DEAR EDITOR:
Recently, Lincolnview
Superintendent Jeff Snyder wrote an article (www.cleveland.com – see
link below) which highlighted the “benefits” of Blue Creek Wind Farm in
an attempt to create support for Dog Creek Wind Farm. I find Mr.
Snyder’s article misleading for the following reasons:
COST - Mr.
Snyder failed to mention that Blue Creek cost the American Taxpayer $172
million. He also failed to mention PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes)
which allows the owner, Iberdrola, to make payments that are
significantly less than the taxes they should be paying.
Google:
“Iberdrola tax subsidies” and one will find sites that refer to
Iberdrola as the “largest recipient” of U.S. federal grant and tax
credits in that it has received $2.1 billion from the American Taxpayer.
Other sites refer to Iberdrola as the biggest recipient of U.S.
“Corporate Welfare.”
HB190 – Mr. Snyder also supports HB190, which
if passed, would allow county commissioners to disregard current wind
turbine setback requirements and revert back to previous setbacks. State
Reps. Tim Brown and Tony Burkley co-sponsored HB190.
Mr. Snyder
failed to mention that the current setback law (Ohio Code 4906.20)
allows “All owners of property adjacent to the wind farm property waive
application of the setback to that property…” This means that property
owners can waive current setback requirements if they so choose. Passage
of HB190 would take this right away from property owners and give it to
county commissioners.
HB190 is bad for Ohio property owners and the American Taxpayer.
It’s
worth noting that I have left several voice mails for Rep. Burkley to
discuss his sponsorship of HB190. To date, he has not returned my calls.
Mark A. Wilson
Van Wert County resident
Link to Snyder’s article at Cleveland.com: cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/restore_ohio_wind_energy_provi.html