Make sure that you start by reading the Winning The Wind War page, which is a simple but important overview of what the material on this page is all about.
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There are quite a few very important studies, reports, and analyses throughout this website. To make it easier to clearly see the Big Picture, we are duplicating some of those Key Documents on this page.
In the US the wind energy situation is usually decided on the local level, by citizens and their representatives. Ultimately this comes down to these representatives making a choice between two options:
1 – to defend the rights of citizens, small businesses, the environment and the military, or
2 – to accept a financial payment to forgo those rights.
Wind energy proponents have a sophisticated, well-choreographed campaign to try to convince local communities that #2 is the way to go. Essentially their two-part strategy is:
a) to play down the civil rights that are being abdicated, and the other negative consequences, and
b) to focus on financial payments, while ignoring the actual net economic impact.
One of the ironies of democracies is that citizens have the freedom to enslave themselves — e.g. to voluntarily choose to give up their civil rights that others have literally given their lives to defend.
Why would anyone knowingly do that? Basically because they were tricked and/or bribed.
The materials on this page are all about providing education so that citizens will not be tricked. Regarding the latter, the real kicker in this situation is that the bribe is actually an illusion — as the net financial impact is typically negative! [Note see this summary of several other important wind energy illusions.]
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Note: for those who chose Option #1 (above), in almost all cases a proper wind ordinance is by FAR the most effective defense that local communities have. Such a law is not designed to exclude industrial wind energy, but rather is about properly representing citizen rights. More specifically, it is about protecting the health, safety, and welfare of citizens, small local businesses, regional ecosystems, and the military. (See Winning page for more details.)
Ultimately what is being engaged in, is a Public Relations (PR) battle. Of course, few people understand PR, or how to effectively utilize it. Below are some discussions to assist you in that regard. If local citizen-rights advocates win the PR battle, they are in a superior position to win the overall war.
The bottom line: to get a proper protective wind ordinance passed, the most effective PR strategy is to focus on the NET local economics. To convey that message, citizen-rights advocates need to have a firm grasp on industrial wind energy financial realities. See below for several key documents about wind energy economics.
Put in yet another way, a community engaged in this war has two fundamental options: a) to spend a LOT of time, effort and money to try to figure out how to properly deal with this complex technical matter, or b) to stand on the shoulders of other communities who have already been down this path. We strongly advocate the later!
Economic Arguments:
Wind Energy: Local Economics 101 (the studies to support a winning case against wind energy)
A superior example of how to show community net economics. [Download the Word version.]
Why Local Economics is the Winning Strategy
Legal Documents:
Selecting the right attorney is EXTREMELY important. Here is some guidance for two difference cases:
1) selecting the proper attorney to represent your community in a wind matter, or
2) selecting the proper attorney to represent you (a citizen) in a wind matter.
Here is a technical quiz to determine a prospective attorney’s wind energy expertise.
Overview: Local Wind Ordinance Options
An overview: Writing an Effective Local Wind Ordinance
The National Model Local Wind Ordinance with a Bullet Points summary. [Download the model Word version.]
Support for a Property Value Guarantee (for two miles)
Support for a 1 Mile Setback (from property lines)
Support for 35 dBA Sound Limit (24/7/365, at property lines)
A superior article on decommissioning costs
A comparison of wind ordinances for sample NYS communities
Some alternative ideas under NYS 94-C, and some other states.
A superior study of the regulatory issues involved, by the town of Bethany, NY
What about the legal issue of Private Property Rights? See this summary that puts it in perspective.
Legal Options for citizens, if a proper wind ordinance does not get passed
We’ve put together a Comprehensive List of over forty legal and financial concerns that any party considering a wind lease or easement should carefully consider.
Understanding Public Relations & Wind Energy Realities:
Some Local Legislators Perspective on Wind Energy
How to Deal with Resistant Local Legislators
Start incorporating better Terminology in meetings, etc.
It’s STRONGLY advisable that the community should see the movie Windfall.
What about the claim that wind energy should be part of an “All of the Above” energy policy? It’s non-sense.
But doesn’t wind energy save a lot of CO2? NO! Taking the Wind Out of Climate Change references over fifty studies that conclude that wind energy is likely a detriment to the global warming issue. This reality is critically important to understand, as it is a key part of the arguments that undermine the “Public Need” claim of wind developers (when they are trying to get approval from your state’s utility commission).
Twenty-Five Bad Things About Wind Energy: a synopsis of all the wind energy justifications — and the reality.
Read some of the best Wind Energy books. (On a related matter, here are the best Global Warming books.)
As a reference source, this interactive map shows all installed US wind turbines.
For any questions about this page, or suggestions for improving it, please email john droz.