Dear Editor, For a long time, I have been concerned over the health and safety of the rural residents who live near wind turbines.
There are numerous hazards that place people and animals at risk, including fire, infrasound, stray voltage, ice throws, lightning, blade disintegration, shadow flicker, light pollution, etc. Industrial scale solar will also present a variety of issues as well.
The wind turbines proposed in your county will be 600-650 feet tall and this is why people need to be aware of the potential health and safety risks of these massive structures. As these turbines get taller, the safety risks are greater and affect a larger area.
Unfortunately, the “renewables” energy industry is unwilling to admit to these hazards and they want to set the “safety parameters” themselves.
Just last week, all northeast Missouri wind turbines were taken offline after one collapsed in Schuyler County.
A blade on a turbine near Frankfort, Kan., came apart and spread sharp shards of the blade coating material onto the land surrounding the turbine, including the land of people who do not have the lease.
These shards of fiberglass material are dangerous and contaminated the land so that cattle cannot eat the grass safely. Who knows how much of this spread into water/streams nearby.
Wind companies will not admit that these hazards are a problem as it would actually force them to observe larger setback requirements and limit the number and siting of the turbines that are closer to other people’s homes and land.
There are already 3,979 turbines in Kansas. Our electric rates have soared as a result. Plus these things are not green energy! You see, those industrial wind turbines require electricity to run 100 percent of the time. And, the decommissioning costs alone will be $4 billion in today’s dollars. You will get stuck paying that bill … trust me on that one.
Kansas State Sen. Mike Thompson
