Letters and comments for February 21, 2011

Address wildlife issues

To the Editor:

I have been reading the articles and letters regarding the wind turbine issue with interest and some dismay. This is a thorny issue with no clearly defined right or wrong answer and it seems that both sides have been spinning their facts.

I am proud to call myself an environmentalist, but I am a realistic one. I recognize that we need electricity, and wind energy is better than another dam or a coal-fired plant (“clean coal” is an oxymoron). But wind power’s toll on wildlife needs to be addressed better than it has been.

I’m particularly dismayed by how little has been mentioned regarding conservation. If we used less electricity, there wouldn’t be an issue. I wonder how many of those against the turbines light their houses up like Las Vegas at night (or during the holidays)? Light pollution here is so bad that you can see La Grande from space (see NASA’s website).

I’m also dismayed by those who say, “Put them somewhere else.” I have no respect for the “not in my backyard” view. Having the turbines here may be a good thing if it reminds us of the real cost of our electricity. We won’t be getting any from these turbines, but we seem to forget that the dams that provide our electricity didn’t flood our land and we don’t have to look at them. If we’re going to kill fish and wildlife generating power, it seems a minor cost to bear the burden of having to look at these towers. And, if we can get some money to help pay for schools (which, sadly, the people of

La Grande seem unwilling to do), then maybe it’s worthwhile.

I’m still undecided on this issue but thought that I’d throw out another perspective that I haven’t seen expressed.

Tim Hoffnagle

La Grande