My fans have asked me about the Palouse wind turbine project called Harvest Hills Wind. It is a controversial project and they want me to weigh in on the subject.
First, a little about the project. I went to the Harvest Hills Wind website to learn more about the project. It is being proposed by Steelhead Americas, which is the North American portion of the larger multi-national company called Vestas.
According to their website, “Vestas designs, manufactures, installs, and services onshore and offshore wind turbines across the globe.”
They mention in multiple places on the website that they work alongside landowners, community members, local government and other local organizations. The website even states “We want to hear your voice because we’re flexible about the outcome of this project.”
Steelhead spends a lot of time writing about the economic inflow to the community. One claim states “we bring new resources and revenue, more jobs, and millions of dollars for organizations that need it most, such as schools, libraries, law enforcement agencies, and non-profits.”
My thoughts when reading their website is that they are trying to make us like them. I see them saying: We have money! Money for everyone in the community. We have energy, lots and lots of electricity. Although we are a multi-national company we totally, really, greatly care about your local community — the Pay-los.
Maybe I am a wee bit skeptical about the virtual-hugs they are trying to give us. They claim they want to work with and listen to the community. But according to the SaveThePalouse.org website, which is run by a group of anti-Harvest Hill Wind farm folks, there has been a possible increase in the number of wind turbines. While there is a big effort to fight the wind farm, Steelhead, which claims it wants to listen, may be trying to increase the number of eyesores it installs around the Palouse.
The group Save the Palouse, mentioned above, has some really cool examples of what the views will look like from certain vantage points around the area. They have a slider in the middle of the photos on their website which will allow the viewer to see before and after images.
It’s without a doubt these wind turbines will be an eyesore.
Save the Palouse also writes about the negative impact these eyesores along the horizon will have on photography. Their website states “a hidden plan to turn the Palouse’s world famous rolling green hills into the area’s largest industrial site have been in the works for years.”
Now that I have outlined the project and the controversy, let me provide more opinion. If you can’t tell, I am not a fan of the project. But my principles are important. I will not bend my principles. Being consistent on my principles are important to me and it is what makes my opinions so valuable to my fans. They know they can to turn to the Daily News to find my outstanding, principled conclusions.
This is an issue that should have both the right and the left on the same page.
For the left, think of this as a “my body, my choice” argument. But instead of the word "body," insert the word "land."
For the right, this is simply recognizing private property owners’ rights. While this is where the left should be, a number of those on the left do not like the idea of private property, so I had to go with their love of killing babies.
Steelhead is working with landowners to lease land to build Harvest Hills Wind. As long as they are doing with their land what it is currently zoned for, then they should be free to do so. As I have said so many times before, if you don’t like what someone is legally doing with their land, then buy it from them.
If their land is not zoned for wind turbines, fight it, but from my understanding, they are not looking for rezoning.
But I have a better plan to stop the wind farm and it will not go against my principles.
Rather than fighting against Steelhead in court, maybe the money raised by Save the Palouse could go to the landowners. Contract with the landowners to replace the income they would get from the wind turbines. From the landowner’s perspective, they still get money. From Save our Palouse’s perspective, we don’t have wind turbines everywhere.
In addition, remind the landowners that they want to be good neighbors and not be the ones who allowed an eyesore for decades.
Ultimately, if Steelhead has no land to place the wind turbines, then there is no wind farm.
I think Steelhead knows the wind turbines are an eyesore. It knows what we all know. The Learn More webpage on its website has multiple territorial photos, many of which have one thing in common — zero wind turbines are shown in the photos.
Anderson was the co-host and producer of the award-winning conservative talk radio show before hanging up the headphones. Earning a degree in philosophy helped further sharpen his renowned logic. He has a superb sense of right and wrong and advocates educating people instead of controlling them. He enjoys photography, woodworking and sports. When he is not performing computer programming, he may be seen helping and volunteering in the community. He loves feedback at crier@cityofpullman.com.
