The mission of Citizens for Responsible Wind Power is to ensure that industrial windpower complexes do not adversely affect citizens, local communities, and the public. This includes adverse effects or impacts on the local economy, cultural resources, scenic viewsheds, wildlife habitat, public lands, and sensitive natural environments that may result from siting, construction, and operation of such facilities.
If you live near Backbone Mountain or have traveled to the area, you have seen the forty-four turbines that now disfigure the mountain's beautiful ridgeline. As distressing as that is, it is even more disconcerting to learn that more wind power plants-with even taller turbines-are being planned. There are currently seven proposed wind power plants, which will cover the graceful mountains that surround our West Virginia and Maryland communities with nearly 600 turbines.
These facilities have very limited capacity to generate electricity, and the power they produce is inefficient. They would not be financially viable without numerous federal and state tax subsidies. In addition, very little thought has been given to how these facilities will harm us financially, including a decline in our property values and how they effect tourism and second home development which are essential to our local economies. Our communities have sacrificed themselves to meet the country's energy demands for more than a century. It's time for us to say enough!
Since 2002, Friends of the Allegheny Front and Friends of Blackwater have worked hard to prevent the construction of wind power plants in our communities. This effort has been very difficult, but we have had several successes. The wind power plant project proposed by Dominion has been abandoned. The NedPower plant in Grant County was delayed, modified to exclude the southern section, and is currently being appealed to the West Virginia Supreme Court.
In March 2004, we formed Citizens for Responsible Wind Power. This coalition of organizations, businesses and individuals is working with environmental experts, legal professionals and public relations consultants to help people and elected officials better understand the need to develop enforceable siting criteria that will protect natural and cultural resources, scenic vistas and local economies.
These organizations have joined us in our quest for responsible wind power. Their websites have some information about wind power, plus a range of other (mostly environmental) issues that they are concerned with.
Friends of the Allegheny Front is a group of landowners and farmers in West Virginia's Grant and Tucker Counties don't want to see the 3,000 and 4,000 foot mountains of the Allegheny Front, our eastern continental divide, be an energy sacrifice zone-either to stripmined coal or to carelessly built windmills.
Friends of Beautiful Pendleton County is a new organization that is devoted to their mission: to preserve our rich heritage, protect the priceless natural environment, and ensure that citizens receive responsible, factual information.
Friends of Blackwater's mission is to protect the West Virginia Highlands, the Blackwater River watershed, the Blackwater Canyon...West Virginia's Crown Jewel.
Friends of Backbone Mountain has joined with us to protect our scenic resources. You may contact them at:
Friends of Backbone Mountain
PO Box 2202
Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550
Friends of Highland County showcases issues and concerns for wind turbines in Highland County, Virginia.
Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy was formed Sept 2005 in response to concerns about a proposal by Invenergy LLC to install 133 wind turbines on the highest ridges in beautiful Greenbrier County, WV. MCRE believes this project would have a serious negative impact on the local economy, wildlife and citizens of the area.
Save Crystal Lake is a a website devoted to the preservation of the Arbutus Peak/Crystal Lake Property in Northeastern Pennylvania.
Stewards of the Potomac Highlands is a nonprofit citizens group aiming to preserve open spaces, forests, farmland, rural communities and towns and foster stewardship of the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. They promote ways to make a living in our area without destroying our air, soil, water, wildlife, and scenery. They encourage community and transportation planning for sustainable economic development which will protect the environment, discourage sprawl, and support family and community cohesion, local business, local history, and culture.
Friends of the Appalachian Highlands, in Meyersdale, PA, is opposed to a wind power project on a 2-mile long swath of ridgetop near Meyersdale. They believe that the erection of turbines and operation of the facility pose an immediate threat to an endangered species, the Indiana bat. They may be contacted at:
Friends of Appalachian Highlands
561 Ridge Rd.
Meyersdale, PA 15552
Friends of Highland County has joined with us to protect our scenic resources. You may contact them at:
Friends of Highland County
HC 2 Box 141
Hightown, VA 24465
Wisconsin Independent Citizens Opposing Windturbine Sites was formed by a concerned group of citizens to protect the health, safety and well-being of all citizens in regards to the proposed 474 foot tall, 49-turbine Twin Creeks Wind Farm which is proposed for the Townships of Mishicot, Two Creeks and Two Rivers in Wisconsin.