January 16, 2013
Clinton County Planning Commission
St Johns MI 48879
Commission Members:
I am sure I speak for most of the people who attended your January 10 meeting when I say I have never left a meeting more dismayed, disappointed, and stunned. It was apparent that nothing the citizens had to say was going to make any difference in your actions. Word is now out in the community that the County Board of Commissioners feels the same way and will approve Forest Hill Energy’s permit to build wind turbines. Why do the people even bother?
These are not the words you spoke at the meeting, but this is what your action said:
We know your property values will plummet; we don’t care. We don’t live in your townships.
We know some of you will suffer adverse health effects. We don’t care. We don’t live close by.
We know you don’t want to hear or see the windmills in your backyards. It doesn’t matter.
We know you have presented facts and figures and studies. It doesn’t matter. We hold all the power
and you have no say.
We know wind energy is not efficient and your electricity costs will eventually skyrocket. We don’t care.
We know you are passionate about what happens to your beloved community. It doesn’t affect us.
We know many of you have just recently learned about the wind turbine project and the opposition
movement is growing daily. We don’t care. We’ve worked on it for years and we are sick of it and want to move on.
We hear the stories from people who live in communities that already have turbines. We hear how old ladies with arthritis are forced to sleep on their basement floor to try to escape the vibrations. We don’t care.
We know that we are here to serve the citizens of the county. We choose Forest Hill Energy. You don’t matter.
We hear you speak, plead, and urge us to deny the permit. It doesn’t matter. The almighty dollar
speaks louder than you.
The residents of Bengal, Dallas and Essex Townships are not going to forget how have been treated. We did learn something, however. It does no good to take the time to attend meetings and present our
case. Sadly, our words fall on deaf ears.
Cherie Anderson
