Published: February 06, 2009 10:26 am      

Wind power already benefiting communities

I still continue to be amazed by the rage on the Times-News letters page regarding wind power. The usual suspects line up to oppose any project, any place.

Unfortunately, the screed that blames conspiracy theories and collusion, worries about safety, noise or wildlife or just doesn’t like the way wind farms look prevents the region’s taxpayers and environment from benefiting from its valuable wind resource.

Wind power will benefit the local communities, Garrett and Allegany counties, our region, state and nation. That is why community leaders, union workers, business and environmental groups are supporting wind projects like the one at proposed for Dan’s Mountain.

These projects, when appropriately sited, provide much-needed tax revenue for communities, significant landowner income and valuable clean energy with virtually no environmental impacts.

Yet, it is not a blank check, as all projects must go through rigorous local and state reviews and be subject to public meetings — like the one I attended recently in Frostburg where supporters outnumbered the naysayers.

And while opponents rage about wind, Maryland is being left behind in the region. Recently, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell dedicated a new project that will reduce bat impacts at wind farms just across our border in Somerset County.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission is moving three projects forward, and Mount Storm is sending clean energy to the grid and tax dollars to Grant County. Virginia’s leaders, largest utility, developers and environmentalists are working together to advance potential projects.

And Delaware and New Jersey are not only moving forward on offshore wind, but they are entering agreements that use power generated by our region’s land-based projects to meet clean energy demands.

This is not coincidence or conspiracy. It is a demand for cleaner energy spurred by addressing issues like climate change and green technologies, while providing much-needed revenue boosts to struggling rural communities, especially in this time of economic uncertainty.

The time has come for the anti-wind zealots to stop delaying the potential opportunities that provide such important economic and environmental benefits.

Frank Maisano

Gambrills

The writer is a spokesman for wind developers in Maryland.