Letters to the Editor - The Paper of Montgomery County

Saturday, April 21, 2018

You are here:
home
:
opinion
:
letters to the editor

Reader explores wind vs. oil

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
As the wind turbine debate continues to swirl I would like to introduce one additional energy generation scheme into the mix for discussion. The city street department proudly burns its used motor oil in an oil-burning heater to heat their garage. This is not an environmentally responsible activity in that it releases significant amounts of lead, arsenic and other heavy metals into the atmosphere. These airborne chemicals are acutely toxic and most are carcinogens. Sending the used oil to be re-refined and reused is a much better practice. While burning old oil may seem like a cost effective thing to do in the short term, if one factors in the cost of treating even a few employees for diminished health effects including but not limited to cancer one sees that the risks are greater than the benefits. Adding solar panels to the roof and responsibly recycling the old oil would be a better solution.
Lastly, I understand that people like a view of trees and planted fields without a man-made 500 ft structure spinning in the wind in the way. This is purely an aesthetic preference. It is wrong to so desperately defend your sense of aesthetics by promoting false health effects attributed to sound generated from wind turbines. 60 decibels of sound from a wind turbine has no acute toxicity and will not cause cancer. Volatile lead and arsenic from burned motor oil will make you acutely sick and will significantly increase your likelihood of getting cancer. Both wind turbines and used oil can generate heat and/or electricity. Wind turbines are relatively non-toxic compared to burning ANY fossil fuel. Thanks for reading.

3 comment(s)
Mills: Apology in advance

Saturday, March 31, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
I would like to take time in advance to apologize to the citizens of Montgomery County. With the local election coming up, the campaign signs will be coming out. To most of us they are an eyesore. However, to win a campaign one must promote themselves. I think I speak for most, if not all, of the candidates when I say self-promotion is an uncomfortable part of campaigning.
Please be an informed voter. Don't rely on the yard signs to make your decision. Learn what the issues are. Know what the candidates think about the issues that are important to you. Make sure you vote for who you think will best represent you and your beliefs.

0 comment(s)
Democratic Party Chair: Are you registered to vote yet?

Thursday, March 29, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Are you registered to vote in the May 8 Primary Election? The deadline is April 9. Checking on your Voter Registration status maybe done on line at indianavoters.in.gov you will need your Indiana Drivers License or Indiana State ID Card number. If you want to register to vote the same website will provide all you need. Check or eligibility, enter your voter information, review and acknowledge.
When an applicant submits an application using this website, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles compares the information submitted with the BMV files. The confirmed information is submitted to the appropriate county voter registration office and is processed the same as other voter registration applications.
There are many other places to register to vote the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, or the county voter registration office, located in the Courthouse in Montgomery County. Voting is an important right by voting you are making your voice heard.

0 comment(s)
Reader offers thoughts on wind turbines

Friday, March 23, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Recently it came to my attention that Gregg Townsend, Tipton County Auditor, has taken it upon himself to speak for all the residents of Tipton County regarding the issue of Industrial Wind Turbines in our county. Let me say as emphatically as I can the majority of citizens are NOT in favor of wind.
This can easily be shown by the fact that in the last two election cycles certain pro-wind elected officials were relieved of their positions. As for Auditor Townsend one should ask exactly why he would take it upon himself to open this particular can of worms and how is he benefitting? He lives within the Tipton City limits, and as far as I can tell owns no land that he could lease. He was also questioned on his out of county activities by members of our council at their most recent meeting. Our county will probably never heal from this divisive issue.

2 comment(s)
Reader: Is Big Wind worth the risk?

Friday, March 16, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Big Wind continues to make promises to leaseholders and the County about money for schools, economic development, high paying jobs and zero citizen health or property value impacts. Big Wind isn’t confident enough in their product to personally make the firm commitment regarding zero impacts to health and property values, but for Big Wind to keep their economic promises, especially over a 30 year period, they need to remain financially solvent. Is that guaranteed for the length of time that almost expands a generation?
In Illinois, Big Wind failed to make payments to steel suppliers resulting in $3.8 million in liens being filed against the participating landowners’ property . In Ontario, Big Wind suppliers filed $32 million in liens against 21 landowners, perhaps exceeding the total value of the lease payments . In some cases, economic development payments to the municipality stopped as financial reserves were inadequate to conduct proper maintenance and cash dried up . All this in spite of the $175 billion received from the federal government to buttress the industry and attract investors. Other companies may come in and bail out the LLC and usually they will look for big concessions from suppliers and you to make the deal financially viable. Decommissioning estimates to support the performance bonds are performed without your input and historically, those estimates are generally inadequate.

1 comment(s)
Every tree helps

Friday, March 16, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Climate change is real, and studies suggest that the warming caused by elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide will likely cause an increased frequency of strong storms and flash flooding. Crawfordsville is already suffering local flooding related to storm water management, an issue that is likely to become more severe in the future. But there is a solution! Trees can help manage heavy rainfall by intercepting some rain before it even reaches the ground and siphoning large amounts of water from the soil. One large tree can lift up to 100 gallons of water out of the ground and discharge it into the air in a single day! Together, these processes reduce the amount of storm water runoff, which reduces erosion and pollution in our waterways and may reduce the effects of flooding. As you can see, this big problem can be reduced with the little steps we take towards the solution, such as planting a new tree. Luckily, on March 24th the Master Gardeners of Montgomery County are coming together with their event “Learn and Grow”. This event is being held at Crawfordville 4-H fairgrounds during the times of 8am -4pm, during which they will be doing their annual tree give away, where you can go and get free trees to plant. Not only can you get a tree, but also they will have a speaker teaching and demonstrating how to plant and care for the trees you receive. Take advantage of this great opportunity and go and get a nice free tree at the tree giveaway.

0 comment(s)
We’re all in the same neighborhood

Thursday, March 15, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Last June a friend asked if I would give an opening prayer for the County Commissioners’ meeting. I was glad to do that, honored to be asked. He let me know these meetings were typically short with few in attendance. But that day the Commissioners’ room filled quickly with people who had something on their minds. Some carried babies; others ushered children in ahead of them; there were elders too. They seemed to have come as a crew and they were alarmed. As I learned in no time, the adults were concerned about wind power coming to our county—and they were agitated, adamantly opposed. Fear and anger were in the air and in the voices of those who stood to speak.
I was confused, having grown up with the old variety of windmills which once did the sturdy, necessary work of pumping water on farms and are now considered so picturesque where they still stand. Just the summer before I’d read Annie Proulx’s fine, funny novel That Old Ace in the Hole about windmill repairmen out on the west Texas plains. I thought windmills were benign, useful tools, part of our grid and our culture.

0 comment(s)
Reader: Where does the blame really lie?

Thursday, March 15, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
There have been way too many shootings, not only in our school systems, but in the workplace. To me, it seems that the NRA gets the blame. Why? What it takes is some deranged person to pull the trigger. Why would changing the age limit to buy a gun make a difference in the number of shootings? The way I see it is, it gives a person three more years to build up more hate. Anyone applying for more than one high powered gun should be checked into. I don’t own a gun, nor do I want to. It seems that most shooters have been through a background check, but has no follow through. Why isn’t this more thorough? Age 21 will not make a difference. It’s not the gun that kills, it’s the idiot that pulls the trigger. Marches, sit ins, or walkouts won’t make a difference. More attention needs to be on the individual, and less on the NRA. I understand the need for having a gun for protection, but not an Arsenal to go to war. I know I’ll get an argument on this, but, gun control is not the answer. People control is where we need to start. Schools need more security while in session, not just at the opening and closing of the day. To me, backpacks seem to be an ongoing problem. Where In security upon entering a building. Let’s not blame the NRA, let’s put the blame on the person that pulls the trigger.

0 comment(s)
Reader: Good and evil intentions matter

Thursday, March 15, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
I recently watched on television Rocket Man from North Korea send a rocket towards space at many times the speed of sound. That rocket launch was not awe inspiring--- Since his intentions were threatening, with nuclear war head capability on the rockets. A bullet fired from an AR type rifle does indeed travel very fast, but it travels just as fast when fired from many other type rifles of the same caliber, including bolt action and break barrel rifles. AR rifles are sold in 9 mm handgun cartridge as well as other cartridge configurations. AR rifles were not previously banned as recently editorialized. There was a ban that effected only some accessories, but the base rifle was never banned. The writer was referring to the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. The AR, just like the rocket can be seen from different points of view. Either AR or Rocket can be viewed as good or evil. Maybe evil users should be put in check. I agree on one thing, I like Sugar Creek Travel too!

1 comment(s)
Reader questions message sent

Friday, March 9, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
There have recently been ads in the paper and a billboard on I 74 showing rolling green fields with wind turbines in the picture. Where do you suppose these pictures were taken? It does not resemble Indiana to me. Greg Townsend -Auditor of Tipton County states he has seen no decreases in property value due to wind farms; and the area has more benefits. This is from 125 turbines that became operational in December 2012. According to the Kokomo Tribune, after that time there were long contentious meetings between the commissioners and the public, some meetings lasting up to 7 hours long. The commissioners after that drafted and voted in a new wind ordinance that had 2640 foot turbine setback requirements from residences and a 1500 foot set back from all property lines. The commissioners had to know it would be extremely difficult to build any more turbines. Don't you wonder why the county officials did that?

1 comment(s)
Reader: Big Wind looking wrong place

Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Big Wind surrogates take exception to the reports from honest citizens regarding the health impacts they suffer living near wind turbines. They accuse those citizens of being untruthful and duped by mass hysteria caused by the opponents of wind farms. They like to point out various government studies that show no ill effects on health or on property market values. They like to say that if only people stopped complaining about their health effects from turbines that their government studies would be valid. They chide the opponents for not correctly evaluating resources and with research bias that support their own conclusions. They accuse the opponents to believing in junk science like the earth is flat. They must be pretty knowledgeable to refute the claims of those who live next to the turbines 24/7/365. Let’s look at two examples the proponents use to support this superior knowledge.
That Australian study that discredits health effects and wind turbine syndrome? From what I can find, of the ten member Reference Group that conducted the study, some belong to various climate change groups and councils, some were consultants to various wind farm companies, some held economic investments in wind projects, and some are contributors to clean energy councils. Doesn’t sound unbiased to me. Certainly not to the point where I would accept this as irrefutable evidence over the personal experience of thousands of people worldwide.

1 comment(s)
Reader: Wind turbines affect city, too

Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
“Wind Turbines? I live in the city. It does not affect me.”
That is what we hear a lot these days when it comes to the Industrial Wind Turbines. Well, maybe it will not be in your back yard, but it does affect you. It affects all citizens of Montgomery County.
There appears to be the appeal of possible new tax revenues for the county, but there are many concerns about loss of revenues. If ten percent of the rural residents move out and leave the county because of health and safety concerns, how does that affect tax revenues? Would there be a corresponding decline in school enrollment, and an associated decline in school revenues? What affect would this population decline have on local businesses?

2 comment(s)
Reader: Big Wind ordinance falls short

Saturday, March 3, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
I respect the difficulty the commissioners must have in working through these Big Wind issues. But, the new noise ordinance, while an improvement in recognizing setbacks from property lines instead of residences, still falls short in many respects.
The ordinance recognizes that experts were consulted and available data has been reviewed to provide the public assurances that the proposed setbacks will achieve a specific dB level at every impacted property line. From the expert’s testimony we do know that turbine size, height, wind speed and direction, the season, terrain, atmospheric conditions, ground obstructions, ponds or lakes and even the type of crop in the field, will influence how noise travels before it reaches the receptor.
Noise from each turbine will travel differently as each of these aspects is unique to each turbine location. Due to this variability, using a single setback for all turbines requires that it be very conservative in order to achieve the health and safety assurances that the amendment purports. The proposed setbacks fall short in achieving this objective.

1 comment(s)
Reader supports banning AR-style weapons

Monday, February 26, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
While training for the up-coming Friends of Sugar Creek Canoe Race I was able to see the launch of the SpaceX rocket this morning in Southern California. It is awe-inspiring to see man’s ability to hurl a projectile into space at many times the speed of sound.
A bullet from an AR-15 style assault rifle travels at about 3 times the speed of sound and has roughly 4 times more destructive energy than a bullet fired from a 9mm handgun. Getting shot with a bullet from an AR-style rifle causes liquefaction of tissue for an inch or more on either side of the entry hole. Unlike wounds from an AR-style gun, wounds from a 9mm handgun are much less severe and often survivable.
No one but law enforcement and the military need AR-style weapons. Banning them for civilian use would not infringe the rights of anyone, is constitutional (they were banned previously), rational and desired by the majority of American citizens. Please encourage your elected officials to institute such a ban both at the State and Federal level and refuse to vote for officials who insist on keeping assault weapons available for purchase by civilians.
I look forward to see many of you on the Creek this Spring.

1 comment(s)
Reader says wind turbines will have lasting effect

Thursday, February 8, 2018 4:00 AM

Dear Editor,
Wind turbines will destroy the reason people choose to live in the country.
If you think the proposed Industrial Wind Turbines won’t affect you, it may be time to reconsider.
The northern part of Montgomery County is just a starting place. People are now being approached in the southern part of the county by the wind farms.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet said it best! If it weren’t for the Tax Credits, there would be NO reason to put up wind turbines.
Everywhere you look, 1000 foot wind turbines will be staring back at you. Yes, that statement was made by a wind farm person in September 2017. He was bragging that these turbines would be the tallest ever put up in Indiana.

0 comment(s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...

Looking for something older? Try our archive search

Copyright 2018
The Paper of Montgomery County,
a division of Sagamore News Media
201 E. Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 272
Crawfordsville, Indiana 47933

Main:
Classifieds:
Fax:

(765) 361-0100
(765) 361-8888
(765) 361-5901

Advertising:
Editorial:

(765) 361-0100 Ext. 18
(765) 361-8888

Search only accepts letters and numbers.

Advanced Search

Username

Password

Remember me

Signup

Our app is now available!