NORTH LEWISBURG - Residents from Champaign County and beyond appeared in droves at Triad High School Wednesday evening to either give or hear opinions during a public hearing regarding the proposed Buckeye Wind Project.
Upon arriving at the school participants could see the yellow "safe set-backs" signs and even hear blaring through a mounted speaker a recording one opponent had depicting turbine noise.
Walking through the front doors individuals easily found themselves inundated with literature from both sides of the issue. There were booths set up by proponents and opponents as members from each group explained their research and where they stood on the issue.
The chaos that consumed the pre-hearing, however, subsided in the school auditera as an estimated 400-425 people sat calmly awaiting the words of their neighbors on either side of the fence.
Of those in attendance, approximately 50 had signed up to publicly give their statements to be entered into the record that will be reviewed by the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). Those not signed up to speak, however, were given an opportunity to do so after all those listed to give their statements had finished.
All speakers were sworn in as a part of their testimony and it was explained early on that no questions regarding the Buckeye Wind Project would be answered during the hearing. The only thing going on the record would be statements made by identified parties.
Many of those speaking were familiar members from Union Neighbors United (opponents) and Champaign Advocates for Renewable Energy (proponents). Multiple trustees from the six townships where proposed turbines will be placed were there to observe, as were representatives from Everpower Renewables. Intervenors, which include several townships, were not to speak as part of the public hearing because they will be heard at the adjudicatory hearing that begins Nov. 9 in Columbus before the OPSB.
Some of the comments made were brief and to the point, others gave impassioned speeches.
Many commented regarding the health concerns that have surrounded the turbine controversy despite wind companies' best efforts to decry them as false. Others argued that health concerns used to be a problem with older turbines, but with new technology, issues of adversely-affected health would all but vanish. CareFlight's anticipated inability to continue serving areas where turbines would be sited was also an area of concern among opponents.
A recurring point of contention was a combination of turbine height, the setbacks being imposed and the visual impact that 70 turbines 492 feet high with spinning blades would have on the landscape. While there were some speakers who stated plainly that they felt the turbines would encroach on their property rights, and negatively impact the beauty of the Champaign County countryside, others professed that the addition of the turbines wouldn't bother them and, even if they did detract from the landscape, that it would be for the greater good and would also bring money into the county, townships and schools. Proponents also touted turbines' ability to promote farmland preservation goals in the county.
The money issue also came up several times. As the state still hasn't figured out how turbines will be taxed, those speaking out against the project claimed that turbine companies could end up paying little if anything to the tax base in Champaign County. One speaker said, according to his research, most of wind company profits actually come in the form of subsidies and grants funded with tax money. Those speaking in favor of the turbines quoted Everpower's figures of tax revenue for the local government that might equal millions of dollars.
OPSB, which held the public hearing as part of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio process, is charged with determining if Everpower's request to build the utility will be granted by the state. If approved, construction would likely begin in 2010.
Shaun Dunlap can be reached at sdunlap@urbanacitizen.com
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