Saturday June 30, 2012

Wind turbines hurt wild life

Editor of the Reformer:

I share more than three miles of border with Meadows End in Grafton and have been waiting for the Reformer to bring up this complicated issue of the Stiles Brook Wind Project.

Meadows End has a good track record in the forestry world, and I in no way doubt their good intentions of preserving their forest holdings. However, I hope that in the future you would include discussion of the impact turbines such as these can have on wildlife. A representative of the project, when pressed, acknowledged to me that the turbine blades will be 400 feet high. I have deep concern that a blade of that magnitude, traveling at a very high speed, will not only kill thousands of birds and bats, but will also generate acoustical disturbance severe enough to harm all sorts of other animals and disrupt their life patterns.

I hope that you include discussion of such impact in your future reporting as this issue develops.

Richard A. Warren,

Grafton, June 28 Climate change virtually certain

Editor of the Reformer:

The probability of a disaster at Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is very low. If one should occur, its effects would be limited to a small geographical area, but the consequences in that area could be devastating. The probability of climate change, unless something major is done, is virtually certain; it is already

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happening. Its effects are and will be nationwide and global. They will certainly be devastating and, in some areas, catastrophic, e.g., ocean coasts and desert peripheries. (The Maldives, for example, will disappear.) In Vermont, the maple industry, skiing, and autumn tourism will be drastically affected. In short, the expected value (the probability of an event multiplied by the effects from the event) is much worse for climate change than for an accident at Yankee.

America needs increasing electrical power generation for a growing economy. Simultaneously, fossil fuel use in power generation must be reduced and replaced with other alternatives, e.g., solar, geothermal, wind. I do not believe that America can generate more power, replace fossil fuels, and take nuclear powered facilities offline at the same time. We need to phase out nuclear power but only after substantial progress has been made in replacing fossil fuels with alternatives.

I conclude that we would be better served if our local activist friends would concentrate upon ensuring that Vermont Yankee continues to generate power as safely as possible and upon building power generation capacity in New England using alternative fuels (such as wind power in Windham). They should aim to replace Yankee with non-fossil fuel generation capacity the next time Yankee seeks a license extension.

Tom Bertone,

East Dummerston, June 28

Simple facts on VY entry

Editor of the Reformer:

Dan DeWalt’s column ("Felonious bunk," June 21) complaining about not gaining entry Vermont Yankee’s corporate offices in Brattleboro completely fails to acknowledge some very simple facts. His group entered private property unannounced, uninvited, demanded entry and showed no indication that they would leave the property unescorted.

Less than a year ago, an arsonist intentionally set a fire in that very same office building that caused severe property damage and could conceivably have caused severe injury or loss of life to anyone in the building.

What part of this does Mr. DeWalt not understand?

Gregory Wilson,

Halifax, June 28

Help with ‘Sticker shock’

Editor of the Reformer:

The Greater Falls Prevention Coalition would like to thank area retailers in their participation in the "sticker shock" activities that took place in May. "Sticker shock" is an effort to raise awareness about the consequences of purchasing alcohol for minors. Two middle school students along with GFPC’s Parent Outreach Coordinator worked with the owners and staff of Sunoco/Final Cut, Penguin and Shell (VT Liquor Store) retail stores located in the village of Bellows Falls. The students placed bright warning stickers on large packs of alcoholic beverages informing adults of the serious consequences related to buying and providing alcohol to those under the age of 21. Our hope is that this information will help adults make the safe, responsible choice and keep kids sober during the prom and graduation party season. Thank you to the owners and staff at Sunoco/Final Cut, Penguin and Shell (VT Liquor Store) retail stores for participating and supporting these important efforts. We are exceptionally appreciative.

Chad Simmons

Greater Falls
Prevention Coalition, June 21