“I won’t back down!” (Cape Cod, Mass.)
Jul 18, 2011
Print Article·
“Won’t Back Down” Barry Funfar, Sergeant, US Marine Corps
.
My wife Diane and I attended the victory party thrown by the fine folks of Prospect, Connecticut, who are extremely fortunate to have kept the turbines out of their town and community.
It was hosted at the home of Tim Reilly and was a really first class event.
They are extremely grateful to the people of Falmouth who took the time and character to tell them our first-hand experience with living too close to wind turbines. Some of their residents would have been as close as 800 feet.
One huge difference I see in their battle vs. ours, besides the obvious that ours are already constructed and theirs were but proposed, is that they had 20% of the population of Prospect in their “Save Prospect” group. They spent approximately $150,000 to win their fight. The town of Holbrook, near them, evidently is getting wind turbines that actually could fall on abutter’s property. They did not fight the wind turbine proponents. (Editor’s note: See the comment, below, by Annette Smith that corrects this information about “Holbrook.”)
It was a super fun party. Despite it being their celebration, I felt good for them. I promised them that when Falmouth’s turbines come down, I will host a similar event and they will all be invited.
The attached song was their theme song.
Barry Funfar
Falmouth, Mass.
·
Editorial note: We dedicate the following song to Heather Harper, Town Manager, Falmouth, Mass. Be sure to turn up your speakers real loud! This should become the theme song for Wind Warriors worldwide.
Before you play the fabulous song, below, click on the “Heather Harper” hotlink in the paragraph, above. Read that article and look at those photos while you’re listening to “I won’t back down”—real loud!
·
·
I WON’T BACK DOWN
Performed by Tom Petty, written by Petty and Jeff Lynne
·
Well I won’t back down, no I won’t back down
You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down
Gonna stand my ground, won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down
Chorus
Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
Well I know what’s right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down
Hey baby there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
Comment by Annette Smith (Vermont) on 07/18/2011 at 5:04 pm
Barry wrote: “The town of Holbrook, near them, evidently is getting wind turbines that actually could fall on abutter’s property. They did not fight the wind turbine proponents.”
He didn’t get that right. The town that was approved for the wind turbines by BNE Energy, the same two guys who tried to get the Prospect ones in, is Colebrook (not Holbrook), and not only did they fight them with everything that the Prospect folks did, but they supported the efforts of the people in Prospect. It is outrageous that the Connecticut Siting Council approved the Colebrook turbines, which are very close to people’s homes, including a home on the National Historic Register.
That fight is not over, not by a long shot.
Editor’s reply: Thanks for correcting this!
Comment by BARRY FUNFAR on 07/22/2011 at 10:30 pm
I am very sorry to have mis-spoken about the Colebrook situation. If there is ANYTHING I can do to help your town out give me an Email. Many of we abutters in Falmouth have stuck our necks out far beyond our borders. PLEASE DO NOT give up your fight. Wind turbines are a blight to a community when placed too close to homes. They end up driving some people away, making some people sick, and causing plenty of hard feelings within a community. Many of us in Falmouth can tell you some very sad stories.
BARRY FUNFAR
Comment by Frank Haggerty (Falmouth, MA) on 08/06/2011 at 5:02 pm
http://www.best-of-cape-cod.com/commercial-wind-turbines-to-close-to-residents.html
Commercial Wind Turbines Too Close To Residents
by Frank Haggerty
(Mattapoisett, Massachusetts)
The Massachusetts Constitution affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals. It forbids the creation of second-class citizens. The state through its semi quasi state agency and the cities and towns along with the agenda of the current governor are creating a second class group of citizens with the poor siting of commercial wind turbines.
The wind turbine fray is sparking class warfare. Time after time the blue collar section of town after town has been selected to lose their property rights for the good of all the others in town.
We feel bewildered and betrayed by our own government, which is maliciously trying to steal our land through the poor siting of commercial wind turbines. We have lost our democratic rights and have become second class citizens, facing the theft of our land through regulation. Massachusetts State law forbids the creation of second-class citizens
Stop the WESRA, Wind Energy Siting Reform Act ! This is not a reform act but a means to take away your residential property rights . The governor of Massachusetts and the proponents of commercial wind turbines in our backyards are upset that two citizens groups in Fairhaven and Mattapoisett used existing bylaws and zoning regulations from siting commercial wind turbines within 800 feet of our homes !
The two turbines that are installed in Falmouth were proposed for Mattapoisett and Fairhaven .
The MTC , Massachusetts Technology Collaborative was politically embarrassed that they purchased these two Vesta V 82 commercial wind turbines in 2004 and kept them in a warehouse in Texas at $3300.00 a month until they could use stimulus funds in 2009 to re-sell the two turbines that were so old the warranty had run out to the Town of Falmouth .
The MTC should be held responsible for the poor installation of these two turbines after what the residents of Mattapoisett and Fairhaven put the MTC ,towns and state through !
Comment by Frank Haggerty (Falmouth, MA) on 08/06/2011 at 7:29 pm
How did stimulus funds get used for two turbines that were so old they had NO warranty left on them ? These turbines were sold like a used car !
The federal prosecuters need to probe this whole deal !
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-9751.pdf
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9142–5]
Notice of a Regional Project Waiver of Section 1605 (Buy American) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to the Town of Falmouth, MA
AGENCY: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The EPA is hereby granting a waiver of the Buy America requirements of ARRA Section 1605 under the authority of Section 1605(b)(2)[manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] to the Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts for the purchase of a foreign manufactured wind turbine to be installed at its existing wastewater treatment facility
site.
http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2008/08/04/weekly7-MTC-puts-mothballed-wind-turbines-on-auction-block.html
Friday, August 8, 2008
MTC puts mothballed wind turbines on auction block
As a result, the two turbines, originally purchased in 2005 for $5.2 million each went on sale last week
http://www.mass.gov/Eoeea/docs/doer/renewables/wind/Public%20Comments_Wind%20On%20State%20Owned%20Lands_Listening%20Session%201_Frank%20Haggerty%20%20Joe%20DeLeo.pdf