2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures bomb books budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal 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 international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana 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 portland mayor president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes television terrorism theater third parties timber payments transportation union university of oregon violence washington water wildfire women

The Grande Ronde Valley now faces a possible large wind development along the very edge of one town and visible to all in the valley.

The money flow that I foresee will go primarily to the few landowners along the siting area and to the county bank account.  Thus county officials have supported this project behind the backs of local citizenry.  Most residents will actually be losing both money and livability if this project moves forward.

The very same corporate/local government collusion fueled the UNsustainable logging of this area over the last generations.  Now we are left with straggly second growth forests, mill closures and economic collapse.  

The Green Washing of large corporate wind farms is generated by the government money offered to huge transnational corporations who will be making the big money.  Locals will lose in the short and long term.  This is not a matter of 'not in my backyard'.  Huge windfarms are NOT green.  They have huge footprints that will not be paid off during their lifetimes.

Green Energy development should favor local projects NOT business as usual centralized, energy giants with hands in our pockets that destroy environments at will.  Think BP and the Gulf Coast.

posted 3 years ago
view in context