L’Anse and Wind Power

L’Anse has the chance to lead in the battle to save the planet. In the Army we used to say, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way!” The Summit Lake Wind Farm plans to plant wind towers to harvest clean wind energy.  Support for the small wind project east of L’Anse may mean that the U.P. will be, not a roadblock, nor a follower, but a leader in clean power generation.

As I write, the climate zones are marching north at 3.8 feet per day. Animals that can keep up will survive if their can move fast, and if the plants they depend on can keep up. Unfortunately, iconic beasts like the moose are the hardest pressed since they thrive in cold climates. My favorite bird, the loon, is projected by the Audubon Society to nest only near Hudson Bay or north by the 2080.

Deluges, floods, forest fires, and deadly heat waves are in the rucksack of climate change as it marches north. The only known way to slow the march of pollution is to cease burning coal and eventually gas. Rather than penalize fossil fuel production, we subsidize it. Fossil fuel subsidies cost humanity tens of millions of dollars per minute in lost government revenues not to mention many more millions in health care costs, plus the enormous costs of our heroic responses to natural disasters made worse  by weather pumped up on carbon dioxide steroids.

The citizens of L’Anse can become more energy secure, resilient, and independent. The supply lines that bring us coal from Wyoming or gas from North Dakota are all vulnerable to terrorists, social upheaval, and natural disasters.  Energy, locally harvested like solar, wood chips, hydroelectric, and wind rely only on the work ethic and enterprise of local citizens. (We have these!)

Are there downsides? There always are. But, be careful when you read the work of naysayers.  For instance, I have researched articles back to denier organizations who harbor hidden agendas.  The key is to find out who funds these writers for hire. If these organizations do not disclose their corporate or foundation funders, then they are often funded by dark money.  Read, the book “Dark Money” to better understand how we are manipulated.

Birds are often used in anti-wind turbine propaganda. I am a long-time member of the Audubon Society, so birds are close to my heart. Modern wind turbines with cone shaped supports and slow blade are much less of a threat than the old lattice supports and fast blades. Lattice is a great place to land or nest and fast blades are invisible. Luckily, these are no longer built. And, importantly, wind-turbine placement is included in bird friendly environmental impact studies. *

As I have written in previous articles, if a wind turbine goes up, at its top is an electrical generator made of copper. Each wind turbine put on order raises the demand for copper and make new mines economically viable. Additionally, energy created in our state is energy we do not have to buy. Texas knows the economic value of energy more than any other state. So, is it any surprise that Texas has more wind turbines than any other state?

Citizens of L’Anse, I encourage you to do your research. Let’s hope that the Summit Lake Wind Farm passes muster so you can be an energy, climate, and environmental leader the rest of us can look up to.

*If you really want to save a bird I recommend upgrading the habitat on your property for birds focusing on native plants, or act to make your windows less of threat, and/or keep your house cat in the house.  And finally, join a bird friendly environmental organization.