Windfall... the "Other Side of the Story"

 

Maine citizens have been hosting the award-winning independent film “Windfall” in different locations around the state for the last five weeks, to coincide with the documentary’s theatrical debut in New York, Chicago, LA and Seattle.  Film-maker Laura Israel’s “Windfall” records the experiences of residents in up-state New York when wind developers came to their towns proposing industrial wind facilities. 

Of particular interest has been the wind industry’s reaction to this documentary.  “Windfall” is not an anti-wind film; it is pro-education and pro-community.  However, in multiple “Windfall” venues, the wind lobby has attempted to insert itself into the program arranged for and set up by volunteers in towns from Fort Kent to Unity, and Farmington to Bar Harbor.  Crying ‘foul’, some leading wind lobbyists began requesting of the sites’ owners that they be given equal time at “Windfall” screenings, in order to offer ‘the other side of the story’.  They wanted to hang posters on the theater doors.  They wanted the host schools and libraries to allow industrial wind propaganda to be handed out during the screenings.  They even wanted to be allowed to show the film “Islands in Wind” before audiences viewed “Windfall”.

The pro-wind film “Islands in the Wind” has been shown several times in Maine, with much fan-fare.  At those times, the wind industry never believed in telling “the other side of the story”.  Nor has it made it a practice to invite an opposing view every time wind developers moved into Maine towns with sales pitches designed to encourage support for the industrial developments they wish to build on the mountain summits in those towns.

The wind industry has had more than six years to convince Mainers of the value of their high-cost, low-value product.  We’ve heard the rhetoric—wind will ‘get us off foreign oil’, ‘reduce greenhouse gasses’, make us ‘energy independent’.  Those arguments have been debunked by science and economics—but still they persist.  I expect the tag lines will continue to be repeated until sufficient numbers of Maine citizens take the time and opportunity to do independent research about this important topic and discover the deception that lies within.  When there are millions of tax-payer dollars at stake, what else can the wind industry do but continue to repeat the same tired arguments which worked so well in the past? 

But let’s not be disingenuous. Wind developers aren’t interested in educating Mainers. If they were, ‘the other side of the story’ would have been told from the very beginning.  The wind industry would not force Maine citizens to sign gag orders when it buys their properties because the homes in the shadow of its developments have become uninhabitable.  It wouldn’t force property owners to sign away their rights to complain about specific developments when they agree to lease their ridge-top land.  And if it respected ‘the other side’ the wind industry would happily comply with DEP sound standards when its wind facilities are found to be out of compliance.  But here in Maine, none of those scenarios are the reality.

In truth, the wind industry wouldn’t be having such a strong reaction to a simple film like “Windfall” if it didn’t feel defensive of its product and threatened by this honest portrayal of what happened in two rural communities when Big Wind came to town.

“Windfall” will be out on DVD very soon.  I encourage Mainers to watch this film and learn from the experiences of our fellow Americans.  And if you want the other side of the story, I encourage you to watch “Islands in the Wind”, as well.  I will be happy to help you obtain copies of both films.  I will also connect you directly with “Windfall” film-maker Laura Israel and with residents of Vinalhaven; the Maine island community portrayed in “Islands in the Wind”.   Get both sides of the story, and then… take a stand.  Please.  We are on the cusp of losing our storied “Quality of Place”.  The least we can do is attempt independent research into both sides of the story to determine if the prize is worth the price.

 

The Voice of Another Victim

The letter below is real, but the names have been changed.  The letter was written in response to the distress of a resident of Falmouth, MA whose life and health have been adversely impacted by wind turbine noises.

It’s time to take a stand.  There are victims just like Dawn all around the globe.  Victims who are being ignored, ridiculed and vilified because—if they are taken seriously—the mass proliferation of grid scale wind will have to stop.

And then the wind industry will find that its free ride is over.

That industry is going to fight tooth and nail to make sure that victims of turbine sounds are ignored.  They have to—they are fighting for their wealth.  But WE are fighting for our health.  For our happiness and quality of life.  We’re fighting for human decency and common sense.

We’ll win—but only if we stand together and don’t back down.  If you aren’t angry already, it’s time to get that way.  Enough is enough.

******************************* 

Hi Lily,

I know your situation all to well. My home sits empty in Clear Creek Ontario. My life of hell started in the fall of 2008. Yesterday was a very bad day for us. Spirits are very low. My son and I had a discussion just last night. We talked about people and money; people not caring about others; the humiliation we have felt; the fight that is ahead of us; the scars that will be with us for the rest of our lives. As yourself, my government and the wind companies have destroyed my life. They almost killed me. I am not out of the woods yet.

I  went to my home today; my home where I cannot live.  I still have some of my things there, where I had left them. I walked the property, looking at the trees I had planted over the years; looking back at a life that no longer exists, or ever will. It was very sad.I drove around the concession, again surprised at yet another new real estate listing and even more vacated houses. Approximately one in three houses are empty. Two of the vacant homes were homes of young families with children. I was glad they  were able to leave. Others have left; a few have passed on. I consider myself fortunate that my son had the sense to get us out of there. Today I tolerated a half an hour of exposure to low frequencies. When I left, I had started to become lethargic; I was dizzy; nauseous. My head hurt. I felt such pressure.

Each day is tough. Last night we also  talked about others who had it worse than us; kids who are sick and hungry. When the going gets tough, I remind myself I  am warm, I have a place to lay my head and enough food. I take it one day at a time.  I walk, lots. I meditate. It helps.

I attended a meeting with our department of health on Thursday night. As yourself, my son cannot bring himself to attend any more of these gong shows. I went to support Joanna and others presenting deputations. I returned to the place I stay, very upset and angry because of the ignorance displayed by some of the health officials.

A neighbor from home  told me last night, I must not give up. If you give up they win. Ironically these are the same words I said to my son just a short time earlier. I also told him, as others have told you; he needs to take a time out. Rest and recharge. I know, easier said than done.

Have faith and comfort knowing there are many who are going to bat for people like us. Hang in there. Life may not be the same; but it will get better.

Take care,

Dawn

You Are Not Welcome Here

My family doesn’t post our property.  We never have, for as far back as I can remember.  My grandparents owned many acres, as did my parents, and there was never a “No Trespassing” sign posted on trees. 

My husband and I are lucky enough to own 70 acres of forest.  We feel fortunate to be able to step off our front porch and take a walk in the woods and we want everyone to have that same freedom and ability.  When I was a child, almost all of Maine was ‘open’.  It was rare to see a “No Trespassing” sign and Mainers were able to roam the forests and fields and mountains to experience that ‘quality of place’ and quality of life that is so integral to our contentment. 

A shiny silver Ford pick-up drove out of the driveway to our orchard.  That was not a big deal.  It happens all the time in November, since this is the height of deer hunting season.  The truck then proceeded up the road and stopped beside our house.  Since my husband has just gotten into his Blazer to take our son to work, he got out and walked over to the Ford.

He noticed the GPS antenna mounted on the front of the hood.  He asked the driver what was up.

The driver informed my husband that he and his partner were ‘fixing the positions’ of residences in the area for a survey they were conducting.

Mr. Pease asked them who they were working for.

The driver informed him that his client wished for its identity to remain confidential.

Mr. Pease said, “Oh.  Iberdrola, huh?”

The men became deer in the headlights.  Kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar.  They shut their mouths.  Stick a fork in them—they were done!

It’s easy to have the last word when the other party won’t speak—but the words my husband uttered could not have come easy, nonetheless.  He’s the kindest, gentlest, most generous man I know.  But he meant what he said when he told those wind industry surveyors that they were not welcome on our land--that he knew he couldn’t prevent them from using the county right-of-way to invade our privacy or help a foreign company threaten our way of life, but he could forbid them from stepping foot—or driving tire—onto our property.

This is a tough battle we’re fighting.  We don’t have anything against those men—not personally.  Those contractors are Mainers who are “just doing their job”.  But as a friend from Vinalhaven said of the construction workers who built the Fox Island Wind turbines near his island home: “YOUR job has ruined MY life.”  Those six words sum it up quite succinctly.

That shiny, decked out Ford (and yes, I went outside and got their license plate number) which was driven so nonchalantly onto the property we generously share with all may very well have been purchased with money earned by work that was done for an industry which is negatively impacting the lives of hundreds of Mainers.

So, no.  We don’t post our property, and unless something drastic occurs--we won’t.  But let this be public notice that anyone working for an industrial wind developer--whether directly, or indirectly as a subcontractor--is not welcome at The F.A.R.M.  If you’re going to try to plot and plan how to sidestep the wishes of more than 77% of the residents of Lexington Township, you’re going to have to do it without our help.  If you don’t care that we have stood together and said “NO!” you will not be the beneficiary of our largesse.  We will not harbor you, we will not welcome you—and we will not hesitate to firmly escort you off and arrange for your transport to the county jail if you come onto our property without having express and written permission from my husband or me.

I can't make this any clearer.  You are not welcome at The F.A.R.M. and you are not welcome in Lexington Township.  Or in Concord, or in Highland.  Accept defeat, please.  You are not welcome here and I am just one voice of many asking you to respect us and abandon your plans for wind developments in these three communities.