Wind Generation Road Blocks

Environmental obstructionist love to talk about renewable energy, alternative energy, clean energy, etc...

When it comes to walking the walk, those same people show their true colors by opposing new alternative energy developments, such as wind farms.

Take this article on a wind farm project outside of Glasgow, Montana. Originally, this was meant to be a 500-megawatt operation. Not too shabby. After environmental obstructionists raised concerns over the view-shed, the project was scaled down to 170-megawatts. The cries from greenies continued. Now, unfortunately, the company is planning just 10-megawatts.

10-megawatts, people. That level of energy is not going to keep up with electricity demand increases, nor replace any of the so-called "dirty" energy.

Comments

[Jay Stevens]

There are NIMBYs of every political persuasion, I suspect.

[Wild Bill]

Kind of like the business obstructionists at the Montana Petroluem Association Coal Council (thank you Bud!) who opposed the renewable energy portfolio standard that made the Glasgow project even remotely feasible.

For the record, Jon: What was the chamber's position on the renewable energy portfolio standard?

[montanamainstreetblog]

@ Wild Bill

You must be one of those environmentalists that opposes new wind farms because of "view-sheds." If so, why don't you just own up to your agenda rather than try and blame others for what happened to the Glasgow wind farm?

And no, the Montana Chamber did not oppose the renewable energy portfolio as far as I know. But thanks for trying to change the subject. We support wind energy.

BTW, the Montana Petroleum Association and the Coal Council are two separate entities.

[Wild Bill]

I supported the Glasgow project. Let's just be totally clear: The Montana Chamber did not support SB 415 during the 2005 Legislative Session. Let's see who opposed SB 415: Montana Dakota Utilities, Columbia Falls Alumnium Plant, Northwestern Energy...

One more question for you Jon: How much did these three corporations pay to the Montana Chamber last year in dues?

Don't worry, I don't expect you to be that transparent. Sorry about getting the coal council and MPA rolled in the same basket. All the greed and CO2 emminating from their spokespeople makes it difficult to see what is going on...

[montanamainstreetblog]

That's really cute, Wild Bill. All that "greed and CO2 emminating from their spokespeople"? I supposed you sequester all the CO2 and hot air coming from you.

I didn't lobby in the 2005 session, so I just went back to the public record on the Senate and House hearings for SB 415. The Montana Chamber did not oppose the bill as you imply. Nice try, though.

If you supported the Glasgow project, then we agree on something. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone of your enviro buddies that you agree with the Montana Chamber. You might lose your green street cred.