Medal of Merit winner speaks out on wind farms

SooToday.com has received the following copy of a letter sent to Sault MP Tony Martin by Kathleen Brosemer, who was recognized as a 2002 Sault Ste. Marie Medal of Merit winner for her involvement with Clean North.

In a covering note to us, Brosemer notes: "I wouldn't have made it public before he [Martin] responded, ordinarily, but that group is meeting again soon and I don't wish to wait."

************************* Hi Tony, I note with dismay there is a group getting together to oppose wind power development along Lake Superior's shoreline north of the Sault. I am working with the Sault Tribe, leading their environment department, and have become aware of similar nimby groups in Michigan opposing onshore and offshore wind energy projects.

I see this as an environmental justice issue. Wind energy has the lowest environmental impacts of any electrical energy production.

The energy used in manufacture and construction is paid back within the first nine months of operation, after that it is producing greenhouse-gas-free electricity.

No other source, not even nuclear, can claim that.

The footprint of land-based production enables farmers and forest landowners to keep the majority of their land in these environmentally beneficial uses, providing an income that supplements agriculture and prevents land conversion.

All major environmental organizations that have studied the environmental impacts heartily endorse wind power development. References can be found here. Even the visual impact of night lighting for wind towers has been alleviated, since the Prince installations.

The U.S. FAA has approved a new lighting design that senses when an aircraft is within five miles and turns on the lighting at that time, allowing the lights to remain off for most or all night in remote areas. We are facing an unprecedented worldwide threat from global warming. Arguably, people are at this very moment suffering and dying because of the impacts already happening (Pakistan's floods, disease outbreaks, drought, etc.).

I have just returned from an EPA Tribal Summit in Alaska, where I heard about tribal villages washing into the sea, permafrost melting and destroying community sewage systems, etc. Our economic activities have created this problem.

Its first and worst impacts are on people who largely have not benefited from the economic activity that has made some societies relatively rich.

We who live on the shore of the largest and cleanest freshwater supply in the world are more sheltered from the effects of global climate change and so far have avoided that suffering.

We are among the most fortunate people on earth. It is appalling that there are those among us who object to even a visual impact.

I find this to be a horribly selfish stand to take, whilst we benefit from the economic system that is creating so much suffering elsewhere. I hope that you will distance yourself from this position. Sincerely, - Kathie Brosemer p.s. - You have my permission to share this letter.

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