What's going on behind closed doors?

From Jeanne Riedel, Ellis County resident:

Why are Vernon Berens, Dennis Pfannenstiel and the wind proponents so against having a moratorium?

In Dana Kraus' letter he spoke of how wind moving up a slope increases speed and that the entire site has this slope which is good for building a wind complex. Would waiting a year to study the effects of wind turbines in Ellis County change the slope? I don't think so.

But if that is what the proponents of the wind complex are afraid of, then what good would it be to build one on the proposed site?

If waiting a year is going to change things, then that means this area isn't as good as they are leading people to believe.

Dana Kraus also said that wind resource has been researched for almost four years in this area. So would one more year really make any difference? What is the rush to push this through without a comprehensive plan for the county? What is the rush to possibly put people in danger? Why don't we research the information further in regard to the sound and health issues? Why do Berens, Pfannenstiel and the wind proponents want to sweep this under the rug like it doesn't exist? For the wind turbines not causing any problems, the compensation letter made mention of them and tried to put sugar-coating on our concerns.

Those of us who are against the wind complex have been made to feel like naughty children. We are supposed to sit back and let the proponents do whatever they like for the "good" of the county. I don't think this is in the best interest of the county and that is why I feel there should be a moratorium even though Vernon Berens rejects this idea.

My question is: Why? What is going on behind closed doors with this international corporation who is looking out for its own interests? Iberdrola doesn't care about the people of Ellis County. They only want the money they can make off of this project.

Iberdrola wants to buy our silence with the so-called compensation package. Does anyone else think it's odd that those compensation letters came out on the same day that the commissioners voted on the project? Also, The Hays Daily needs to get its facts straight. We don't have until Dec. 31 to sign the compensation package. We have until Oct. 5, and they need to be signed and postmarked on or before that date. If the project isn't approved by Dec. 31, then the compensation packages are null and void.

What do they have planned, a waiver perhaps?

I just don't understand why Berens, Pfannenstiel and the wind proponents don't want a moratorium. The people of Ellis County need to ask that question also. Could it be that they don't want people to find out that this wind complex isn't about saving the planet and that it really just boils down to dishonesty and greed? Interesting that there is just one letter difference between green and greed.

Submitted by:
Jeanne Riedel
1530 Yocemento Ave.
Hays, Kansas