| U-T READER QUICK TO CALL US "ENVIRONMENTAL NAYSAYERS"
BUT FINDS WE'RE REALLY VERY REASONABLE (e-mail exchange between “Bob” and Terry Weiner) Dear Terry: Read the article in the trib today about your opposition to the wind turbines in the east county. I must say that your position seems a bit weak. I don't know why so called "Environmentalists" want to have their cake and eat it too. You oppose any kind of damage to the desert however you also oppose on the idea of a clean energy source which will make our world more self-sufficient. As a Landscape Architect I see the wind turbines as visual art of a
monumental nature. And the process to install and maintain them is
minimally invasive at best. Consider for a moment what your
message sends out. Would you rather a coal or trash burning energy * * * Hi Bob, Thanks for your email. Unfortunately, a 20 minute talk with a
reporter can result in abbreviation of one's comments to a degree
that it alters the emphasis of one's remarks. I and the Desert
Protective Council are NOT opposed to wind energy and wind
turbines. Our concern is the placement of the turbines in an area
that has (had until the Campo turbines were installed) one of the
most beautiful view sheds remaining in San Diego County. I submit I agree that turbines do have an architectural beauty, but they do utterly transform the landscape where they are placed in large numbers. Have you been through the San Gorgonio Pass in the Coachella Valley? Wind farms not only change the view, there is a lot of ground disturbance involved with each turbine, including the construction of a huge concrete pad for each one, a network of roads to access them, and a myriad of wires and many miles of transmission lines coming away from them. You have probably read about the huge die-offs of migrating birds at Altamont Pass. Wind farms also are known to have an impact on the migration of bats. We are capable of producing many megawatts of electricity through the use of photovoltaic panels installed on the homes and businesses in cities and towns, thereby preventing the need for the inefficient transmission of energy 100s of miles from the source to where the energy is needed. I have read data on the possibility of San Diego becoming energy self-sufficient through a combination of installation of roof-top solar AND conservation. I imagine that you have had the occasion to enter any number of city or county buildings that are so cold that they give you a chill and you cannot wait to get back outside in the warm sun. San Diego's Mayor Murphy decided we needed to have much brighter street lights throughout the city which adds a cost of at least a million dollars a year to the city budget and frankly are blindingly bright and have impeded astronomical work at Mt. Palomar. I also think about folks in San Diego who live in virtually non-insulated older homes which they heat and cool with a great loss of energy in the process. Coal and/or trash burning are certainly not the only alternatives to 20-story tall wind turbines, Bob. I believe we southern Californians, and that includes me, could benefit from being more conservative in our squandering of energy and perhaps not have to continue to raid our public lands for sources of energy. Because we seem to not want to consider the "carrying capacity" of the natural resources of a region, we continue to promote growth with negative effects on our air quality, our watersheds and our quality of life. The Desert Protective Council does not simply oppose "any kind of damage" to the desert. We support a close considerations of ALL the alternatives before disrupting a unique landscape, hundreds of thousands of years in the making. We take seriously the idea that we humans have a responsibility to be stewards of our land and protect some of it for enjoyment by future generations. I really do appreciate your sharing your thoughts with me. I would be happy to continue the exhange. I invite you to take a look at our Desert Protective Council web site- www.dpcinc.org to see what positive projects we are engaged in to help children and adults enjoy and appreciate the beauty and fragility of the desert. Best, Terry Weiner * * * Terry: Thank you for taking the time to write such an insightful letter regarding the wind turbine issue. I have newfound appreciation for what you do. |