People state that commercial wind turbines do not harm birds. WATCH THIS

This is very hard for me to watch.  This is the story of one bird who collides with the blades of the turbine.  Thousands of these large birds are killed by wind turbines.  I can not support this.  We can do better.

This bird did survive, as I have followed this story with the  men who rescued this beautiful creature who flew with them frequently.  You can find a longer video with the rescue on you tube.  These men were able to get the bird to a center and the wing is being repaired.  They hope the bird will fly with them again in the spring.  These two glider pilots will stay far away from wind plants as this was devastating to them.   They thought the bird would stay away from the turbines, since the day was clear.  They now feel the bird flew right in to the turbulence of the rotating turbines, as these birds love updrafts, etc.  

Sadly, they said the "worker" at the wind plant would offer no help, other than give them a noose like device that they use to capture injured birds.  The worker stated that they do not get the injured large birds to a center for help.  I guess you can figure out what they do with the noose, after they capture the injured birds.  The pilots stated that there was evidence of other birds that had survived the collision, but were left on the rock cliff to die when they could no longer fly.   Think that this does not happen in the USA?  Think again!

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND APPALACHIAN VOICES SUPPORT COMMERCIAL WIND PLANTS.   THEY SUPPORT BIRD DEATHS IN THIS MANNER.  MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND OUR COMPANIES NO LONGER GIVE ANY MONEY TO SUPPORT APPALACHIAN VOICES.  WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO THE SAME. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9srPoOU6_Z4

This is the longer video with the rescue of the vulture. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RcTjdY1aN4

What HUGH MORTON said about commercialization of the ridges with utility scale wind turbines!

I was honored to meet Hugh Morton through my Dad.   The men mentioned below,  that spoke with Hugh Morton have never mentioned this conversation.  I find that unconscionable.  They have been after the ridges since 2002!

Dennis Scanlin = APPY STATE
Avram Friedman = Canary Coalition
Steve Smith = SACE  Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

September 3, 2003

This report is on file with the North Carolina State Energy Office. 

On February 5, 2003, Dennis Scanlin, Avram Friedman and Steve Smith met with Hugh Morton at Grandfather Mountain to discuss wind energy possibilities. Since Hugh Morton was one of the major drivers of the original ridge law and because he is the owner of Grandfather Mountain, one of the major tourist attractions in Western North Carolina, it was considered prudent to get his input on the possibility of modifying the ridge law. During the course of the meeting, Morton stated that he was concerned about modifying the ridge law because of the potential that development of ridge tops could not be limited if the ridge law was modified.

This is an ACTUAL commercial wind plant on an Appalachian Mountian Ridge.  Photo by Gary Steinberg.

This is what men like Hugh Morton and my Dad want to prevent.  That is why we have the ridge law.

Then there is the bird mortality.

 

This is an EAGLE at the base of a wind turbine.  Photo by Marc Duchamp.

The NC Mountain Ridge Protection Act PROTECTS the ridges!

Despite an effort by Senator Steve Goss, the Mountain Ridge Protection Act was not weakened and will continue to fight on the keep our ridges safe from commercialization, and from huge wind turbines. This is about honoring the people who had this vision in 1983. The ridges are safe!

It is not about the ridges, this is about politics!

I have been researching this new "quest" to take over the ridges and weaken the ridge law. It boils down to a NC Senator trying to look green and a local university trying to push its wind energy department and its professors. By saying No, you are not only asking to keep the ridges safe, but you are saying NO! to Senator Goss and Appalachian State University. ASU has been relentless in their quest to gain the ridges....it will fatten their purse, make their professors well known and make their department larger.

We have to say NO! They tried this in Ashe county, but Ashe said no and came up with their own wind ordinance much to the dismay of ASU.

Think about the politics! The Math does not add up in support of wind energy. We are not there, yet, but ASU wants us to be there.