Talk around town is that serious questions have been raised about an absolutely immense wind turbine project that's been proposed for installation at the top of Galbraith Mountain.   This mega-machine so far exceeds the County's recently enacted standards it requires a conditional use permit.   WE checked out the turbine specs, and learned that - yes indeed (see the particulars) - this has a 100 meter rotor diameter, that's 328 feet.

With all the outcry from our local eco-elite alarmists about retaining the county's scenic beauty, habitat, and rural character, in uber-green style most want to turn a totally blind eye away from this project's impacts, which would be many.

This machine will make an incredible amount of noise (the specs say 106 decibels) when it runs - well beyond safe limits.   And there's no question that this will slaughter birds like crazy for years if it's built.   At three times the height of Bellingham Towers it will need to have have aircraft warning lights.   So much for the Galbraith Mountain skyline, aesthetics, etc.    The foundation and earthwork will be significant, at a location right between the Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish watersheds.   These turbines are notorious for leaking oil, among other environmental impacts.   So much for watershed protection.   At a minimum, a very big buffer (perhaps 1000 feet) should be required around the thing.   Imagine how far a broken blade would fly (they weigh tons), and there's that pesky noise issue.

To top it off, this wind turbine will require a tremendous amount of cash subsidy.   WE reported last fall how much power bills are already grossly inflated to stuff the pockets of windpower outfits.   This "industry" has been a gold-rush, unrestrained by reality.  Turbines don't turn all the time, and cost-benefit runs to the "highly inefficient end of the scale" almost everywhere.   WE have never been "NIMBY" types, but this looks like a one-way cash cow of the worst kind.

WE suggest you read this position paper written by a local citizen.   And here's a link to a petition you can print and circulate among others if you'd like to get involved.   Opposing a bad idea takes a lot of courage in these parts.

According to The Bellingham Herald,

An anonymous donor and a local nonprofit will pay the Mount Baker School District $500,000 if Whatcom County takes control of 8,700 acres in the Lake Whatcom watershed, a move that would reduce revenue to the district. (Continue reading...)

The City of Bellingham has been pushing for this plan for a couple of years.   This will effectively shut down all development and logging, and turn this enormous parcel of Department of Natural Resources land into a county park.  The major questions have always been:

1.      Do we actually need that much more park, along with the cost to maintain it? The land is providing revenue at the moment.

2.      Is this really supposed to “fix” Lake Whatcom (dubious science from the get-go)?

3.      Is there an anti-logging element?   If so, that strains the County Charter. 

4.      How does a one-time donation to the school district (even half a million dollars), cover the long term loss of logging revenue to the district?

5.      Why has the Land Trust been so involved (negotiating with the school district for the County?), and will this private organization stand to gain assets if this goes through?   They do have a record of “sharing” easements and property with Parks.

WE hope there are still opportunities for these questions to be raised in public hearings.

Will there even BE public hearings?   A lot of bills arrive at Council without them lately, have you noticed?

Contributed by GEMINI 1

       Is the proposed Padden Trails development just another City of Bellingham issue involving an “evil developer’s” request for a rezone, or is it a symptom of something larger?  Hardly a day passes without reminders of the anti-growth attitudes which continue to influence local policy-making, depressing wages and economic opportunity here in the Fourth Corner.  This pervasive syndrome’s latest manifestation surfaced as Bellingham City Council held a March 26 work session to consider the proposed Padden Trails project.

     Bellingham’s Planning Commission and planning staff recommended Council’s approval of the proposal which would provide for projected population growth and permit increased density within Bellingham City Limits as required by the state’s Growth Management Act.  If you think the planning-obsessed, command-and-control socialists who comprise the City Council would favor such a proposal, you would be seriously mistaken.  These same hypocrites and their leftist friends support Futurewise’s lawsuits against Whatcom County in protest of too much ill-defined “rural sprawl” consuming agricultural land and open space.  They continuously complain about degradation of Lake Whatcom’s drinking water and have favored measures such as banning boats from the lake.

     When tangible Council action could be taken to address such concerns by providing for greater housing diversity and affordability within Bellingham , these “leaders” are nowhere to be found, and the anti-growth syndrome is once again on full display.

Here's to the folks in San Juan County who continue to raise questions and resistance to the "at all costs" action underway by the Obama Administration to designate "Natural Conservation Areas" (NCAs) of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land throughout the islands.   Salazar (the head of BLM) and Obama are so hot to trot they're toying with the idea of doing an end-run around Congress and making all these places "national monuments" by presidential decree at the stroke of a pen, using the Antiquities Act.

Regular readers will recall that the WE raised alarm when three parcels in Whatcom County were added to the list by a County Council resolution last August.    Our concerns seem to be proving out.   Congress - the Natural Resources Committee - questioned not only the itent of this scheme, but the way it's been rammed down the nation's throat.   See the committee webpage questioning transparency - it's illuminating.    There's a video below that frames the big push.

Although NCA designation was sold as sunshine and featured as a part of Obama's "America's Great Outdoors" initiative promising to make federal lands more accessible, the Wildnerness Society  has been pressing BLM to make these parcels "Areas of Critical Environmental Concern" [ACECs].    Management plans are already being formulated that call for long-term lock down and uber-management of the whole region.   That was always their real goal.   Over-regulation is already crushing decent residents.   Have you seen the Charles Dalton story?

A citizen e-mail circulating in the Islands that we just received summarizes the situation:

"1)  Senators Cantwell, and Murray and Representatives Larsen and Inslee have bills before Congress that would designate the San Juan BLM Lands as National Conservation Areas.  In his opinion, the language in those bills would be preferable to an Executive Order, unless the language in the bills mirrored that in the bills.  It is more than unlikely that these bills will get to the floor this year.  

2)  The second way the BLM Lands will be "reidentified" is by an Executive Order by the President into a National Monument.

To further complicate these issues a ACEC Designation = Areas of Critical Environmental Concern could/would be imposed.  In Oregon, groups are fighting to keep National Parks open to the public."

We had a bad feeling this would be "bait and switch."   Pulling the "National Monument" maneuver to evade Congressional approval is nothing short of a dirty trick (using the Antiquities Act).

WE think it's a good idea to fax continuing concerns to Congressman Doc Hastings who's on the Natural Resources Committee at (202) 225-3251 [his voice line is (202) 225-5816].    And it's not too late to write or e-mail the San Juan County Council, though by all accounts they're ready to swing their rubber stamp of approval on this in just two days, on April 3rd.

San Juan County Council
350 Court St #1
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-2898     Fax (360) 378-7208      council@sanjuanco.com

P.S.     Federal lock-down of public lands is a growing problem, not just in wilderness or conservation areas, but everywhere - including national forests and national parks.   The road closure plan for Oregon's largest national forest targets a nearly 4,000-mile network - the final plan for Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is already drawing opposition:

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/03/road_closure_plan_for_oregons.html

The final plan for Wallowa-Whitman National Forest http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman/

Travel Management Plan Decision http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wallowa-whitman/landmanagement/projects/?cid=fsbdev7_008909