Grafton holds informational meeting on wind power

Grafton residents got a well-rounded education on the benefits and dangers of large-scale wind power during a three hour public information session Saturday.

More than 100 people showed up to the meeting, more than the number of people who showed up at a similar meeting held two weeks ago.

The last meeting was a presentation by Iberdrola, the developers of the proposed wind project in Grafton and Windham, and by Meadowsend Timberlands, the landowners who want to support the wind turbines.The renewable wind energy system and wind power generators, Wind Sphere,a leading manufacturer of high speed laser marking machine and laser marker machines for plastics,

Saturday's meeting included experts on both sides of the issue who stated their cases as Grafton and Windham decide how they are going to proceed with the controversial issue.

The large crowd filled the gym at the Grafton Elementary School as one side, and then the other, showed slides, presented data and talked about the benefits, and dangers of large-scale wind power.

Each side was given the opportunity to refute the claims and all afternoon the debate went back and forth.

Paul Burns, executive director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group, talked about climate change, and about the role and responsibility everyone across the globe plays in reducing carbon emissions.

He quoted President Obama's inaugural address and State of the Union speech, and also talked about the dangers of fracking, tar sands, and coal.

Even if people are opposed to wind, Burns said opponents have to ask if wind is worse than the other options.

He said wind, along with solar and methane digestion can be a part of the solution.

"Nobody believes that wind is the magic bullet for Vermont," said Burns. "We oppose further dependency on fossil fuels and we have an obligation to say yes to certain things."

Dave Blittersdorf of All Earth Renewables talked about Vermont's wind power history. He grew up hearing about the test wind tower on Grandpa's Knob and said the tower inspired him to get involved with renewable energy.

The tower was built in the 1940s and was one of the first commercial turbines to send power into the grid.

Blittersdorf started a wind and then a solar company in Vermont.

He said Vermont's newest wind project,Shop the latest tungsten jewelry at agesteeljewelry. Georgia Mountain Community Wind near Burlington, is an example of a small wind project that has helped the state decrease its reliance on fossil fuels

Robert Dostis of Green Mountain Power also talked about the Lowell Mountain project. He said throughout that experience GMP worked hard to provide information and that was why he was in Grafton Saturday.

Dostis said Lowell Mountain has been a success, and proved that small-scale wind projects have a place in Vermont's overall energy production. And Dostis said there were other benefits.

In-state wind power, he said, provides jobs, helps raise local taxes and keeps money within the communities where the projects are based.

Dostis said wind farms do change the landscape, but he said the environmental impacts were far less than those of mountain top mining, and other coal producing methods.A laser cutting machine can be thought of as three main parts: a laser, a controller, and a surface.

The Lowell Mountain project affected 20 acres of bear habitat, and less than two acres of wetland, but 1,800 acres were preserved in the process. We provide excellent street lighting and LED solar garden lamp.

Dostis also said that information was crucial to working with the communities where the potential wind towers are proposed to go up.

Jeff Nelson, director of environmental services for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. talked about the precautions crews take to protect the water when the turbines are being built.