Regarding the wind turbine vote, it's clear to many of us that Vermont's energy goals are better met by microgrids - home and community-level power generation - than by industrial wind farms on Vermont ridgelines. Such industrial sites feed into distant grid centers and are not the future of Vermont fossil-fuel independence.
Power generation that is small-scale and local makes sense: it reflects our values and can meet state power goals. Development of such systems is growing, and the market for them is strong, making them an economic opportunity at many levels.
Commercial wind farms are appropriate on accessible, windy land such as western rangeland. They are not appropriate on Vermont's forested ridge tops, where installation and maintenance come with far-reaching permanent costs.
My family has owned a three-season home near Townshend for over 85 years. We are part of the community and value Vermont's beauty and values.
Ridgeline wind factories are anathema to both.
For Vermont, not only are these wind farms a step in the wrong direction, but there is a viable alternative.