Chris Conner has submitted this to the Clinton County News for the letter to the editor section:
Our local government officials have very important decisions before them. We pray they act wisely and equitably for all stakeholders.
Sadly, many communities have succumbed to utility scale wind development projects, and lost themselves in the process. This is a divisive issue, for understandable reasons.
The common pattern of wind developers is to target communities where a divide and conquer strategy can succeed. Promising lucrative incentives to solicit land owners to participate is not in of itself a bad practice, but what if the neighbors suffer material economic losses as a result?
Independent property appraisers have testified to an average 20-45% reduction in residential values located within three miles of wind projects. The wind developers say otherwise. They want to expand and may be coming to a neighborhood near you.
There is an easy and just remedy to this concern. Our elected officials can require a Property Valuation Guaranty (PGV) for non-participating land owners within a 3-mile radius of the project. This has been done elsewhere.
Please log on to www.clintoncountywindwatch.org/ and www.clintoncountywindwatch.blogspot.com/ to learn more. Your biggest investment and way of life may be at risk.
Chris Conner
