Story Published: Jul 27, 2010 at 10:43 PM MDT
Story Updated: Jul 27, 2010 at 10:43 PM MDT
"I guess the last thing we were thinking about before we moved in was if we are going to have 75 wind turbines up on the ridgeline from us," says Ray Moravek.
They worry about the noise, wildlife and property value impact but mostly the aesthetics and the recreational space they'll lose.
"It's a beautiful country and the wind turbines really don't fit in to that overall outlook," says Moravek.
The land is on private property. Ridgeline Energy sent the application to build Meadow Creek Wind Farm in May. Its project manager, Randy Gardner tells me the company has studied wind in Bonneville County for ten years and right here is the perfect spot to generate clean renewable energy.
"You can't see wind, but if you could you'd see that's where the best wind flow is in that area," says Randy Gardner.
Gardner gives reasons why the wind farm will benefit the community, such as local subcontractors will be hired for construction and a large number of property taxes will be paid off. However, not everyone whose had wind farms built near them find them beneficial. Maureen Finnerty's backyard is filling up with 83 400-foot high wind turbines, known as the Goshen North Wind farm, east of Idaho Falls.
"I chose to live up here because of the scenery and I think the aesthetic impact from this energy facility is really significant," says Maureen Finnerty.
Finnerty is not alone, Bingham County residents are complaining about wind farms there. Residents are in the process of developing a new ordinance to protect their homes and way of life. They want what the Moraveks want, a new county ordinance that preserves their scenic views, protects wildlife and their property value.