Giant Wind Farms

North Central Oregon

SIGN UP for ODOE E-Mails on "Brush Canyon"

Receive ODOE Project Updates by emai go to: Gov Delivery - Allows you to sign up to receive notices and emails about this project.

CITIZEN COMMENTS:

From CODY FLECKER, Viet Nam Veteran Antelope Home Owner

Those of us who live in the historic towns of Antelope and Shaniko will be raped of our pristine living environment once these wind turbines are established.

 The countryside that exists between the Columbia River and the Antelope boundary is virgin territory that compliments the small towns and cities in Sherman and Wasco County, in that this area is free from all of the negative effects that exist in larger cities.

 It is still possible to see rural life as it existed 100 years ago today as we drive around the countryside. Farmers cultivating their land and cowboys tending their cattle.

 Coming from a very large city, I still marvel at rural Oregon, untouched, pristine, and original.

 Now we are faced with a new phenomenon called the Wind Turbine.

The turbine may make power out of the wind, but its effect will neither produce any power for the area in question, nor feed the coffers of the local treasuries. It will be a blight to look at unless looking at a turbine truly turns you on, and more importantly it may produce more pollution and destruction in its initial production and perhaps additional pollution in its implementation.

 All that wind power stoking up more dust into the air can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from COPD, of which I am one of.

 The bottom line is simple. Why allow our countryside to be spoiled perhaps forever by an ugly grotesque wind turbine that will have a negative effect in our respective towns? Why create a health hazard in our communities?

 Finally, why spoil our pristine environment, our beautiful landscape with these really ugly turbines that will leave a negative imprint wherever they finally find their ultimate destination.

Cody Flecker

Antelope Oregon.

---

 

Another foreign company with a seat on AWEA’s board: Spanish utility Iberdrola, the second-largest domestic wind operator. But in 2010, Iberdrola produced about 3 times as much electricity from hydrocarbons as it did from wind. Nevertheless, the company has collected $1 billion in section 1603 money. To put that $1 billion in context, consider that in 2010, Iberdrola’s net profit was about 2.8 billion Euros, or around $3.9 billion. Thus, US taxpayers have recently provided cash grants to Iberdrola that amount to about one-fourth of the company’s 2010 profits. And again, none of that grant money is subject to US corporate income taxes. Iberdrola currently sports a market cap of $39 billion.

 Germany 2-14-12

 England 1-9-12

 Wind power is 'crippling expensive' and preventing the UK from effectively reducing carbon emissions, says a new report.

 

---

11-20-08

United Kingdom INDIE MEDIA

Climate Change Activists Occupy EONs Coventry Headquarters

 

E.ON Climate Criminal – Who's Laughing Now

 

On the afternoon of November 10th, climate change activists’ occupied EONs Coventry headquarters in protest against plans to renew Kingsnorth coal fired power station. Activists' entered the building at around 2.30pm and conducted a noise protest for around 45 minutes, causing work to be severely disrupted. There was a direct confrontation with EON management when they attended the scene of the protest. A separate team simultaneously attempted to scale the outside of the building and drop a banner from the roof reading 'no new coal'. Unfortunately, one activist fell during the climb and broke his ankle, leading to the banner drop being aborted. Four activists were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Two were released without charge, and two have been bailed without charge until late November.
EON was specifically targeted because their plan to build Kingsnorth severely undermines efforts to fight climate change.

 

https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/birmingham/2008/11/413220.html?c=on#c208230

 

May 9, 2012 Vermont The Chronicle Rally unites opposition to wind turbines on both sides of the border

 

DERBY LINE — About 70 people gathered outside the historic Haskell Free Library and Opera House on Sunday to voice their opposition to a proposal to erect two wind turbines on farms in Derby.

Such statements imply the complicity of governments in the promotion of wind turbine development in North America and elsewhere, Mr. McMurtry said. If they judged cigarettes by the same standard as wind turbines, they would tell us it is okay to smoke, he said.

"Adverse health effects do exist," Mr. McMurtry said. "There are people being damaged. The issue has not been dealt with responsibly by governments." ...

Permitting the wind turbines to go up in Derby would only be the first step in an inevitable proliferation of towers, Mr. Duchamp said." It is very easy once there are three to have many more," he said. "It starts with three and then there are 30, then there are 60. When the resistance of the people is broken they install more."

http://www.bartonchronicle.com/index.php/wind-power-general/rally-unites-opposition-to-wind-turbines-on-both-sides-of-the-border.html

UPDATE 5/1/13

After basically a year and a half of dormancy the EON Brush Canyon revised application was filed with the Oregon Department of Energy March 29.

ODOE is held a public meeting in Shaniko April 24th to present the revised application and review the procedure going forward.

As of today's date an Energy Facility Siting Council hear on the application had not yet been scheduled.

On the national scene, the Congressional players had refused to extend the wind production tax credits which has put new projects on the endangered list.  Some developers in Oregon sought extensions on their applications apparently concerned about how the lack of federal tax credits effect the viability of their projects.

Then as windaction.org reports:

 "(I)n the final hours of the fiscal cliff negotiations, a package of energy tax extenders was surreptitiously added to the bill which assured the PTC a $12 billion, 1-year extension.

This move was done behind closed doors, without debate or opportunity for amendment and no obligation of the Congress to find a way to pay for it. The abuse of the Public Trust did not end there.

With this extension, a critical change to the PTC was introduced that relaxed the eligibility requirements for the credit. Renewable energy projects now need only 'commence construction' by January 1, 2014 to qualify for the credit, instead of projects being 'placed-in-service' by that date.

Since the law did not define what it means to 'commence construction', the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must determine the intent of the Congress and develop clarifying guidance.

Not surprisingly, this is leading potential PTC beneficiaries and wind energy proponents to pressure the IRS to accelerate its rulemaking process. In February, 30 members of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of the Treasury encouraging them to act swiftly in issuing guidance on the eligibility qualifications for the credit. The American Wind Energy Association supports the IRS moving quickly to provide guidance that generally adheres to relaxed criteria adopted under the Section 1603 cash grant program."

http://www.windaction.org/faqs/37779

Educate Yourself!

WHAT IS "BRUSH CANYON?"

"E-On", a huge German utility, has proposed "Brush Canyon." The giant 500 megawatt industrial wind turbine generating project spread over some 100,000 acres of leased range and ranch land in North Central Oregon east of Antelope, Shaniko, Kent and Grass Valley (Wasco & Sherman Counties) would tie into BPA transmission lines near Grass Valley allowing the electricity to be exported.

WHAT IS E-On?

E.ON AG is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

It operates in over 30 countries. It is one of the 30 members of the DAX stock index of major German companies and a member of the Global Titans 50 index. E-On Ag owns nuclear and coal-fired generation.

See, Learn More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.ON

E-ON IN THEIR OWN WORDS:

http://www.eon.com/en/index.jsp

"E.ON AG in Düsseldorf serves as Group Management. It oversees and coordinates the operations of the entire Group. Five global units are responsible for Generation, Renewables, New Build & Technology, Gas and Trading. Twelve regional units in Europe manage our operational business in their respective countries. Russia is a special focus country. Support functions like IT or procurement are delivered by Group-wide entities."

http://www.eon.com/en/corporate/24161.jsp

E.ON is Entering Tomorrow's Market with New Energy. Welcome and thank you for visiting the pages of E.ON Climate & Renewables. Headquartered in Düsseldorf, we are responsible for E.ON Group's global renewables and carbon sourcing activities.

Tapping renewable sources of energy offers huge opportunities both for business and the environment. As a result, we are dedicated to sustainably increasing the share of renewable generation as part of E.ON Group's portfolio.

E.ON Climate & Renewables plays a leading role in the development of the renewable industry worldwide and has already invested 7 billion Euros in renewable generation projects in the last five years. E.ON currently operates over 8 GW of renewable capacity and will invest another 7 billion Euros in renewables in the next five years. Today, E.ON is already active in generating energy from onshore and offshore wind, biomass, photovoltaic (PV), and concentrated solar power (CSP).

In 2011, E.ON Climate & Renewables has won Platts Global Energy Award in the category "Green Energy Generator of the Year".

http://eoncrna.com/

Generating Tomorrow’s Energy Today

E. ON Climate and Renewables North America (E.ON) is one of the world’s largest owners of renewable power projects and is rapidly expanding its wind, solar and alternative energy portfolio. The company develops, owns, and operates some of the most efficient, highest performing renewable energy projects in the United States. Having achieved its first 1,900 megawatts (MW) of wind projects in the United States in 3 years, E.ON is one of the fastest growing renewable power companies in the industry. E.ON has additional projects under construction, and is actively developing projects throughout the U. S. and Canada.

Our goal is to deliver renewable energy from technologies that address the growing concern about energy security, energy affordability, and climate change.

Already a leader in the American wind industry, E.ON is committed to investing the resources needed to play a major role in the transformation of the renewable energy marketplace.

E-ON IN THE NEWS

E.ON Climate & Renewables Completes World's Largest Wind Farm

CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2011 - /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Today, E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R) announced the completion of the world's largest wind farm near Roscoe, Texas. The Roscoe wind complex has an installed capacity of 781.5 megawatts (MW), generating enough electricity to power more than 230,000 homes. "Completing the world's biggest wind farm took more than a billion dollar investment, coordination with more than 300 landowners and management of more than 500 workers," North American CEO of EC&R Steve Trenholm stated. "Today is a great day for our company and the team that made this a reality."
The project area spans parts of four Texas counties and the Roscoe wind complex covers nearly 100,000 acres, several times the size of Manhattan. The wind farm has a total of 627 wind turbines manufactured by Mitsubishi, General Electric and Siemens. ... Texas Governor Rick Perry said. "We are pleased that E. ON Climate & Renewables North America has chosen to open this facility in Roscoe that will further expand our state's diverse energy portfolio."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eon-climate--renewables-completes-worlds-largest-wind-farm-63064012.html

06 September 2011:

E.ON Climate & Renewables and GE Announce 300 Megawatt Deal for Two Wind Farms in Illinois

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—September 6, 2011—GE (NYSE: GE) will supply 300 megawatts of its latest wind turbine technology including operation and maintenance services for the in Iroquois County, Illinois, and the Pioneer Trail Wind Farm in Iroquois and Ford Counties in Illinois. E.ON Climate & Renewables, NA (ECRNA) is developing the projects.

A total of 188 GE 1.6 wind turbines, which represent the latest evolution of the company’s wind turbine technology, will power the Settlers Trail and Pioneer Trail wind farms. ...

The GE wind turbines—94 at each wind farm—will be spread across several thousand acres of rural farmland in northeast Illinois. At full capacity, the wind farms will generate enough power for approximately 115,000 U.S. house holds

.http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Releases/E-ON-Climate-Renewables-and-GE-Announce-300-Megawatt-Deal-for-Two-Wind-Farms-in-Illinois-331a.aspx

England 11-13-11

Burning a new hate figures in opposition to energy firm E.On

 VILLAGERS in Winwick gathered round a topical effigy for their bonfire night celebrations.

Instead of a traditional Guy, the centrepiece of Winwick’s bonfire was a replica of a wind turbine to show the village’s opposition to plans by E.On to build seven of them by the village.

Winwick, which has a population of 40, has banded together to oppose the plans by sending protest letters and petitions, producing posters and hiring legal and technical experts at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds.

Villager Phillip Bradbury said: “Make no mistake, we are fighting these guys all the way."

http://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/business/burning-a-new-hate-figures-in-opposition-to-energy-firm-e-on-1-3231891