CCA November 2009 Survey on Wind Power in Charlestown
244 members of the CCA e-mail list submitted answers to this survey. Not every survey taker answered every question. A few of you included names, emails or other identifying information that we have removed to protect your privacy. The questions and all of your answers are below. Some survey responders used all caps or used capitalization for emphasis. We have left those as written, but please remember the emphasis is added by the writer and not by us.
We had an error in question 5. We accidentally omitted the option "unattractive" from the choices for that question. That may have caused some of you to choose, "very unattractive" or "Neither attractive nor non-attractive" when the omitted option may have been closer to your choice. We'll never know and we apologize for that line getting left out.
We have included responses in the same order as the questions on the survey. We recommend reading the text responses as there are great ideas and lots to think about and discuss in those answers.
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1. Clean or renewable energy is power that comes from non-polluting sources such as the sun, water, and wind. How important is it for Americans to move away from fossil fuels like gas, oil, and coal and use more clean energy?
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2. Should we reduce dependency on foreign oil?
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3. If wind energy would lower the electrical bills for municipal buildings in the Town of Charlestown, would you support wind turbines?
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4. If you could see a wind turbine from the beach or the road would that concern you?
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5. How would you describe the visual appearance of wind turbines on Charlestown's landscape:
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6. Generally speaking, how do you feel about the placement of wind turbines in Charlestown if you can see them from your house?
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7. Generally speaking, how do you feel about the placement of wind turbines in Charlestown if you CAN hear them from your house?
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8. Generally speaking, how do you feel about the placement of wind turbines in Charlestown if you CANNOT hear them from your house?
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9. Now, think as a neighbor to a proposed wind turbine. How much set back would you prefer? (Note: Setback is a term that describes how far the turbine is placed from your property and is related to the height of the tower, plus the length of the blade. Also, setback is a safety zone in case the tower falls.)
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Responses for other above: Some people may have written a text answer in "Other", but neglected to check the box, their selection for "Other" didn't get recorded in that case.
2 or 3 times height
None.. we don't need setback from trees, telephone poles, or billboards... why these? They don't "fall", if there is failure they break in the middle and fall on themselves!
Need to understand this better
Far enough not to effect quality of life, i.e. Look like a skyscraper or sound like a motor running, from my home...
2 times the total height
2x
2 MILES
placed on landfill type area
2 times the height and blade
10 times the total height
How high is a turbine? One does not want to feel intimidated/overwhelmed by it.
I would need more info on this before answering
Need more information
depends on size
2x total height or more
.25 miles
This should be done on a case by case basis; the developer should seek necessary sound easements and compensate each neighbor accordingly
3 TIMES
minimum 2 time the height
5 times total height/blade
I need more information
2-3 x
10. The Town of Charlestown heard a proposal this spring from a developer hoping to put two 492 foot wind turbines north of Route 1, between Kings Factory Road and Prosser Trail, would you be supportive of these wind turbines?
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11. Do you live close enough to the proposed site to see the wind turbines from your property?
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12. Have you seen a 500 foot wind turbine up close?
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13. Do you think you know enough about 500 foot tall turbines to make good decisions for the town?
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14. Would you like to see Charlestown hire a well known consultant to provide guidance to the Town for wind energy, like the towns of Westerly and Jamestown have done?
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15. There is conflicting information, even from experts, on wind turbines. Below is a list of items that have been brought up as issues. Check any item that concerns you, and if you want, check "Other" and leave a comment discussing your concern too in that box, or in the final comments section.
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Responses for other above: Some people may have written a text answer in "Other", but neglected to check the box, their selection of "Other" didn't get recorded in that case.
Profitability: Will the return compensate for the various impacts on the town?
Setbacks in relation to height
None--these are all handled in modern turbines.
I would like to think that developing alternate power source should be of the utmost importance
If its mechanical it can fail they should be located off shore
Pay back period
Noise
no concern
sound propagation
other wild life. there are other methods of generating power that should be considered.
setback distance for damaged blades
Height, ugly is as ugly does
WATER TABLE PROBLEMS FROM BLASTING LEDGE ROCK, ICEING OF BLADES, COMMUNICATION INTERFERANCE,
noise, removal when they become obsolete or dangerous or none functioning. Will developers have to put money in escrow for the future removal of turbines?
obstructionist
noise & safety
cost savings
I don't expect this to be a major problem
lights on turbines
place away from homes
interference with flight paths of flights out of richmond and westerly
Hidden Costs to Maintain
sound/sight
turbine noise impact on health
Height, Noise,Efficiency,Cost
noise
noise
wind before neuclear
data on energy output
low level noise vibration
Height, visual and aural detriment
Unsightly & how do they wire turbines
No ordinances should be changed to allow turbines
Deteriorates the Route One Visual Corridor
I am not aware of any noise factor but would be interested to learn
if it will eventually lower my taxes in charlestown, I'm for it. And I hope the Narragansett Tribe considers putting a few of them up on their land.. maybe the town can srike a deal with then and get a piece of the revenue thus lowering my taxes too.
MY TAXES!!!
This Town Council concerns me
16. If you have any comments that you would like to share with CCA on placing wind turbines in Charlestown please write your comments here. CCA appreciates your time. We hope your voice will influence Town government and help shape the future of Charlestown.
You are doing a terrific job.
How about questions relating to smaller turbines?
"I would like to see Charlestown write and approve an ordinance that protects its citizens and honors their concerns. I would suggest a setback of more than 1.5 and I would suggest Dcb levels below the 40 mark.
Furthermore, we should be approving an ordinance that applies to the entire town not for one specific site and one developer, The ordinance should also contain a section on small wind turbines for farmers and have height restrictions on all other wind turbines not to exceed 300 feet
"it is clear in filling in the survey , that I do not know enough about the subject.
thanks"
Thank you CCA for bringing this and all town issues to the people
Strongly against wind turbines in Charlestown.
"Towns and states all over America (including our neighboring New England states) are installing turbines. Currently installed capacity is 31,000 megawatts (approximately 30,000 turbines. Enough to heat about 8 1/2 million homes. Wind energy is hear to stay and is growing at about 20%/year with a target of 10 times the above numbers. The New England coast line is rated as ""outstanding"" as an area for wind power. So lets get with the program. But by all means lets do it right. I have visited a wind farm and heard no noise and I read that they only noise is when the wind is turbulent and the turbine noise is less than the noise made by the rustling of leaves on the trees. "
If the windmill looks like the one in portsmouth I am all in favor. It looks great from the highway as well as from the water. Would like more information on the necessity for a 500 foot tower. Also more information on the cost of an expert. Can we use the information from the studies of Westerly?
"Sound regulations governing wind turbine towers are necessary rather than outright prohibitions. We need to develop sustainable energy alternatives to fossil-burning plants, and the small aesthetic impacts of wind turbine farms are a minor price to pay. I have seen wind turbine farms in Europe and Ireland and I found them more interesting rather than aesthetically displeasing. From my understanding of studies of impacts of wind turbines on migratory bird populations, there is very little evidence of significant environmental damage. Interpretations of these studies seem to vary according to the predispositions of those doing the interpreting. We can't have our modern conveniences (including warm homes and HD TVs) and continue to ignore the need for sustainable energy production to keep those conveniences going."
"No. 3 is really a don't know question. Are we talking about lowering the electric bill for the town while paying off a huge bond issue to build the facility? Is it a wash, or a twenty year expense or do we actually save? We have no projections and really no information to answer this question."
"Overall, i favor the installations of wind turbines in Charlestown. I would hope that through computer simulations, we could get a better understanding of the visual and sound effects of the proposed wind turbines; learning from the experience of other similarly situated communities( E.g.- Portsmouth ), we can learn about community effect of the wind turbines.
We should attempt to build wind turbines, that will be the least intrusive from a visual and sound point of view. "
Our dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue.
"I support wind energy, however I believe 500' is quite tall for a wind turbine. The new Portsmouth turbine is a 1.5 Megawatt and stands 336 feet from base to blade tip. When doing a google search for tallest wind turbine in the U.S., I found 345 feet in Texas as the tallest turbines, although there are plans for larger turbines in Illinois. It should be noted that the Texas turbines (as well as the planned turbines in Illinois) are all 3 Megawatt turbines. The Charlestown proposal of 492 feet just seems excessive, especially for 1.5 Megawatt generators (1/2 the size of the Texas generators). I believe the proposed new zoning ordinance should have a height limitation of 350 feet. Then, if a landowner wants to go higher, he/she must obtain a dimensional variance (in addition to a special use permit). This would create an added burden to the landowner - that's true. But it would require the owner to prove why the additional height is necessary, which would provide more protection to the residents of Charlestown. "
"Thank you for this opportunity. Turbines are a powerful positive force for energy independence--and the new ones are quiet, safe, and graceful. They don't ""fall,"" they don't kill birds, and they don't kill bats---no more than our picture windows do.
I take issue with your ""492 foot"" and then repeated ""500 foot"" statements. Turbines appear as tall as their hub height, not the tip of the blades--my understanding is that the ones proposed would be 80-100 meters tall, or 260-330 feet. I believe that the cell tower on Shannok Road is in that same range and most people don't even know it's there. "
"In the long term we'll need to come to terms with local tradeoffs for becoming more energy self-sufficient.
The ""not in my backyard"" phenomenon is understandable, though there may be no ""perfect"" place that's far enough from residents to neither be seen, nor heard, that gets enough wind, with minimal environmental impact. It seems to me that homeowners who bear the brunt of the impacts - be it noise, shadow flicker etc - might be offered an additional benefit, such as savings on energy themselves, or a reduction in local taxes etc... That seems fair"
" I find wind turbine towers no more intrusive than high voltage power lines and cell phone and water towers. I have seen the local wind turbine installations and wind turbine ""farms"" scattered all over Holland which provides about 50% of their electrical needs.
I was involved in alternative energy studies serveral decades ago. Climate warming is a reality. It has been occuring since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution with the ever increasing production of Carbon Dioxide gas. Energy independence, simular to that proposed by the ""Picken Plan (T. Boone Picken)"" is neccessary for our nation's economic survival. "
Why 500 feet tall????? (40 story building) Why won't 200 feet work???(16 story building) Please tell me why Ninigret is not the logical place???
"solar panels would be a better fit and not such a eyesore I would not want to live within miles of one of these, So a few could make money and everyone else that lives here would lose on so many levels,also if this breaks apart in a cat 5 can you tell me how far the parts will fly I'm pretty sure they won't stop at the developers property line. Please don't ruin our town!"
"I don't know why the proposal is for such tall turbines but it may be justifiable and if so why? We can't pay lip service to such an important issue as alternative energy without giving such a proposal our full unbiased consideration. I'd prefer the wind turbines to a high rise casino, the tribe will outlast all opposition and eventually will have the ability to build one...."
CCA you are such a great resource. I just downloaded the Jamestown study from your news page. The conclusion of the study is that you CANNOT make money if you go beyond net metering. This developer next to tribal land is going way beyond net metering cause the town municipal buildings only use a tiny amount of the energy he will produce. It makes no sense at all unless the real partner is the tribe and the big user of electricity will be a casino or maybe some electricity hungry industrial park. Follow the electricity because there is no money in selling to National Grid!!!
"Will the town provide funding or tax breaks to the developers?
Can wind turbines provide competitive electric rates
without federal subsidies?"
Lets do a study like Jamestown did and then think about the ordinance. Charlestown is doing everything backwards. Unless they are doing it all for the developer and then it's underhanded. I like wind turbines. I don't trust this Town Council to be smart except for Mr. Hosp. So yes bring in a real expert please who knows a little math and science.
"I think that a 500 foot tower is excessive in an area so close to ocean wind.
I would also support a wind farm on isolated areas of Charlestown beach."
I would hope we will get info from many people that live around the New England Tech and Portsmouth turbines. They sound like a great addition to help our engery problems if there are not too many negatives concerning them!
Thanks to CCA we in Charlestown are getting a better understanding of the wind turbine issues and the town council's motivations!
Please please please do not do this to our town. We will forever be regretful if this is done.
"i visited a town in north canada along the st lawrence rive. the town was entirely generated by turbines...it was a picturesque setting and these giants of anti polution only added to the landscape of the town....this was about four years ago...since then i have been a proponent of these giants and i would love to have a small--""home"" size one on my land"
"Our family supports clean alternative energy, we need to do all we can, to escape the negative effects of coal , oil , and foreign dependence.
Charlestown should do its part in helping to reduce green house gasses.
We have the perfect environment, and the technology has been tested and
readily available"
"Charlestown takes pride in its quality of life and environmental concern, we should support and participate in clean, renewable energy. The specific designs, height, sound, distance to nearest neighbors, etc. should be protective of our property and quality of life, while allowing rational, achievable wind energy projects. The rules should be meaningful and achievable , but not physically or monetarily prohibitive. Small residential wind power systems provide the possibility of energy independence and should also be allowed. Well done systems will quickly fade into the background visually and become a source of pride in our community... "
I have people next door to me that burn trash. I'd like to see something done about that first.
"When you consider that this country is constantly at war to protect our oil interests, oil is a very expensive commodity."
"Alternate methods for generating power? Yes. Consider them all and write such an ordinance [for all]. Yes, we need visionaries; not politics.
Consideration should be given to initial costs, building costs, lengthen of life and up-keep of whatever is going to generate power, any manpower required for the ongoing maintenance. Impact on flowers, fauna and man all need consideration. Look at the carbon footprint of man; what has affected wildlife, which has not bounced back - certainly no future costs were projected at the onset. Costs always go up, not down.
Also, keep within the land use documents already itemized [but only followed for convenience]and agreed upon.
Let's not jump on the nearest bandwagon without deliberation and thought."
Windmill towers are graceful structuresto be proud of. Telephone lines are ugly structures we have gotten used to.
This is a great idea. It would not alter the fundamental character of this town.
It's absurd to even consider one in a residential area....
"BASED ON MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH REGARDING COMMERCIAL WIND TURBINES I HAVE DISCOVERED THEY HAVE A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES. THEY POSE HEALTH HAZARDS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS, ONE IS FLICKER, A SHADOW CAST BY THE TURBINE BLADES. THESE BLADES CAN BE OVER 160 FEET LONG, WHICH CAN CAST A LONG SHADOW EVERY FEW SECONDS OVER A DWELLING. ANOTHER IS THE NOISE CAUSED BY THE BLADES AS THEY SPIN. THIS NOISE CAN BE HEARD FOR MILES, AS WELL AS IN THE FORM OF SOUND WAVES, WHICH CAN'T BE HEARD. THE LATTER PENETRATES A BUILDING'S WALLS AND CAUSES UNTOLD HEALTH PROBLEMS. AT BEST, THESE 500 FOOT TOWERS BELONG OFF-SHORE. THERE ARE SCORES OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SUCH AS BOVINA,NY, LINCOLN TOWNSHIP,WI, ETC., ETC.-JUST SEARCH THE WEB.
T. BOONE PICKENS, A BILLIONAIRE, SPENT OVER 60 MILLION DOLLARS OF HIS OWN MONEY ON TV ADS PROMOTING WIND AND SOLAR POWER LAST YEAR, BUT HAS DISCOVERED WIND GENERATED ENERGY IS NOT COMPETITIVE WITH NATURAL GAS. AS A RESULT, HE IS NOW TRYING TO SELL 677 TURBINES HE PURCHASED FOR 2 BILLION DOLLARS.
BECAUSE WIND IS NOT CONSTANT, LITTLE IS SAVED IN THE WAY OF CARBON EMISSIONS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT FOSSIL FUEL GENERATING POWER PLANTS HAVE TO BE KEPT ON LINE TO BACK-UP THE TURBINES.
THIS HAPPENS DURING MANY MONTHS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER. AS A MATTER OF FACT U.S. GOVERNMENT WIND CHARTS SHOW RI HAS MOSTLY POOR WIND FLOW IN MOST AREAS AND ONLY MARGINAL IN A FEW, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OFF SHORE.
ANOTHER FACT, 88% OF ALL THE TURBINES ERECTED IN THE USA LAST YEAR CAME FROM FOREIGN COMPANIES, GENERATING VERY FEW AMERICAN MANUFACTURING JOBS.
SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN TURBINES HAVE UP TO A 40% A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON TOURISM. WHAT WOULD THEY DO TO RHODE ISLAND, WHICH IS VERY DEPENDENT ON TOURIST DOLLARS, MORE SO IN SOUTH COUNTY.
I ASK ONE SIMPLE QUESTION, HOW DOES CHARLESTOWN BENEFIT BY ALLOWING TURBINES TO BE ERECTED IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS? ONCE YOU OBTAIN ALL THE FACTS ABOUT WIND TURBINES, NOT JUST THE BIASED INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE INDUSTRY PROPAGANDA ARM, THE AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION (AWEA), YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE THEY TEND TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD, THINKING THERE ARE HUGH BENEFITS FLOWING TO THE ECOLOGY AND ECONOMY. NOT SO, THEIR BENEFITS ARE MARGINAL TO BOTH, AT BEST. ONCE THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES ARE GONE, THEY PRETTY MUCH WON'T MAKE SENSE. OUR TAX MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGIES. "
"I said ""No"" to most questions, not because I'm against alternative energy or wind turbines, but because the questions are generic not specific to a site. I agree there needs to be much much more investigation and by experts who are not emotionally or economically involved. I also think each case or application must be a separate consideration and decision. Finally, I hope there will be money put in escrow to ensure private owners are responsible for take-downs and repairs when needed. "
Take your time - do it right but get it done.
"I support smaller turbines. The developer is proposing giants here. I also don't think this town government has the intelligence required to change a light bulb. Who would trust them to get this done the right way? They will make a deal for their developer friend and screw the town. We should support wind power, but ..."
I would support these wind turbines at Kings Factory and RT1 if it means a casino will not be built there. NO CASINO!
"The size Proposed = to the height of a bridge is ridiculous. Any such character changing project needs to go to referendum, after a full vetting through other town approval processes."
We need a Jamestown style study first before we make any decisions.
"Individuals should be able to erect turbines, within a reasonable scale, on private property without a variance."
"I support wind power, however I am very concerned that Charlestown will let all sorts of petty politics get in the way of sound environmental judgment"
I would like to see us as a Town not be frightened by the unknown. I would like to see us educate ourselves with factual information that will support our well thought-out decisions. Every farm in the 1930's had a wind-mill that provided much needed water for irrigation. Was that visual pollution?
"Detailed scientifc research from Denmark clearly shows that turbines to NOT cause significant bird kills, nor do they impede migratory bird flyways.
The Town should investigate all options before moving forward with the LeBlac proposal. 500 ft. height seems a bit extreme and it may very well be that a lower height (i.e. 300 ft. turbines such as Portsmouth has) might be more amendable to the public."
"some questions needed an ""I don't know"" option, notably 3 & 4"
"i am not generally opposed to turbines - but, i do feel that i have a lack of an adequate knowledge base on which to truly make an informed decision. i think i could tolerate them if they help maintain low taxes, if they are ""out of sight"", if they do not make any noise, if they do not disturb the natural environment and if they are safe to humans and all other living things."
"I'm concerned that money saved by using this type of energy would be spend frivolously by the town and NOT passed on to the tax payers! It's a great idea but I'm concerned it will be abused like most other things that are ""supposed to help"" the tax payers."
Do the attacks on the Planning Board have to do with this Developer's proposal? Seems the Board wanted to do some studies and then suddenly they are under attack. Seems fishy.
"i feel that wind is a way to go as an alternative source, however , it would be in my back yard which i oppose.
with thought, i would think we could locate these in a safe and unobtrusive location."
It really appears to me that the town of Charlestown does not have the experience needed to make this type of decision. PLEASE CONSULT WITH PEOPLE IN THE KNOW!
Thanks for working so hard on this issue.
I am not interested in someone making a fast buck on wind energy. But show me a plan that is far from population and I will say YES.
"I think we should move towards less reliance on fossil fuel and become less energy dependent, however, I am a pilot, and I am concerned about the height - 500' is too high for flight safety this close to westerly and richmond airports"
"Place them in nonresidential areas. Ninigret park, Burlingame, Indian land, or large privately owned plots whose owners would benefit (assuming abutting property owners approve) financially."
"I think we will have to come to some solutions such as wind turbines but I would like to see proper analysis done re: siting, birds, bats etc, and the amounts likely to be generated. If it does indeed generate a lot of energy consistently then it offsets some of the visual aspects and concerns. They are not very unsightly, far less than a coal plant. I appreciate your trying to get some input but find some of the questions lacking alternatives such as would a turbine visible from the road or beach be a concern. There is no place to add comments e.g. if it was right next to it it might be a concern, if it is distant, less so. these things are often not black and white and answers in such a survey can be misleading."
I think wind energy is very important to us striving for a sustainable life style. I have no opinion about where they are or if I can see or hear them. They are necessary and I'll deal with any inconvenience. Why would anyone strongly support seeing them from their homes? Silly question. I would love to see them in Charlestown and if they were IMBY that would be fine.
"My answers are based on my strong objection to wind turbines of this height being located so close to residential, well-traveled areas. In my travels cross country I have seen wind turbines of this height FROM A GREAT DISTANCE from the highway....and I did not find them objectionable at all. We need to study this subject to find the correct height to do the job and then locate them in the most appropriate area for all concerned."
We were on I 95 today and the one in Providence is very attractive. I didn't hear any noise.
"The town needs to take a very ""OBJECTIVE"" assessment of what it is thinking about entering into as far as wind powered energy before it makes a move. I do not feel that at the present time the town council, nor the citizens of the town are well informed on all the pros and cons of wind powered energy. I personally am not in favor of either seeing or hearing any form of a wind turbine either near my home or on a road where I have to drive by them on a daily basis. With all that in mind how about the matter of getting the electricity from the turbines to where ever it is supposed to go. Power lines and the effects/impact on the human body from the electrical fields that are transmitted by high volumes of electricity!!?? There is a lot at stake hear and we need to proceed cautiously."
"For many years we made our own electric power to run our home and farm in Northwestern Charlestown using ""wind chargers"". I wish we still had them in place. I plan to put up our own again within the next few years."
Thanks CCA!
I hope we move in this direction to become more energy independent
I like many small solar projects better.
"Rich Hosp is smart. Can't say that for anyone else on that team. We need the group that Jamestown hired. Wind energy could be very good, but we need smart people to guide us."
can they be painted to blend? can they be silent?
I am in favor of wind turbines in Charlestown. I think they are beautiful! We are fortunate that Charlestown is able to effectively harness wind energy. Other towns are not as fortunate.
If placed properly I think they are a good idea if combined with other renewable energy resources such as solar
I support research to determine the optimum placement for power generation with the least impact on habitat and a sliding scale to reflect options.
Siting is important for bat and bird issues. A study is badly needed. Also what about fiscal impact and property tax impacts? A smaller turbine might be good for tourism - but bigger may not be better for tourists. Lots of unanswered questions about this.
The Town Council has a too cozy relationship with this developer. Can they be objective?
just do not spend any more money
a 500 ft wind mill is going to require an obstruction light of sorts. The proposed site is within 8 nm of an airport with an instrument approach.
"I do not think a horizontal axis turbine is displeasing to the eye. But mostly, I dislike a ""not in my backyard"" approach where it will be ok to put a coal fired power plant in someone elses yard because we can not except a clean wind turbine in our own yard. I think a fair contract or cooperative agreement on the benefits of the energy to our town is critical to build support.
- Thanks for your work for our town. You have a good reputation for providing well researched, unbiased information."
"I support collecting and converting wind power. I saw the tower in Middletown and did not fine it offensive. I don't remember it's height. If that is the size tower being considered in Charlestown I would support it. The Prov Journal had a graph with the height of the Middletown tower in comparison with the Jamestown Bridge. I would like to see that graph repeated so as to envision a tower locally.
Thank you for all your effort to protect the enviroment of Charlestown. "
"Perhaps the developers should consider the following emerging technology that will eliminate the problems relating to bird strikes, migratory bird flyways, height, bats shadow flicker, noise, weather, etc.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=flodesign+wind+turbine&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#
The company is called FloDesign Wind Turbine and they are in Wilbraham, MA. "
"CCA should stay netural and stop ""steering"" residents."
The best info that needs to be shared before decisions is energy output and the impact on curent energy requirements in Town and what the offsets might be.
"wind energy is important, better this than a nuclear power plant or coal or garbage burning facility. "
"I think that Charlestown is in a unique position to become a provider of clean renewable energy for the state of Rhode Island. This is a relatively passive and non-intrusive commercial use that could help keep taxes low in town. While I don't think that the town should be overrun with turbines (50+), it certainly makes sense that since we have the wind and our electricity costs are high, the use should be allowed subject to conditions. The conditions should be imposed to prevent an undo impact on the overall character of the town as a rural community with tourism and travel as a major economic driver. I can think of many other uses that would be much more disruptive than a wind turbines. We have certainly come a long way since the days of the nuclear power plant proposed for Ninigret Park and I think that we should keep in mind that a small number of large commercially operated turbines are not such a burden for our community. I think that town should go so far as to encourage homeowners to incorporate ""green"" technologies in all new construction in the town and thought should be given to allowing large landowners to install some of the newer individual turbines on their property, as well. Hiring a consultant is never a bad idea, particularly if ""free' expertise is not available, however, don't overspend on consulting. Consideration should be given to piggy-backing on the same consultants hired by adjacent towns because the cost may be lower and economies of scale may be achieved. You should avoid creating a hysterical drum beat against this use, which I have seen in other situations where changes have been proposed in town. Perhaps the best approach would be to divide the town into sections where there are more homes per sq. mi. as distinguished from less populous areas. The more populous areas like near town and beach and camping areas should be off limits. The less populated areas would then be available for development. A reasonable separation for sound and light between the two districts should be maintained. While the view might be spoiled for some....they do not own the view and should therefore be barred from raising that as a legitimate objection. On the other hand, people objecting to the loss of the view are free to purchase view easements thereby preventing the construction of wind towers. Government should not act as a way for those seeking view protection from getting something for free, unless it relates to some other legitimate governmental purpose, like protecting other town assets, ie. tourism."
THEY SHOULD BE PLACED WELL OFFSHORE.
"To answer questions 3 and 4 with any intelligence, I would need to see the cost/benefit analysis, where cost is measured in dollars, and also in detrimental sight and sound pollution. How much I would support the plan would have to be answered with knowledge of the benefit. If town energy costs would enjoy a 5% savings, I would be disinclined to advocate for the proposal. If a 50% savings would occur, I might feel differently. Of course, this depends on how much the town spends on electicity. If wind only saves the average taxpayer a few dollars per year, I don't think it has a chance. The ecological benefit notwithstanding, taxpayers would need to be assured of significant savings before spending visual capital. I suppose also, that I am part of the NIMBY faction. Wind turbines are fine so long as I don't have to see nor hear them."
"I do not like putting Wind Turbines in Charlestown. Also, I have seen no discussion about wiring that would carry the energy from the turbines to the grid. "
"One great concern is does the cost of the purchase and the mentenance and the longevity make the investiment worth while. Many times the seller exaggerate's the pay back time by inflating certain figures. I have 30 Photovoltaic pannels on my room so I have experience with that sort of exaggeration. As do many others I have talked to. The other concerns are environmental, local ordinances, and esthetic issues."
"The government in this town is so ignorant to any change.
They spend to much money on studies for things they have no clue about."
In general the larger the turbine diameter the less objectionable they are. The one in Portsmouth behind the highschool is of a size that I would discribe it as majestic. Having it 700 feet away would not be a problem. It's rpm is relatively slow and it makes no more noise than the wind blowing through the trees. There is no noticable beating noise. On the other hand the one off of I-95 is too small and thus has a high rpm which I find quite objectionable. I would not like to be within .5 miles of it. To make informed decisions people really must visit Portsmouth.
I am TOTALLY opposed to writing a wind ordinance in a hurry. I'm concerned why the Town Council is in such a rush. Word around town is that some of them will benefit financially from this because they are developers and know the developer proposing the big turbines. Why doesn't Charlestown slow it down and take the view of Westerly and Jamestown--hire experts. The Town Council are not experts--you can tell by the way they look like dear in the headlights at these meetings.
Residents need to quit being nimby's
"Having seen wind farms in Texas and Oklahoma, I would be concerned about a proliferation of wind turbines off the coast. Clearly, something needs to be done and wind energy is the current vogue. We need to explore this as much as reasonably possible. However, what seems to be a better, long term solution, is the use of our oceans currents."
"As I said in the past--let,s be a leader, not a follower"
"Discussion/education on the environmental impact of producing the material to build, transport and erect the turbines compared to a solar panel field that would produce the same amount of energy."
"If Charlestown places wind turbines in large enough open spaces there should be no real objection other than subjective aesthetics (not so bad as utility poles). Portsmouth has two and they are not that unattractive. I have no info on the sound they make close up but I do know the two in Portsmouth cannot be heard from the highway nor can the wind turbine in Cranston/Warwick, which is nearly on top of Route 95. "
I strongly support placing the wind turbines in Ninegret park.
"Question 5 is not properly balanced. You have a ""very unattractive"", but you don't have an ""unattractive"". You do however have a ""very attractive"" and an ""attractive"". Makes it difficult to choose if you only find them a little unattractive. I do appreciate the survey and thank you for your work. "
"Visibility from the beach (not good) and the road (not so bad) should be two separate questions.
There is a cell phone tower along Route 1 and it is a blemish on the view corridor that he Town for decades has so ably preserved. If one turbine why not more all along Route 1. The precedence set will be difficult to defend if others choose the same path.
The question on lowering energy bills for the Town Hall is improper since it does not indicate ""how much"" and if the savings are worth the loss of property values and tax revenue resulting from the visual, noise and safety impacts of nearby turbines. These devices do not belong in a settled community.
Better Question: Would you support the Town hiring a recognized and INDEPENDENT energy expert to explore the alternative ways to reduce the energy bills in Town Hall and ALL Town Buildings for a comparison to the benefits and costs of a wind turbine? My answer would be yes.
The question on energy"
"I am completely in favor of the wind turbines and feel the survey was designed by someone who was not partial. Few questions dealt with the positives of wind turbines; most concerned negatives. I would like the town to allow individuals to have their own wind turbines too so one could get ""off the grid"". I happen to like the ""look"" of the modern turbine whether its in the ocean or on land. I also like the advantage of keeping down energy costs and cleaner air. "
"I have seen a ""field"" of wind turbines. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
Yes, I would live close enough to both see and hear them. The sound is certainly more pleasant to the barking dogs my family and I are subject to daily, not to mention the nosie of leave blowers at this time of year. We also hear the traffic on Route 1 as well as the nosie from th gravel pit. The ""white"" noise from the turbines would actually be soothing."
"I think we here is Charlestown should be at the forefront in developing wind energy. Frankly, I believe we have to do something in our country to try and decrease our reliance on foreign oil, and the use of fossil fuels. I also think wind turbines have a simple grace about them and I find them nice to look at so how they look is not an issue at all for me. I must say I didn't know they were noisy (question 7) and I will look into that."
I am in total support of wind turbines locally and everywhere else. I have seen them in the pristine Greek Islands where they are most effective and enhance the natural beauty on the horizon. Its a win win for everyone.
I do not want wind turbines in Charlestown until we have thoroughly researched the issues and feel they are safe and effective. I am concerned about the health issues that they might cause. We should not be hasty in putting an ordinance on the books until we are thoroughyl informed of the positives and negatives of wind turbines.
"I think we are missing the point. The developer of the wind turbines will only be getting rich selling the electricity back to New England Electric (or other such entity). Our electric bills will not go down. Our carbon footprint will not change (federal law mandates that for every KW of wind power generated, the municipality must have a backup method for electricity (i.e. coal/fuel/nuclear)
Nuclar power is still the safest cleanest most reliable source of electricity in the country."
I want to see one ore more already in operation so I really know what it would sound and look like
The town can install a small one on my land as long as we share the revenue generated.
"The Jamestown study shows clearly that these are a loss to taxpayers if they go beyond the electricity needed by the municipal buildings. I hope our town decision makers read that study to ensure that the taxpayers don't end up with a huge debt. I like the look of wind turbines, but I don't want my taxes going up because of a Town Council boondoggle. "
I think the positive aspects of wind turbines way out way the negatives.
I support these - but I live in a no wind area and will never have to be a neighbor. I can see the neighbors point of view - I wouldn't want to live too close - we need to be sensitive to the neighbors concerns.
"I think if we can find a way not to kill the wildlife and it will reduce electricity
costs we should do it."
I believe that once all the information is available it will become obvious that Charlestown will greatly benefit from wind turbines in the town and that all of the concerns will be sufficiently addressed to make it apparent that the benefit to the town and the region will far out way any negaitve impact wind turbines will have.
"Charlestown should take the lead in developing its own wind turbines wherever they would be the most productive in generating power. There seems to be much dialogue about preserving the natural beauty of our community.I think that that is what we want and why we choose to live here. I think that a wind farm on the Town owned land at Ninigret makes a lot of sense. Build something in which we can all take pride and point out to the next generation as our way of taking responsibility for preserving Charlestown's ecoculture, environment and beauty. Pay attention to what Jamestown is doing and the support from the community that plans for wind turbines is receiving.
I have visited fields of wind turbines in Germany 12 years ago and had the unique opportunity to enter and climb to the top of one. They are really quite beautiful and tranquil. The noise seemed to blend with the sound of the wind.
We must face the fact that we are overly dependent on fossil fuel. Charlestown residents who may not be concerned about our environment should consider the cost of oil and how dependent our lifestyles are on the availability and cost of oil, both of which are entirely out of our control. Charlestown is blessed with an abundant natural resource of our own-wind. We are wasting more of it every day that we are not harnessing it. We need to take control when and where we can. I support building turbines in Charlestown but think that the Town should be the developer and build with the best interest of all Town resident's in mind."
What were the questions from DEM you left off? You can't compare the results to DEM's if the questions weren't the same.
I do not know much about wind turbines but I would like charlestown to do their part to move toward the future energy wise and being close to the ocean and the fairly constant breeze I belive it is a good option. My thought on bird strikes is look at how many are hurt with oil tanker problems along with all the other wildlife. If we didn't take steps toward the future we would never have flown. Thank you.
I think that the town of Charlestown needs to step into the the current century and work to find ways to stop depending on oil. Wind along with solar is for the future. Wind turbines once people are used to them are virtually unnoticed. Furhter studies show that people who live near them actually find them relaxing to look at. The hype needs to stop.
THIS TOWN COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. THEY COULD TAKE THE TOWN INTO MASSIVE DEBT. THEY SHOULD READ THE JAMESTOWN STUDY. YOU CANNOT MAKE MONEY IF YOU PRODUCE MORE POWER THAN THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS CAN USE. IT THEN COSTS MORE MONEY TO PRODUCE THE POWER THAN YOU CAN SELL IT FOR. OUR TAXES COULD GET HIT HARD. PLEASE HIRE THE GROUP THAT DID THE JAMESTOWN STUDY AND DO THIS RIGHT.
"I do not support building 500' wind turbines in Charlestown, either by a private developer or by the Town government. This is much too tall and is best described as a heavy industrial operation. A 328' Portsmouth-sized turbine seems more in keeping with the character of the town, although even a structure this tall needs very careful study and consideration by residents, but only if it is done with the help and guidance of unbiased scientific and financial consultants. "
492 feet is TOO TALL
"What will happen to the land with these turbines? I saw the pictures of the giant cranes and cement. How big will the roads be? How much land clearing? What will the site look like after they are done? That is beautiful there now. I wish the land trust could have owned that land. I like wind power, as much as i know about it, but I don't like that site for something this big. These big turbines ought to be offshore. How about a smaller one like at the technical college?"
"We truly appreciate the unbiased presentations CCA has made available for all of us on this issue.
We feel wind turbines should not be placed anywhere in or near residential areas. Ninigret Park or, even better, off-shore Block Island sound would be more appropriate.
"If we can place wind turbines in areas not right next to housing, there should be no negative effect from having them in the town of Charlestown."