Tilting at windmills once again

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To the Editor, To adequately refute all of the statements made by Eleanor Tillinghast in her most recent article [Advocate, Dec. 9] would take far more time and space than I have, but I will mention as many as I can. Her article begins by stating the tip height of various wind turbines above sea level. How this relates to environmental impacts I do not know, since the tallest point in Massachusetts is a TV tower. There are only two wind projects anywhere close to completion in the Berkshires, and both have gone or are going through extensive review, as would any project of this magnitude. The Hoosac Range in Florida was not even mentioned by the Berkshire Natural Resource Council in the BRPC regional plan as deserving special protection. Yet somehow the destruction of Berkshire County is eminent? The general sensation one receives in Tillinghast's article is that various environmental, governmental and local organizations are arrayed in a vast conspiracy to desecrate and ruin "our ridgelines, quality of life and tourism economy." The fact of the matter remains that reliable and scientific studies show wind turbines may actually improve tourism and home values. Tillinghast then misrepresents the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard by not recognizing that the RPS can be satisfied by projects outside of Massachusetts, which meet certain requirements. She also uses figures from the United Kingdom and Germany, which are simply not applicable to today’s wind turbines. Regarding conservation, it is obvious that energy conservation must be a truly important part of our future, as must sustainable agriculture and population. However, energy conservation cannot be considered a source of energy. Wind energy is the only viable source of electricity that does not result in large-scale pollution or radioactivity, and as Berkshire Wind’s recent long-term contract illustrates, the price of wind can be significantly lower than that of traditional sources. Tillinghast seems quite certain about the subsidies Hoosac Wind might receive, but totally neglects the 200 billion dollars in various direct and indirect subsides provided to traditional sources... every year. At one point Tillinghast claims that Florida “rejected a wind power plant proposal 20 years ago.” In fact, the article referenced on her Web site makes no such statement. Moving on to public opinion, the handful of news articles sited by Tillinghast does not change the fact that the majority of citizens in European countries continue to support the changeover to renewable energy, and some polls indicate increased approval among people who live near a turbine, or have visited one. According to the BBC, “Initial concerns over the impact of turbines on the landscape, noise and construction traffic, had largely vanished after development was completed.” In the final footnote provided on Tillinghast’s Web site, she seems to state that since some of our pollution comes from China or the Midwest, it is not worthwhile to reduce pollution locally. Global warming and pollution are a global problem, and not recognizing this, in my opinion, is more likely to “ruin our environment” than anything else. There is not a “rush to wind power.” This is the steady progression of a technology, as well as a society. A society that recognizes the importance of a stable, renewable, clean source of power, when done correctly as governmental agencies have certified time and again. Simon Zelazo Florida The writer is a member of Citizens Using Renewable Energy
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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