Major Meeting Next Week | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Stan:

    I hope that you and your family are enjoying the holiday season, and will have a healthy, prosperous New Year.

    On Thursday night (6 PM on January 2nd), there will be an important public hearing in the Crystal Coast Civic Center (Morehead City, near the Community College).

    To our knowledge, this is the largest venue ever proposed for a Carteret Commissioner public hearing. It was selected by the commissioners because they are offering all citizens the opportunity to speak on a critically important community issue  -  and they know that a LOT of people are concerned.

    This is very much of an unresolved matter so we need citizens to:

    1 - attend this meeting,

    2 - speak up (identifying who they are),

    3 - support the proposed 60 day County wind energy moratorium, and

    4 - endorse the Bullet Points.

    The purpose of the 60 day moratorium is to give the County adequate time to fix the deficiencies in their current Tall Structure Ordinance. Those are what the Bullet Points identify. Each of those addresses a legitimate concern, and is based on scientific research and/or common sense.

    FYI, the Town of Newport is working diligently to do just that. From what we have heard, the draft version of their updated wind law includes essentially ALL of the proposed Bullet Points. Kudos to them! The County should now do the same, so that there is parity between the two laws. [BTW the public hearing for Newport residents on their updated wind law is January 9th.]

    I know that many people are reluctant to get up at such an event, but you don't have to be a public speaker to just say something like:

    "My name is Janet Smith and I work at a local travel agency. I support the proposed 60-day wind moratorium, and urge the Commissioners to incorporate all of the Bullet Point fixes into their wind law."

    Use your own words, but that's all there is to it. (I'll be speaking as well.)

    Our understanding is that everyone will be given 3± minutes. If you want to expand on the basic suggestion above, that's up to you  -  but it is important to stay on topic. The meeting is about two issues:

    a) should there be a wind moratorium? and

    b) what changes should be made during that time to the County's wind law?

    For some other ideas to bolster your position, please read the citizens' case which I presented to the state level meeting last week. Our webpage also has a lot of good information, like the handout (which has been updated).

    Even if the Mill Pond project throws in the towel tomorrow, we still need to fix the County's ordinance, ASAP. Another wind project could suddenly appear, and we need to be better prepared.

    This is an issue of statewide importance, which is why it is getting high level attention. But whether they appreciate it or not in Raleigh, this is a very significant matter to NC coastal taxpayers, ratepayers, businesses, environment, and the military.

    We expect that there will be some well-intentioned people who will speak in favor of the proposed Mill Pond project, and we will respectfully listen to their opinions. However, this meeting is not a referendum on wind energy.

    Rather this is a discussion as to whether County Commissioners will enact legislation that protects citizens, existing businesses, the environment and the military from many of the scientifically proven adverse consequences of industrial wind energy.

    Please pass this onto ALL of your local contacts lists, both personal and business.

    It is only through your excellent support that we have accomplished a lot in a very short time. Thank you!

    Let me know any questions.


    John Droz, jr.
      physicist & environmental advocate