Living near the state line where my ancestors settled hundreds of years ago has always been my dream. It has always been where I feel at home. The land is peaceful, quiet, humbling and powerful. It has many ways of offering renewable resources to us, but there are better ways than wind turbine farms. I implore you to go beyond the facts the wind company has given you, to research beyond what they want you to know — to realize that it may have a devastating impact on the land and people around us, and that  once the turbines are in, it will be too late to reverse the damages. A few disadvantages of wind turbines are that they are not as efficient as they make you believe. They have a sizable carbon footprint, which offsets any clean power. Wind turbines can catch fire and have life-threatening effects in high-powered storms. Wind turbines have caused several health issues in people and animals. A 2012 board of health resolution made a formal request for “…temporary emergency financial relocation assistance from the state of Wisconsin for those Brown County families that are suffering adverse health effects and undue hardships caused by the irresponsible placement of industrial wind turbines around their homes and property.” In some cases the adverse effects have been severe enough that families have elected to abandon their homes. In 2014, Ohio passed a bill that delays the state’s renewable electricity standard for two years, so they can reassess appropriate safety setback distances and safety issues with wind turbines. Documentation continues to grow of the negative effects of industrial wind turbines on people, landscapes, tourism, property values, wildlife and public budgets. Please preserve our beautiful countryside for generations to come.

Amanda Girouard

Northwood