Spend a bit of Earth Day with Wind Wise Radio

We will be talking with leaders in the efforts to save Massachusetts from the onslaught of the Patrick administration and the wind developers who are attempting to put their political ambitions and their greed ahead of the interests of the citizens of Massachusetts

Louise Barteau is an environmental artist living and working in Fairhaven, MA. Her studio is located approximately 1200′ from Fairhaven’s two 400′ Industrial Wind Turbines which were installed this winter and are about to be turned on this month. A reluctant activist, she was drawn into a troubling tale of covert actions between the developers, Fairhaven Wind, and the town government that began years ago when the town passed its liberal wind energy by-laws in 2004.

A small group of determined neighbors fought off the first
turbine project in court in 2008, but a second turbine project was always in the works behind closed doors. Construction on the present turbines began in November with no notice given to abutters. Particularly troubling in Fairhaven is the placement of these turbines in a densely populated area, with 701 homes, the senior center and the elementary school within 3000 feet of the turbines.

 Ann DeNardis is a tireless advocate in the struggle against the improper siting of  industrial scale wind turbines.  An accomplished lawyer from Bedford, Massachusetts who one of her clients described this way:

“You are a great advocate and when necessary a warrior.  You put your mind, body, heart and being into your work…”

More about the fight in Fairhaven can be found here.

Viginia Irvine is one of the founding members of Wind Wise~Massachusetts – a statewide alliance of grass roots organizations and individuals who are concerned about the negative health, environmental, and economic impacts of poorly-sited wind turbines. The alliance members are all volunteers. Virginia is a geologist with a specialty in hydrogeology.  She is also a Licensed Site Professional in Massachusetts which means she am licensed to assess, clean-up and close hazardous waste sites under the state’s privatized hazardous waste clean-up system. She also holds a professional geologist license with the state of New Hampshire. Virginia’s three master’s degrees are: Kinesiology from the University of Washington, Environmental Science from Antioch — New England, and Geology from the University of Massaschusetts at Amherst.

Virginia lives in a well insulated passive solar house that she designed in the late 70s in the rural community of Brimfield and helped win the fight to keep industrial wind out of her town.  She loves the outdoor activities, especially cross-country skiing, hiking and snow shoeing.  She preforms the Yang Tai Chi long form every morning.

Andrew Wells  has been active on wind issues in MA since 2006, first on the Cape and more recently in western MA, where he resides. In 2007 he fought a four turbine project proposed mere hundreds of feet  from a densely settled residential  neighborhood in Eastham. He served on a wind turbine bylaw committee that recommended siting standards.   He was an organizing member of Windwise Massachusetts. In 2010 he served as chairman of another wind turbine bylaw committee, this time in the Berkshire hilltown of Ashfield, site of several proposed wind projects.

Click here to listen to today’s program.