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Highlander responds to Lynchburg editorial
Editor's note: The following letter was written to the Lynchburg News and Advance following the newspaper's editorial on wind energy, and shared with The Recorder.
As a longtime resident of Highland County, I take strong issue with the assertion in Sept. 24 editorial that we Highlanders should welcome an industrial wind power project.
Overwhelmingly we have voiced our opposition to this scheme only to have our voices ignored by an autocratic county government and a developer seeking tax-subsidized gain at the expense of his neighbors.
Our beautiful county should not be the guinea pig to test this new technology. What electricity it may generate here would be so minuscule as to be meaningless in terms of Virginia's rising energy needs - which would be better met with energy conservation measures.
As for wind power being "green" (environment-friendly) energy, please reflect that wind power must always have conventional power backup when the wind isn't blowing.
It won't replace conventional power. Also, we Highlanders would like to ask, what is so "green" about destroying acres and acres of pristine mountain tops to erect monstrous 400-foot towers which mar scenic beauty (thereby discouraging tourism), and killing off endangered birds with massive spinning blades?
The only thing green about this project is the tax-subsidized cash that will flow into a few pockets.
John Vinson Monterey, Va.
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