Teddy and the windmill "controversy"

[SHRED]

The RW loves to scream about this but I get the sense it is manufactured.

Anyone care to fill me in on the details?

---


Kennedy rejected suggestions that he doesn't like the wind farm because it would be near his Cape home, and said the project probably wouldn't be visible from the Kennedy compound. He said he's against the project because it would create a range of environmental and navigational problems and would hurt tourism, one of the area's key industries.

The Cape Wind developers, he said, want to erect a sprawling, for-profit field of giant windmills on public, state-owned territory. Kennedy noted that the project was the beneficiary of more lenient regulations included in last year's energy bill, which could have put it on a faster track to construction; therefore, a special deal was warranted to stop it.

Ultimately, Kennedy said, Massachusetts and its governor should get to decide yes or no on the site for the farm, Kennedy said.


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/04/27/kennedy_faces_fight_on_cape_wind/

[baldguy]

1. Windmills kill birds

That's one thing that never gets mentioned when they're proposed.

[Berry Cool]

5. It "never gets mentioned"? Someone here always mentions it, although it's NOT TRUE.

Study after study has proven that wind TURBINES (they are not "mills" because they're not being used to mill or grind anything) are not nearly as deadly to birds and bats as people think.

Really, they don't spin quickly enough. It's not like they're friggin' fans.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Quite the contrary.

As someone who works with bats, I'm not sure what "studies" to which you are referring. Actually, wind farms kill thousands of bats. The bats don't die from hitting the turbine blades. They die from the pressure changes, which causes internal hemorrhaging. Basically, their lungs explode. What a horrible way to go.

[Laelth]

9. They are extremely deadly to bats. What are you talking about?

See here:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/25/wind-turbine-bats.html

:dem:

-Laelth

[SallyMander]

18. I was working for Massachusetts Audubon Society

when the wind farm debate was in its early stages -- IIRC, it was going to be right in a foraging/flight path area for Roseate Terns, which are federally endangered. It was definitely a point of concern with the project.

[eleny]

2. A states rights issue, huh? I guess Republicans would support Kennedy, then.

}(

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Its widely believed in the alternative energy community that Kennedy NIBMY'd it

They are not known for being Freepers.

Ted Kennedy was far from perfect. None of us are. Rather than fighting over every detail, acknowledge it and move on. Clearly his contributions vastly outweighed his transgressions.

[Kaleva]

6. That's the way I heard it

And it wasn't freeper sites that were spinning it that way.

[FarCenter]

4. It was to be an offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound

It would probably have interfered with his yachting.

[Laelth]

8. Very easy answer, and Ted Kennedy was right, as usual.

Wind Power BLOWS.

See the following:
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/25/wind-turbine-bats.html
http://www.keepersoftheblueridge.com/faqs.html
http://www.nortexwind.org/index.htm
http://www.stopillwind.org/index.php
http://windconcernsontario.wordpress.com/
http://www.savewesternny.org/
http://www.wind-watch.org/
http://www.epaw.org/
http://www.windturbinesyndrome.com/?p=166
http://www.rivercitymalone.com/?p=654
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/04/21/the-unbearable-lightness-of-wi
http://notesfromotherside.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-on-renewable-energy.html
http://www.pest-03.org/ (Power Engineers Supporting Truth)

Or just watch this series of videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNxvkrgoPLo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_utFV2ukOtU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOd5tSZF3A4&feature=related

There's more, but you get the idea. :)

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Doremus]

10. Is it better than nuclear or coal or other fossil fuels?

It's not toxic and doesn't foul the environment.

For aesthetics we should reject it?

What is a better alternative?

[Maru Kitteh]

11. I think windfarms look beautiful. I loved Teddy but he was wrong on this one

It's OK for him to have been wrong once in a while. It in no way negates the many, many wonderful things he did for humanity.

[Laelth]

17. Except that he was right.

Please. Just peruse some of the links above. Thanks.

:dem:

-Laelth

[inna]

19. please see this, i found it eye-opening:

http://www.keepersoftheblueridge.com/faqs.html

[Statistical]

12. Wind power doesn't get rid of the need for powerplants.

They are variable so unless you are willing massive brownouts randomly a backup facility is also built.

So when wind turbines are running at 30% capacity the backup plant is running at 70%. Wind 40%, backup 60%.

That way a constant supply of power is guaranteed.

Denmark has more wind turbines per capita than any other country yet hasn't closed any traditional powerplants.

[Laelth]

13. Coal is terrible. Fossil fuels are only marginally better.

The problem with wind power is that it doesn't reduce CO2 emissions one bit ... none ... not at all. It does no good for the environment.

Our power suppliers must (and I mean must) always keep a gas-powered power plant running in spinning reserve to back up wind power plants in case the wind stops blowing. People need electricity 24/7. The wind doesn't blow all the time. Thus, we burn fossil fuels, even when we have wind power plants, just to back up the wind power. Net carbon-emission savings = zero.

Please take a look at the links I provided above. I agree that we need to reduce CO2 emissions, but wind power can not and does not do that. It's a boondoggle.

:dem:

-Laelth

[inna]

15. this link is really definitive, thanks for it!

http://www.keepersoftheblueridge.com/faqs.html


i highly recommend it.

[Laelth]

16. You're welcome.

At one time I was a big supporter of wind power. Now I am embarrassed that I encouraged all my friends to support it. The truth is that wind power stinks. It is not a viable alternative form of energy, not is it likely to ever be.

I wish it were. It just isn't, and as a proud member of the reality-based community, I now feel the need to spread the truth when I have the opportunity.

:dem:

-Laelth

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Here's some info

The website:

http://www.capewind.org/index.php

RJK Jr's Op-Ed opposing the project. Notice how many times the word "view" comes up his piece.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/opinion/16kennedy.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fContributors