2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Tol,

I'm not sure if you're familiar with a proposed wind turbine project scheduled for Middle Mtn. just outside of Hood River, but it has been a pretty decisive issue in our area.  There are people here for it and against it, but the biggest concern is that it isn't currently something that will be put out on a ballot for county citizens to vote on it.  It's proposed cost is somewhere around $24 mil., twice the county's annual budget.  There seem to be alot of questions unanswered about whether or not it is a good choice economically, or if its worth the clearcuts and altering of the views in an area that is largely driven by tourism. 

I think it would be a good thing for our area and any other smaller county that is considering wind farms to look into what the real costs are and how the counties in which they are placed benefit.

I'm currently on the fence, and like many others here would like more information on the whole project and its long term effects.  I'm not the person to talk to, but there is a citizens group set up called Gorge Forum that has much more information about the project and are currently working on a petition to at least get the issue on a ballot.  Their website is at gorgeforum.org.  

Thanks for your consideration,

Jake MacDonnell

posted 3 years ago
view in context