Could our MOM Triumph Over the Lake Winds Energy Farm?

[XLFD]

Here's the latest news about the wind farm scheduled to be put in to the southwestern section of Mason County:

 

CARRE has consistently fought the pell mell march by Consumers' to move wind turbines into our area by Consumer's Energy without properly vetting the process with concerned citizenry and visitors that would be adversely affected or want to look closer at the health and safety issues.  They have uncovered among other things, points that Consumer's Energy and our own county government thought were not significant enough to consider in depth, such as the advantages of safe setbacks, flicker, noise levels, the nearby presence of underground gas lines, etc.  Some of these have been looked at by officials, but few concessions have been given to the locals.  With the ZBA agreeing with the passing of the permits to raise the turbines, the met. towers are almost a sure thing to pass as well later today.  Is there any more avenues to pursue if you disagree with the small setbacks and the intrusive, expensive nature of the proposed wind farm?

 

Just ask MOM.  WMOM operates from downtown Ludington but their transmitting tower is out south of town, down Morton Road.  Right at the blue arrow.

 

Isn't that right in the midst of the proposed Lake Winds Energy Farm?  Sure is; here is the link to the full wind farm, here's a map with the WMOM transmission tower appearing as a black square surrounded by 500 foot towers.

 

WMOM sometimes advertises themselves as being broadcast from a short tower on a high hill.  Their tower is short in terms of broadcasting at 328 ft., considerably shorter than the 497 ft. wind turbines scheduled to be in its neighborhood.  The presence of these turbines springing up all around it will be devastating to its broadcastability.  

Operating wind turbines have been shown to dramatically affect communication transmissions.   In this study conducted by a Toledo TV station with a transmission tower near a proposed wind farm in Michigan where their tower is just slightly higher than the 497 ft. turbines at 512 ft., an expert determined a significant loss of their signal so that nearly 40% of their over-the-air viewers would lose their reception of that station.  And 65.2% would lose reception through cable and satellite!  Be sure and take a look at the maps at the end to see the extent of their lost viewership if this land use was approved for their proposed developers:

http://blissfield.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/wlmb-interference-stu...

 

Here are a couple of letters sent by the Michigan and National Assn. of Broadcasters to the area's Planning Commission for that project:  MAB Letter  NAB Letter

 

With the Lake Wind Energy Farm towering above WMOM's tower, their signal will be affected even more.  Their current range looks like this:

 

But with turbines all about them, some very close, this is soon to change.  I am no expert on such things, but if WMOM maintains the status quo, their broadcast ability will drop even more dramatic than the above station.  Yet, the Planning Commission, to my knowledge, has not even considered the ramifications to WMOM, nor has Consumers, or even CARRE. 

So WMOM has a few options.  They can point out their problem to Consumer's and likely get a dose of your (public) money from them to move or increase the height of their radio tower.  They can point out their impending problem to the Planning Commission now, and maybe go unheard.  Or they can wait for the turbines to go up, and go unheard on the airwaves.  Unless, perhaps, they sue a negligent county government that killed their own MOM.

[charlemagnetism]

solid.  i did a quick check to see wether this had been adressed by either side and found this in my search.

http://neighborsforlakewinds.com/Content2.aspx?id=221

 

the third paragraph down says to contact wmom with your upport for the project.  to funny.  take a look at those sample letters at the link in the same graf.  heres what you say in your letters pasted here for your amusment.

 

Yes, the county’s landscape will change — but it’s a change for the better.
Consumers Energy is doing it the right way.

some are still trying to change the county’s wind ordinance in ways that would make completing the project impossible 

We’ve already spent years studying and debating the benefits and potential challenges of wind development. Those discussions resulted in the creation of a county wind ordinance that ensures public safety, protects residents’ health and the environment

Our local decision makers will protect the interests of the county residents in a fair way to move the project forward

If you agree, please tell our political leaders — especially those who serve on the county planning commission — that the majority of the residents living in Mason County support the wind project

But the wind farm is bigger than myself and other landowners. The project has the power to improve our community for decades to come.

sorry... i have to gag. 

 

 

[Willy]

Consumers set up the web site and payed people to voice a positive quote, just like they bought off the County with the "Good Neighborhood Fund" to the tune of millions of $ which will be given to them courtesy of the taxpayers. Isn't  it nice that we are giving Consumers 75 million dollars of our hard earned money so the can ram turine blades up our rears.

[XLFD]

Who needs to listen to their WMOM when we can listen to the Widest Mix of Propaganda of WIND?

[Willy]

Excellent work X. That tower is the spot I took the photos I posted here. Note on the photo of the stake located across the street which tell the tower #s to be installed. I took the photos to show what the beautiful view looks like before the towers are to installed.

http://ludingtoncitizen.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?scr...

[XLFD]

I wondered when you posted those pictures what tower you referred to; now I know.  

If these do start going in, you're going to have to revisit that area and get the before-and-after views.  I hope you've taken more pictures of this area, because the turbines appearance will rob a lot of the 'greenness' of the area in order to get some green energy.

 

[Sweater Cows!]

Willie, please if you haven't already get out and take lots of before photo's.

[Robert]

After a brief search I have been unable to determine how the repeal of business personal property taxes will affect the projected 20/30 million tax revenues stated by neighborsforfakewinds. After a quick read I wonder about the true source of this "so called" group and the associated money trail.

[Robert]

Certainly doubt the claimed two year Environmental Study claimed by Consumers Energy, conducted by Dr. Joell Gehring exists. Met towers? Big Wind is above the law and Duke Energy just put one up one day here. A claimed two year environmental study specific to your area and just now erecting a met tower? Truth is something you will never get from these clowns, guaranteed.

[XLFD]

Thanks for the link, charlemagnetism, I did a little research and found out a couple of things about "Neighbors" for Lake Winds.  I'm sure this could be more deeply researched, but here's what I have.  The "Contact Us" area has four "neighbor" names:

 

Let's check these 'neighbors' who are supplying us this public service information:

1)  Daryl Peterson has the following properties in Mason County

The S Stiles property looks to be at the same area as the 17 and 19 proposed turbines.   The Meisenheimer/PM Hwy land looks like it houses #39.

2)  George Sadler has the fllowing properties:

The Kinney land looks in the same proximity as turbines 14, 27, and 28.  The Bradshaw property looks like it houses turbine 16 and B.

3)  John and Tracy Gillies owns the following:

The Stiles Rd. land looks as if it houses 9 & 13 wind turbines.

4) Angela, the coordinating administrator has no land in Mason County

Hunting "Angela Marsh" down wasn't easy, but she turns out to have went to LHS but is now operating out of Grand Rapids, business support servicing for these "neighbors":

 

These folks are nothing but shills who are either making plenty of money working for the Lake Winds project or stand to gain a lot of money when the turbines come to town, at the expense of their real "neighbors".

[Robert]

And well versed in getting farm subsidies.

[Willy]

Thanks X for another excellent post containing important information.

[XLFD]

The fakeneighborsforlakewinds have supplied their name for this group, they should at least be upfront about their connection with Consumers and whether they are scheduled to make money off this venture or make money directly from Consumers as an advocate like Angela is. 

The 'safe setbacks' crowd is a grassroots movement concerned about this coming in too fast and with too little concerns about a variety of zoning, health, aesthetics, and safety issues.  The other side is being driven artificially by greed, politics, and expediency, IMHO.