About.We are a network of volunteers across Indiana who are or have fought industrial wind turbine installations in our rural communities. We believe in the power of education. We understand the detriments of wind energy to the environment, economy and social fabric of Indiana communities.
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Established in 2018We are "paying it forward" in rural Indiana communities by sharing our knowledge and resources with others fighting multi-national wind energy companies invading our local communities. We have collectively spent thousands of hours researching wind energy issues and are uniting communities across Indiana in opposition to wind projects stealing our health, safety, property value, property rights, and well-being.
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Our GoalIf you are fighting a wind energy company, they likely have been in your community unbeknownst to most residents getting wind leases signed for a long time, possibly years. Because wind leases almost always have a confidentiality clause in the legally-binding wind lease contract that is signed, the landowner is bound by the contract to keep the information in the lease and even the existence of the lease a secret from friends and neighbors. It's imperative that concerned citizens organize as soon they "catch wind" of a potential project in their area. We advocate for the protection of rural Hoosiers' property and rights regarding wind energy installations.
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Why We Oppose Wind Energy Projects in Indiana
Why not wind? Simply put, we are too populated for a wind project in Indiana for wind turbines to be safely sited without negative impacts.
1. The “unsafe zone” around industrial wind turbines will trespass onto non-participant neighbors’ properties and can place homes in the “do not linger” zone around an industrial wind turbine. Current setbacks to homes are unsafe and the ordinance should be changed. The unsafe zone around a wind turbine is, at a minimum, 1,640 feet. Many counties' current zoning ordinances copied from the White/Benton County model place homes in the unsafe zone.
2. Setbacks for industrial wind turbines should always be measured to property lines, never to a home. We will not be allowed to build on our own property between our homes and a wind turbine because setbacks are to homes instead of property lines. We paid for our property, pay the property taxes on that land and should be able to use all of it.
3. The uncompensated taking of land as safety easements for the wind company constitutes the taking of non-participants’ property and rights.
4. Wind projects will negatively impact neighboring non-participants’ property values. https://www.wind-watch.org/docviewer.php…
http://pweb.westelcom.com/brvmug/WindPower/REValues.pdf
5. Increased noise levels for residents and the high possibility of chronic sleep loss, headaches, tinnitus, vertigo and other negative health impacts for children, families, and the elderly. Many residents will also experience shadow flicker in their homes and on their property. http://wiseenergy.org/…/Health/Sample_Wind_Noise_Studies.pdf
6. Some wind turbine projects are proposed for parts of Indiana that are our United States military's practice area used for pilot training (low fly zone), which has been in operation since 1950. Obstructions should not be permitted in these areas because of interference with military practice operations, making this a matter of national security. Two wind projects being developed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES) named the White Post Wind Project and Harvest Wind Project are located in the Indiana Air National Guard 122nd Fighter Wing’s primary flight training area. The loss of this practice area will drive them to access other areas much further away from their base and result in more transit to and from flight training. The loss of this training area could result in the loss of jobs in northern Indiana if the base is compromised as a result of the loss of its military operations practice area.
7. The safety of private pilots and agriculture applicator aviators are compromised by the presence of industrial wind turbines.
8. The ability for rescue helicopters to reach accident victims in the project is diminished by wind turbine projects.
9. Wind energy projects are harmful to large populations of birds and bats. Endangered species are most at risk, as well as raptors, owls and American bald eagles. Wind energy advocates will say that cars kill more birds than wind turbines, but it is not the common sparrow that is most at risk with wind energy projects, it is the bats and raptors whose populations stand to be decimated by wind turbines.
www.fort.usgs.gov/…/…/publications/23069a/23069a.pdf
Wind projects have a negative impact on our growing American bald eagle population. There are also concerns regarding the White Post Wind Project and the wildlife in Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area, including the endangered whooping crane and sandhill cranes.
https://www.chron.com/…/Wind-power-takes-precedence-over-pr…
Wind energy advocates will say more cars and cats kill birds than wind turbines, but why kill more birds when it can be avoided? Cats don't typically kill eagles, whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, hawks and owls, but wind turbines do. https://www.cfact.org/…/wind-turbines-kill-up-to-39-millio…/
https://www.wind-watch.org/…/four-reasons-why-its-a-bad-ar…/
10. Wind turbines will visually degrade the land and even after decommissioning, large amounts of concrete and rebar will be left in the soil.
11. Hunting and fishing opportunities may be disrupted because the sound and vibration from wind turbines are known to drive away wildlife. http://wiseenergy.org/Energy/Wind&Hunting.pdf
12. There are serious concerns regarding stray voltage and infrasound negatively impacting livestock including documented cases of stillbirth and reduced milk production in dairy cows.
13. It is highly doubtful wind projects will bring the number of jobs promised as several developers operating in Indiana are known to bring in their own out-of-state crews. http://www.nydailynews.com/…/union-members-protest-hiring-o…
14. It is widely believed that wind energy projects have caused water wells to become turbid in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, and the vibrations caused by wind tower construction near homes is known to cause damage to wells. Access to clean, safe, drinkable water for families cannot be allowed to be compromised. RES built this project for Samsung/Pattern: http://www.cbc.ca/…/water-wells-contaminated-ministry-envir…
Fulton County very recently stopped the wind project proposed by RES. Hear what a citizen in their Property Rights group has to say about wind turbines in Indiana. Click the link here to watch the video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rcqw69XlU&t=1s
15. Wind turbine blades are being buried in landfills, even in Indiana. The evidence is quickly being covered up and buried. Huge wind turbine blades are not recyclable. The end life of a wind turbine is another environmental problem wind energy advocates overlook.
1. The “unsafe zone” around industrial wind turbines will trespass onto non-participant neighbors’ properties and can place homes in the “do not linger” zone around an industrial wind turbine. Current setbacks to homes are unsafe and the ordinance should be changed. The unsafe zone around a wind turbine is, at a minimum, 1,640 feet. Many counties' current zoning ordinances copied from the White/Benton County model place homes in the unsafe zone.
2. Setbacks for industrial wind turbines should always be measured to property lines, never to a home. We will not be allowed to build on our own property between our homes and a wind turbine because setbacks are to homes instead of property lines. We paid for our property, pay the property taxes on that land and should be able to use all of it.
3. The uncompensated taking of land as safety easements for the wind company constitutes the taking of non-participants’ property and rights.
4. Wind projects will negatively impact neighboring non-participants’ property values. https://www.wind-watch.org/docviewer.php…
http://pweb.westelcom.com/brvmug/WindPower/REValues.pdf
5. Increased noise levels for residents and the high possibility of chronic sleep loss, headaches, tinnitus, vertigo and other negative health impacts for children, families, and the elderly. Many residents will also experience shadow flicker in their homes and on their property. http://wiseenergy.org/…/Health/Sample_Wind_Noise_Studies.pdf
6. Some wind turbine projects are proposed for parts of Indiana that are our United States military's practice area used for pilot training (low fly zone), which has been in operation since 1950. Obstructions should not be permitted in these areas because of interference with military practice operations, making this a matter of national security. Two wind projects being developed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES) named the White Post Wind Project and Harvest Wind Project are located in the Indiana Air National Guard 122nd Fighter Wing’s primary flight training area. The loss of this practice area will drive them to access other areas much further away from their base and result in more transit to and from flight training. The loss of this training area could result in the loss of jobs in northern Indiana if the base is compromised as a result of the loss of its military operations practice area.
7. The safety of private pilots and agriculture applicator aviators are compromised by the presence of industrial wind turbines.
8. The ability for rescue helicopters to reach accident victims in the project is diminished by wind turbine projects.
9. Wind energy projects are harmful to large populations of birds and bats. Endangered species are most at risk, as well as raptors, owls and American bald eagles. Wind energy advocates will say that cars kill more birds than wind turbines, but it is not the common sparrow that is most at risk with wind energy projects, it is the bats and raptors whose populations stand to be decimated by wind turbines.
www.fort.usgs.gov/…/…/publications/23069a/23069a.pdf
Wind projects have a negative impact on our growing American bald eagle population. There are also concerns regarding the White Post Wind Project and the wildlife in Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area, including the endangered whooping crane and sandhill cranes.
https://www.chron.com/…/Wind-power-takes-precedence-over-pr…
Wind energy advocates will say more cars and cats kill birds than wind turbines, but why kill more birds when it can be avoided? Cats don't typically kill eagles, whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, hawks and owls, but wind turbines do. https://www.cfact.org/…/wind-turbines-kill-up-to-39-millio…/
https://www.wind-watch.org/…/four-reasons-why-its-a-bad-ar…/
10. Wind turbines will visually degrade the land and even after decommissioning, large amounts of concrete and rebar will be left in the soil.
11. Hunting and fishing opportunities may be disrupted because the sound and vibration from wind turbines are known to drive away wildlife. http://wiseenergy.org/Energy/Wind&Hunting.pdf
12. There are serious concerns regarding stray voltage and infrasound negatively impacting livestock including documented cases of stillbirth and reduced milk production in dairy cows.
13. It is highly doubtful wind projects will bring the number of jobs promised as several developers operating in Indiana are known to bring in their own out-of-state crews. http://www.nydailynews.com/…/union-members-protest-hiring-o…
14. It is widely believed that wind energy projects have caused water wells to become turbid in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, and the vibrations caused by wind tower construction near homes is known to cause damage to wells. Access to clean, safe, drinkable water for families cannot be allowed to be compromised. RES built this project for Samsung/Pattern: http://www.cbc.ca/…/water-wells-contaminated-ministry-envir…
Fulton County very recently stopped the wind project proposed by RES. Hear what a citizen in their Property Rights group has to say about wind turbines in Indiana. Click the link here to watch the video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rcqw69XlU&t=1s
15. Wind turbine blades are being buried in landfills, even in Indiana. The evidence is quickly being covered up and buried. Huge wind turbine blades are not recyclable. The end life of a wind turbine is another environmental problem wind energy advocates overlook.