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Congressional Hearing On Wind Turbines

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squidder 329

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It's a tough slog to listen to. 

So far I made it through Van Drew's opening speech. He's a very dramatic person. Listening to him, it looks like New Jersey is doomed. Nobody will come to the beach, the economy will tank, boats will crash and the ecosystem will be destroyed. 

 

It's amazing Rhode Island hasn't seen that yet with their existing turbines.

 

I paused when the whale guy started up. I'll try to go back and watch that later.

Edited by mikez2
Just realized I misspelled Van Drew's name
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24 mins ago, mikez2 said:

It's a tough slog to listen to. 

So far I made it through Van Dern's opening speech. He's a very dramatic person. Listening to him, it looks like New Jersey is doomed. Nobody will come to the beach, the economy will tank, boats will crash and the ecosystem will be destroyed. 

 

It's amazing Rhode Island hasn't seen that yet with their existing turbines.

 

I paused when the whale guy started up. I'll try to go back and watch that later.

Not my favorite either he may be a rino. But the experts testimony is very enlightening and the rush to get it done explained. It seems our tax dollars are paying for a foreign company work on the turbines if started before 2026.. The lady speaking for Rhode Island commercial fishery is very impressive. 

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Just now, squidder 329 said:

Not my favorite either he may be a rino. But the experts testimony is very enlightening and the rush to get it done explained. It seems our tax dollars are paying for a foreign company work on the turbines if started before 2026.. The lady speaking for Rhode Island commercial fishery is very impressive. 

One thing I will say in his defense, a quick scan of his record suggests he's also against offshore oil drilling. At least he's consistent in that regard. 

 

The foreign company aspect is concerning to me as well. I don't know if there are US companies in existence that should be getting these contracts. I assume the fact that offshore wind is well established and up and running for awhile overseas is the reason those companies are being used. Hopefully as the technology evolves, US companies will get the work.

 

I haven't had time to listen to the experts yet. I can only take this stuff in small doses.

If the commercial fishery lady is who I think she is, I'm familiar with her work. She's been extremely active recently pushing the whale drama. If it's the one I'm thinking of.

 

Not having anyone from the big wind company takes away a lot of the value of the hearing. Cherry picked "experts" can paint the picture anyway you want. Without getting all the information, it's really just propaganda. 

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Supposedly they're planning a hearing in Washington in which they hint they will hear from the opposing view points.

Without someone there to answer the claims made in the hearing yesterday, it was just a publicity exercise. 

 

They raise worthwhile questions that should be examined, including with the participation of the experts who are in a position to answer those questions. 

 

"Congressional Republicans say they will hold Capitol Hill hearings on the Biden administration’s offshore wind policy – and potentially call in federal ocean and energy planners as witnesses, along with wind power developers."

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Actually when I started listening to the witnesses I was locked in. If their points can't be countered which the turbine groups were given an opportunity to reply, they were unable to justify risk to reward.

The WMills "reportedly" can withstand a category 3 hurricane, if not and they collapse then what happens. Where does they power they were supplying come from to rebuild storm destroyed areas.

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1 hour ago, squidder 329 said:

Actually when I started listening to the witnesses I was locked in. If their points can't be countered which the turbine groups were given an opportunity to reply, they were unable to justify risk to reward.

The WMills "reportedly" can withstand a category 3 hurricane, if not and they collapse then what happens. Where does they power they were supplying come from to rebuild storm destroyed areas.

Did they invite NOAA, EPA, BOEM, MMA or DMF? I didn't watch enough to know.

These would be the ones to respond to some of the pertinent claims made, aside from Orsted.

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27 mins ago, mikez2 said:

Did they invite NOAA, EPA, BOEM, MMA or DMF? I didn't watch enough to know.

These would be the ones to respond to some of the pertinent claims made, aside from Orsted.

As you watch you'll see testimony where some of these group approved decisions which violated their own specifications. Including the coast guard which reversed on a decision when a high ranking officer retired from the CG was hired by turbine company. It will make you stomach flip. It smells of corruption top to bottom.

Edited by squidder 329
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nothing new.... does anybody really think that our govt. works any different than other countries' governments?

 

It may have a hell of a long time ago but not in my lifetime.  It's all about the money $$$$$$$$$. 

 

Mark Twain said it  best - "we have the best government that money can buy".

Edited by gman1253
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9 hours ago, mikez2 said:

Not just money drives away the honesty. 

Partisanship, especially as a crucial election approaches, can really fire up the propaganda machine. 

A lot of this is driven by waterfront landowners/resort owners who don't want turbines off their beaches.  I don't blame them--I don't like the look of the windmills either--but there comes a time when you have to subordinate your personal aesthetic to the public interest.  And trawlers are driving some of it, because the commercial fleet may lose some fishing grounds because they can't tow nets around the arrays, pull scallop dredges, etc.

 

I've been following this issue for quite a while--I was part of a group the New York Department of State assembled when thety first considered allowing wind farms under the Coastal Zone Management Plan probably ten or so years ago--and I know a number of people involved in research in how fish respond to the turbines, the power cables, etc.  I've yet to hear one argument against the turbines that can be supported by any sort of objective data.

 

The only arguments that seem to have any basis in reality are those related to navigation; there is a risk that towers set too close to shipping lanes might pose a collision hazard to ships headed into or out from New York Harbor, particularly in bad weather.  The Coast Guard advised BOEM to withdraw some potential lease areas for that reason, which BOEM has done.

 

Maybe, as more research is done--and there is a lot of research currently in progress--other problems with the wind farms will arise  But right now, they may be ugly against the horizon, and they may block some commercial fishing operations, but otherwise they seem at least as benign as any other energy source.

"I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.."  --  Ted Williams

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2 hours ago, CWitek said:

A lot of this is driven by waterfront landowners/resort owners who don't want turbines off their beaches.  I don't blame them--I don't like the look of the windmills either--but there comes a time when you have to subordinate your personal aesthetic to the public interest.  And trawlers are driving some of it, because the commercial fleet may lose some fishing grounds because they can't tow nets around the arrays, pull scallop dredges, etc.

 

I've been following this issue for quite a while--I was part of a group the New York Department of State assembled when thety first considered allowing wind farms under the Coastal Zone Management Plan probably ten or so years ago--and I know a number of people involved in research in how fish respond to the turbines, the power cables, etc.  I've yet to hear one argument against the turbines that can be supported by any sort of objective data.

 

The only arguments that seem to have any basis in reality are those related to navigation; there is a risk that towers set too close to shipping lanes might pose a collision hazard to ships headed into or out from New York Harbor, particularly in bad weather.  The Coast Guard advised BOEM to withdraw some potential lease areas for that reason, which BOEM has done.

 

Maybe, as more research is done--and there is a lot of research currently in progress--other problems with the wind farms will arise  But right now, they may be ugly against the horizon, and they may block some commercial fishing operations, but otherwise they seem at least as benign as any other energy source.

Yes. I agree.

I would really like to hear an actual real hearing, where all the players are present to respond to the wild claims. As well as members from across the aisle to ask questions. 

 

My personal interest lays mostly with the whale drama. That's what I'm following since the beginning. I have heard all the claims and have not been convinced any are supported by hard data. I've also seen in depth responses that address the work actually being done, where it was done and for how long. Those responses go a long way towards dispelling the "windmills are killing whales" headlines seen in the opinion press. Those responses were conspicuous in their absence in that hearing. 

 

I don't own property on the shore so I can't consider the Vista aspect the way a home owner or rental agent would. However I do fish RI fairly frequently. The initial reaction of seeing the turbines was a little jarring but I got used to it really quick. I confess at night seeing the lights out there was kinda trippy.

One thing for sure, I love RI for its natural beauty, fishing and wildlife. The turbines don't deter me in any way from enjoying that. But that's personal taste. I know others will feel different. 

 

 

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