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Falmouth, Mass., Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper on the controversy over the wind turbines in the town.
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Back to the story that I was doing the forecast you know high level wind energy we had a little technical glitch there.
But as we're saying -- Massachusetts town is now considering removing the wind turbines at a cost of the residents.
Joining us our first hand account of what's.
-- -- -- harper Jesus sustained town manager of all the Massachusetts okay at first call.
Tell me how opinion trending in your town right now I mean how many people are complaining of health hazards like the couple we saw the story.
Well there are several neighbors I'm particularly neighbors abiding winds -- one.
And when to along -- the adjacent property to promise wind turbines.
The -- found that -- to wind turbines to fastest CAD turbines to have three.
Located at our wastewater treatment facility and in our industrial -- And energy have they actually produced because.
You know -- -- -- -- story heard you know the lost energy savings and I got to wonder.
If it costs fifteen million dollars but these two things up -- it and I've stood out at wind turbines when they are static and they're not turning at all.
How to wind energy saving -- energy savings actually going on as a result of of these turbines.
Slip the turbines for running at full capacity.
They would be supporting about 60% of our municipal energy needs.
Which includes our waste water water school municipal library recreation on the demand of our local government.
Would be supplied 60% of that's -- man on -- supplied by the wind turbines.
All of -- -- know I mean he -- and strengthening and you can count on them to be working all the time.
And it's hard for me to believe that around the clock they're supporting 60% of your energy needs.
It's over the course it's based on annual production over the course of the year you can estimate that they would support about 60% of the municipal the man.
OK so how how much of it is that as savings to you if you factor in what it costs to get there at them there and put them up in.
And the cost of -- compared to what would you rather energy source -- natural gas -- what do you think your -- Well no we our supply -- energy York and start which is our local energy supplier.
And the wind turbines provide an alternative obviously -- renewable alternative to that conventional supply.
And the -- -- made active choice is going back on to the early part of this decade.
To install wind generators to offset demand from our highest energy consumer which is our waste water treatment facility okay.
So Heather how much about it if you went ahead and everyone voted to take them -- -- you have to spend ten or fifteen million dollars get them down and then tax the town board I mean.
Someone in the story said that it's it I mean it's embarrassing is it embarrassed.
While the product is a community project that was before our town with more than six town meeting votes.
It's now placed before the town to -- NAFTA doesn't decision to determine whether it makes sense for our community following.
It very long and robust community process.
To -- -- consensus around what -- right choices may be for our community and half the town determines that that's the right price for our community.
It will be making the choice to tax itself.
Okay so our our people pretty -- that they paid to put these things up another -- taken down.
You know that's a really good question -- there is a variety of viewpoints and that there really arm next and I don't think you could give -- A trend on that there are those that believe that.
It is in the best interest in the community and bring community harmony back to our town town found last.
That we should take some down and eliminate that wind turbines.
There are others that believe that renewable energy and wind energy is the future of this town and our nation and believe that -- -- Continued investment and that project and it really is going to be a decision that will be before our town meeting as well as on the ballot.
In men Heather thank you so much for coming I hear exit -- face the music -- -- -- really feel for you right -- I think probably the answer is that there's going to be -- people on every side no matter how it comes out.
Thanks for coming on we appreciate it.
You're welcome now let's.
