Town Meeting, Saturday, March 10, 2012

Vote NO on  Article 44 which would Eliminate Wind Turbines in Duxbury
 
Article 44 Amend Wind Turbine Bylaw
 
This article contains amendments to Duxbury’s current wind turbine bylaw. A small group of citizens are seeking through Article 44 to overturn the wind bylaw that was passed unanimously at Town Meeting 2 years ago. The amendments would render the bylaw obsolete. For example, the amendments would change the distance required between a community size wind turbine and the nearest property line to become 15 times the height of the turbine. Current setback is 1.2 times. There is no lot in Duxbury large enough to meet a 15x requirement. The amendments would also change the maximum height of a turbine from the current 250 to 225 feet. Any turbine below 250 would not take advantage of the best wind higher up and thus would not be economically feasible. The Mass. Department of Energy Resources reviewed this article saying that the amendment “appears to not provide any opportunity for wind development to occur.” Neither the Board of Selectmen nor the Planning Board voted to support the article. In fact, the town lawyer thinks it may not be legal and is likely to be overturned by the Mass. Attorney General if approved.
 
Duxbury is signing 10 and 20 year contracts for solar power so there are no plans for a community wind turbine at this time. The Alternative Energy Committee is against this article and recommends waiting until a wind turbine is again under consideration to update the bylaw. At that time, it will make sense to review the bylaw in light of advances in technology and experience in siting community size turbines.
 
If Duxbury votes to eliminate the possibility of wind turbines, it will be making a clear anti-environment, anti-wind statement. Is that the message we want to send our neighbors and our youth?