HomeMy WebLinkAbout01032012 Energy Study Committee MinutesDRAFT Minutes for meeting on January 3, 2012, 5PM, 2 Fairgrounds Road
Next scheduled regular monthly meeting is on January 5, 2012, 5PM, 2 Fairgrounds Road
The meeting was called to order by Acting Chair Whitey Willauer at 5:00PM. In attendance were commit-
tee members Whitey Willauer, Ian Golding, Chris Magee, H. Flint Ranney, John Stover, and Ken Black-
shaw; absent were Anne Kuzspa, Peter Morrison, and Zachary Dusseau. Also present were the Town’s
Alternative Energy Outreach Coordinator Lauren Sinatra, Selectmen Rick Atherton and Bob DeCosta,
Barbara Gookin, Jason Graziadei from the Inquirer and Mirror, Geno Geng videotaping the meeting, and
about 20 interested members of Common Sense Nantucket, the Madaket Homeowners Association, and
other members of the public including Dan Knise, Jim Aylward, David Worth, and Tobias Glidden.
The Agenda consisted of continued discussion of the Common Sense Nantucket information booklet for
the Board of Selectmen, dated December 28, 2011, with NESC responses.
Madaket residents disagree with many points developed by NESC and our consultants, particularly re-
garding noise and health issues surrounding wind turbines, the perceived lack of “worst case” analysis in
our pro-forma (what happens if electric rates do not rise as predicted, what if operation and maintenance
costs are greater than predicted, etc.). Several people asked if there will be any guarantees that land fill
workers will not suffer from proximity to the noise or other effects from the wind turbine, or any guaran-
tees that wild life will not be hurt, or that insurance will cover all potential eventualities, or that the tur-
bine will indeed operate for 20 years.
Charles Stott reported that a Madaket Homeowners Association newsletter query showed that 80% of
responders were opposed to this project and the directors voted against it as well.
David Worth agreed to provide Rutgers University references to the “ice throw” question, stating that
the potential throw distance from this turbine is much farther than our consultants have predicted. Other
opponents stated that there should be more study of all aspects of this project, that NESC has not gone far
enough with due diligence, that there is a possibility of fire or explosion at the turbine that the fire depart-
ment could not handle, that there is a potential for lawsuits against the Town, that the pro forma is too
rosy, that if a single person might be harmed the project should not go forward, or that the entire project is
too risky and should be postponed for further study for the good of Nantucket.
Two people commented that we should be thinking of the world energy situation, with coal and oil de-
pendency causing more long term environmental damage than wind turbines.
After the discussion it was agreed that NESC would be open to receiving any new information, and Ma-
daket residents’ opposition to the proposed wind turbine project would continue to the BOS meeting on
January 4, 2012.
Meeting adjourned at 6:55PM.
Respectfully submitted,
DRAFT
H. Flint Ranney, Secretary
Nantucket Energy Study Committeehttp://www.ackenergy.organd on Facebook