This is what I like to call "irony."
While coal mines are collapsing and millions of gallons of oil are leaking into the Gulf, the Mason County board of commissioners in West Michigan voted NO to allow the potential developer of a 1150 MW wind farm to begin three years of economic and environmental impact studies.
Why did they vote no?
"They didn’t do all of their homework and did not have all of the answers for putting these on the lake," said Mason County Chairman Michael Schneider of Ludington. "They needed to do the research first before they came to us."
That's right. They cited lack of information as their reason to deny three years of STUDIES.
They didn't know enough. See? So they said No to learning more. Get it?
Like I said...irony.
A little background...offshore wind farm developers proposed 1150 MW worth of wind farms in West Michigan.
A 500 MW offshore wind farm straddling the border of Mason and Oceana Counties
A 500 MW offshore wind farm straddling the border of Muskegon and Ottawa counties And a 150 MW ONshore wind farm in Muskegon County's waste water treatment plant
A group of well funded people stood in opposition to the wind farms, funded largely by lakeshore association home owners...many of whom don't actually live in the area they just gripe and complain about the wind farms from a distance...no really...
...every time the Anti folks hold a rally there's a string of messages that go something like "Sorry I can't make it! I'm in Florida until June!"
There are many along the lakeshore who believe they have some sort of ownership over the lake and the "viewshed" but in reality, there is no such thing as individual or even city riparian ownership of the Great Lakes. Technically Mason County has no say over whether or not windfarms get placed off the coast...it's up to the State and the Federal Government. But the developers have agreed to pull their proposals if the counties say No...even though they technically don't have to do that...
Mason said No, so the developers are pulling their proposal.
Mason County's vote doesn't entirely kill the prospect of offshore wind power in West Michigan. It just means it's likely to be smaller, assuming Oceana, Mason, and Muskegon Counties aren't as shortsighted as Mason County. And as a result of being smaller we're less able to use it as a catalyst for luring a new wind turbine based manufacturing base to the region.
Bummer.
We do, however, keep up the fight. There are still three counties that could play host to these offshore wind proposals. We just need to make sure they know the majority of West Michigan supports wind power...and with high unemployment levels, we're hungry for a catalyst for a new industry in the area.
Thanks to all those in this community who have helped us out in this crazy fight...phew...what a battle :D
... for those readers who value accuracy, voted in response to a question posed by the developer: Could the community live with the view of the turbines 4 to 6 miles off the shore from Pentwater to the area just south of Ludington?