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FALMOUTH'S FLAGSHIP EXAMPLE TO FOLLY - A Contribution to Enlighten State Legislators and Elected Officials
A view from a Wind energy advocate
FALMOUTH'S FLAGSHIP EXAMPLE TO FOLLY - A Contribution to Enlighten State Legislators
As with any other, the debate of new legislation rests principally upon one defining criteria. It's management to protect people.
On Tuesday Sept. 19 2017 arguments were heard by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy to encourage and expedite the development of land-based wind energy facilities across the state (H2710), even if it should disenfranchise local governance from promoting, preserving and protecting the will of a community and its resident’s values.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The 2017 Wind Energy Siting Reform Act (WESRA), if adopted, will obstruct local board and commission oversight powers granted by local charters. WESRA is a “strong-arm” piece of legislation directed at usurping “home rule” guarantees. Guarantees, mind you, that are designed to protect the local residents and resident property rights.
If the lesson to the State’s Joint Committee demonstrated by Falmouth seven (7) years experience defines only one barrier that should prevent H.2710 passage, it should be that communities should govern and regulate whether wind farms belong or don’t belong in their communities.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Common sense has lead Falmouth to the conclusion that state driven wind energy influences simply failed to deliver the most vital of the promised outcomes - clear, predictable and protective standards for the resident’s welfare.
Write your elected officials. Write your Falmouth state legislators. Encourage the Board of Selectmen (selectmen@falmouthmass.us) to do the same and petition Falmouth’s state legislators (Vinny.deMacedo@masenate.gov, Dylan.Fernandes@mahouse.gov, David.Vieira@mahouse.gov) to share the “Falmouth Experience” and to caution against WESRA.
If Falmouth has learned anything, it’s been that the state supported town wind farm has been a costly mistake requiring better regulatory scrutiny (which Falmouth Town Meeting adopted as Bylaw in 2013) to prevent other Commonwealth municipalities from such fiscal Folly!
