It Only Takes One

I am a NIMBY Obstructionist and I'm not afraid to say so. My husband and I lost our home to wind 8 1/2 years ago and I don't want to loose my property value, peace and quiet, health, and my "little piece of heaven" to wind again.

On October 16, 1998 at a little after seven that Friday evening our home was destroyed by a tornado. My husband, two children, and I were fine. We took cover in a small shelter under our garage. Coming out of that shelter to see your home completely destroyed is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. You realize this just doesn't happen to people on television. You are that person on television.

I didn't have any control over the wind from the tornado back in October of 1998 when it destroyed by home, bit I can fight with everything I can think of to stop this proposed industrial wind complex from destroying my property value, peace and quiet, health, and "my little piece of heaven."

I do not want them in my back yard. These enormous wind turbines don't belong in anyone's back yard. There are many areas in western Kansas where they can be placed without being in someone's back yard.

Along with the concerns about property value, noise, and health, I also have another big concern. What would happen if a tornado hit one of these wind turbines. We've hardly ever had a tornado around here you might say, bit it only takes one. I know. Tornadoes are rare in October, but they happen. I know.

We lived in a double wide put down on a foundation. Two metal I-beams 60 feet long were placed in the foundation and our home was placed on top of these two I-beams and strapped down. After the tornado the only thing left of our home was the concrete foundation. Where were the two I-beams? One was mangled and lying next to Highway 40.

Where was the other one? The other 60-foot I-beam pierced our neighbors home hitting their living room. These were two 60-foot I-beams two feet off the ground. The wind carried one about a quarter of a mile from our place to Highway 40.

My greatest fear is what would happen if a tornado hit one or more of the 140 wind turbines proposed for our area. How far would a 150-foot blade travel that is almost 400 feet in the air? What would it pierce?

The tornado that destroyed our home came from the southwest. do you realize how many wind turbines would have been in the path of that tornado if there would have been an industrial wind complex in this area back then? I shudder to think of that scenario.

There are so many homes in the proposed complex area and to be just a few miles from hays one never knows what might happen. This is not necessary. Maybe the zoning board, county commissioners, and the paper should investigate this aspect.

Do you really want to take a chance and find out after a tornado hits a wind turbine? For me, I am a NIMBY and I don't want to find out the hard way. It only takes one.

Jeanne Riedel
Hays, KS

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