Falmouth Energy Committee Wind Turbine Letter

Falmouth Energy Committee Wind Turbine Letter

Falmouth Needs To See The Letter : Megan Amsler Letter Signed

Megan Amsler
Chair, Falmouth Energy Committee
Friends of Falmouth Wind
Secretary, Small Wind Certification Council
Adjunct Faculty, Cape Cod Community College, Renewable Energy Sources
Executive Director, Cape & Islands Self-Reliance

http://www.falmouthmass.us/meeting.php?depkey=energy&number=5503

Energy Committee Minutes for: 03-26-2013

7. Following the formal portion of the meeting the guests were asked if they had any comments or discussion items for the committee. The guest specifically asked about the letter Megan Amsler sent to State officials asking them to not provide and financial support for removing Wind 1 and Wind 2 (wind turbines).

Megan explained the letter was sent by her as a private citizen, not as the chair of the energy committee. It was incorrectly reported in the local press.

Guests also brought up the discussion at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting the prior evening concerning the letter.

It appears there was a lot of miss information. Megan and members of the committee emphasized that the committee has not taken a formal position on the Town Meeting Warrants (21, 22, and 23).

Although to be fair, the informal and personal position of most if not all committee members is to support to keep the wind turbines, keep them running and implement one of the other recommendations of the WTOP.

The Megan Amsler Letter :


Richard K. Sullivan Jr.
Secretary,
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street,
Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
March 4th, 2013

Dear Secretary Sullivan,

I am writing to you to express my support for the Falmouth Wind Turbine project to remain intact. I am sure that your office, along with the Governor's office, and the Mass CEC, has been hearing from the opponents of wind who are demanding that the project be removed.

I wanted to be sure you know that there is a silent majority out in Falmouth that does support the project, along with the Town's work to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the residents in Falmouth support the project, but are not willing to speak out in favor of the wind turbines, as it is construed as being against the neighbors; a personal affront. Our decision-makers have been unfairly bullied and harassed for too long over this.

I know that the Town of Falmouth has requested assistance from the State to help resolve the turbine issue. After sitting on the CBI Wind Turbine Options panel for 24 or so meetings, (generously funded by the State) as well as being the chair of the Falmouth Energy Committee since its establishment in 2002, lam very familiar the options for alleviating the neighbors' issues and their lack of willingness to compromise for a resolution. Taking the turbines down is not a viable option for the Town.

The wind turbines are good for the Town in so many ways. It provides clean electricity to the wastewater treatment facility, helps to stabilize the Town's electricity costs, provides a revenue stream and reduces
greenhouse gas emissions, which is something that the Falmouth Selectmen pledged to do in 2008. We even chose municipal ownership to keep more of the tangible benefits of the project in our local economy.

The fact that the Commonwealth offered Falmouth so much support and assistance during the long, 9-year, development process for the project is a testament to the unyielding belief that clean energy is needed for our future. This project went before Town Meeting seven different times and was never voted down. It is a good project for Falmouth.

I am ashamed that the Town has even deigned to ask the State for aid in removing the turbines because they bother 19 people within 1/3 of a mile. Please do not set a precedent by helping our community remove them. The implications for the entire global wind industry would be dire.

Falmouth needs more ciean energy, not less! So, please do not provide funding to Falmouth to remove the turbines at the wastewater treatment facility. We need those turbines to remain in place and run as they were intended.

Be well.

Sincerely,

Megan Amsler
Chair, Falmouth Energy Committee
Friends of Falmouth Wind
Secretary, Small Wind Certification Council
Adjunct Faculty, Cape Cod Community College, Renewable Energy Sources
Executive Director, Cape & Islands Self-Reliance


Received
MAR 07 2013
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS