For almost two years now, CCA has asked why Charlestown should rush into a wind energy ordinance. It should take a slow and measured approach to protect all residents. Well, on Thursday, the Westerly Sun agreed with us. They said:
“the small town of Charlestown is right to put the brakes on by way of an ordinance that says no wind projects are welcome in town regardless of size, location or intention, period. This would allow them additional opportunity to do the necessary research on such an important issue.”
Following the Town Council’s vote to continue a moratorium on wind projects, the Sun considers it:
“nothing more than a time out, since the Planning Commission is currently writing an ordinance to address regulations for small turbines that could be used by homeowners. Commission chairwoman Ruth Platner said work on the residential plan should be completed soon and that work on an ordinance for large-scale commercial or industrial turbines will come at a later date after continued data collection and study.”
As the Planning Commission works to finish the ordinance as fast as they can, the Westerly Sun says:
“With all that said, we’re comfortable that Charlestown hasn’t slammed the door on wind. Determining how a homeowner might erect a turbine without effecting a neighbor’s quality of life is no easy task. We’re confident the Planning Commission will do its due diligence, and that takes time.”
To read the whole editorial, pick up a copy of the Westerly Sun at your newsstand.
We are also heartened to hear that Maine has realized that stricter noise rules need to be written for wind farms. You can read the Maine story at this link.
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I have been following the progress of the wind turbine dilemma since Lawrence LeBlanc submitted his Whalerock Proposal. I have attended the meetings of the Planning Commission, the meetings of the Town Council, and I have submitted in writing and spoken out about my feelings having to do with Industrial Sized Wind Turbines within Charlestown. At the Town Council meeting on Monday I was pleased to see that the Town’s Democrats feel the same way I do about residential wind generators and industrial generators. What I didn’t understand was how they could assume that the Town Council was banning all wind generators in town. If they had been available at the planning meetings, they would have understood that Peter Ruggerio advised the planning commission take the ordinance off the table and start fresh with residential sized turbines. Even after this was explained a majority of the audience did not understand that the town was not banning turbines in town, but reassessing the need for large turbines viz. residential turbines.
I applaud Tom Gentz, Lisa DiBello,and Dan Slattery for taking a rational stand on these turbines, but I cannot understand Greg Avedisian and Marge Frank acting like they are offended by the measured approach. But then again, they were on the town council that tried to slide Whalerock under the radar.
good information, carry on the great work