Falmouth Wind Turbine Update Video February 2018 Fizzles Out

The first week of February 2018 Select Board Chair Susan Moran, Town Attorney Frank Duffy and Town Manager Jullian Suso made a video: "State of the Town: Falmouth Wind Turbine Update February, 2018." The video was published on February 9, 2018. The video can be seen on local Falmouth Community TV.

On February 9, 2018 the same day as the video was published a letter from "Friends of Falmouth Wind" appeared in the local newspaper the Falmouth Enterprise titled "Selectmen Should Serve the Majority." The letter threatens litigation. Here is a quote from the letter: "The Friends have again invited the board to join in asking Judge Moriarty to reconsider his draconian shutdown order. Meanwhile, it would appear unfortunate if the town were to invite further litigation by making unauthorized financial commitments to the decommissioning, dismantling, or removal of the turbines."

The Friends of Falmouth Wind have in 2018 filed an appeal in Massachusetts Appeals Court docket number 2018-P-0104 and according to the new February letter from group, it appears they will file additional litigation if the Falmouth Select Board or the town attempts to make any moves to take down the wind turbines while their appeal is pending.

The process to remove the turbines has already begun prior to the Friends of Falmouth Wind filing any appeals.The Friends of Falmouth Wind filed their appeal five months too late in November of 2017. The court decision was June 2017.

While the Friends of Falmouth waited 5 months to file an appeal with the June case other lawsuits and litigation was combined or streamlined.

In August the town asked for and received a loan interest break from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Board of Trustees of $1,946,000 in principal as the turbines are no longer operational.

The Falmouth Select Board also in October of 2017 requested the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center come to a settlement agreement with the town over the loans, grants and renewable energy credits. Again the Friends of Falmouth Wind filed their appeal after that request also.

Monday night February 12, 2018, the Select Board will meet in Executive Session to review the settlement agreement with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

The Town of Falmouth in the recent video acknowledges Falmouth Wind I will never spin again but Falmouth Wind II could spin if it was moved far enough to where the neighbors could not feel the pulsing or hear the noise.

In 2012 the WTOP, Wind Turbine Option Process looked at moving the turbines. In December of 2012 the Town of Falmouth was notified by the Federal Aviation Administration that the option of moving the wind turbines to another location in Falmouth was officially denied.

The taxpayers of Falmouth now find themselves between a rock and a hard place looking at years of litigation probably the life expectancy of the turbines.

The only ones making money Beacon Hill law firms. They are hitting home runs.

The Friends of Falmouth Wind have struck out every time they have come up not even a base hit.

The taxpayers are paying to watch a game that is going into extra innings and they have to pay to watch those innings too.