GONE WITH THE WIND: IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL WIND TURBINES ON OUR REGION AND AMERICA'S PUBLIC LANDS

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By MIriam Raftery

October 16, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--Over 50 industrial-scale "renewable" energy projects may soon change forever the face of our region in San Diego's East County and neighboring Imperial County. 

Many are on formerly protected federal lands.  Nationally, 370 million acres of public lands are targeted for big renewable energy projects -- twice the size of Texas!

ECM editor Miriam Raftery has prepared a Powerpoint presentation for organizations that wish to educate their members about the impacts of these projects--and the alternatives. To view our Powerpoint presentation, click here. 

Update January 28, 2013:  Our original presentation raised questions on wind speeds in Ocotillo. Following the project's completion, six weeks of videos document the lack of wind.  An ECM investigation found this is not unusual; many projects around the world have failed to live up to wind speed claims and some countries are now revoking subsidies.  Yet surprisingly, the Bureau of Land Management says it does not require energy companies to provide proof of energy production levels after projects are built. This revelation further casts doubt on the wisdom of destroying public lands with public monies.

 


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