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Wind farms can be a good thing but they need to be carefully sited. A large complex (Cascade Wind) is planned for a few miles away from Hood River. It is within 1/4 mile of some homes, in the middle of a rural residential area and adjoining the Gorge Scenic Area. There is great wind here, at least part of the time.

The sound from these turbines can be heard up to a mile away. Drive out to Wasco and get out of your car and listen to them. They don't sound too bad unless the background noise is very low, like at night in a rural area. Try to imagine the swish-swish-swish for 24 hrs, days on end--next to your house.

Oregon is not really that great of a place to put wind farms. It is not even one of the top 20 states for potential wind resource---neither is California. But the good states like Montana and the Dakotas are too far from the energy users in California. What is driving wind farm construction in Oregon is it's location to the power lines to California, it is considered to be "politically correct" to be in favor of wind, the generous federal and state tax credits and many investment speculators looking for the next dot.com good times.

Let's try to protect the scenic values we have left. Several wind farms are proposed on the edge of the Gorge Scenic Area that would clearly impact the views along the highway and river from West of HR to The Dalles. This area needs to be protected. Don't many of us wish that 50 years ago The Dalles Dam had been sited upstream a few miles so Celilo Falls could have been saved?

Jim

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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