prior to or during construction of the energy property.”
http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/recovery/Pages/1603.aspx
Check the US Treasure site to see how your tax money is given to Big Industrial Wind. http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/recovery/Documents/Status%20overview.pdf.
List of Awards
Here is a LIST OF AWARDS. It is updated frequently.
• Criterion Power Partner, LLC (Constellation Project, Garrett County, MD) on July 22, 2011, they received $39,147,263.
• Roth Rock Wind Farm, LLC, (Garrett County, MD) on September 8, 2011, received $31,766,924.
• Beech Ridge Project (Greenbrier County, WV) on September 22, 2011 received $68,609,459.
• Laurel Mountain, LLC (Randolph & Barbour Counties, WV) will apply for $80,000,000 dollars and some change
• Pinnacle Wind, LLC (Edison Mission Energy, Mineral County, WV) will apply for $40,000,000 dollars and some change. This project has received a political crony ‘sweetheart deal’ from the State of Maryland. The Maryland tax payer and consumer will be paying off this special Power Purchase Agreement for the next twenty years.
• Governor Martin O’Malley Announces Clean Energy Projects to Spur Economic Growth
• http://www.governor.maryland.gov/pressreleases/091208.asp
• http://web.uswindforce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61:us-wind-force-signs-20-year-power-purchase-agreements&catid=2:news&Itemid=13
Here is a STATUS OVERVIEW of the 1603 program that is updated from time-to-time. Be sure to bookmark this site.
Next time your elected representative visits, your community ask them how much grant money Big Industrial Wind received. Be sure to ask the number of local jobs produced, and where the principal state of business the wind contractors are located. Ask for specifics, statements “the majority of workers were from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia” does not count as an answer
Live in Mineral County; ask Commissioner Cindy Pyles how many jobs were generated. Ask her what action is taken regarding the noise issue for the residents living nearing the Pinnacle Project. She will be running for County Commission in 2012. Email address: cpyles@wvdsl.net, or Commissioner’s phone: 304-788-5921.
Pingback: Industrial wind … “the crawling menace!” | Allegheny Treasures