The federal government has yet to approve the massive tax credits that are the basis for building wind turbines. Why? Because the feds have become educated to what a total scam wind power is east of the Mississippi where no wind plant has ever operated an even 30% of its claimed capacity. The environmental and community destruction brought on by wind development in the wrong areas are permanent and irreversible and are factors being noticed by Congress as well. Let's all hope that Congress denies any further tax credits for wind power unless and until strict federal siting guidelines are established. The ecological devastation wrought by ill placed industrial wind power plants create environmental problems that far outweigh the limited amount of power we receive from them.

     Although the wind industry continues to exaggerate the amount of power produced by wind plants, at least some members of Congress are not being fooled. Gamesa and other wind developers steadfastly refuse to engage in a debate over the efficiency of wind power, instead spending billions on lobbyists and media campaigns that out and out lie to the public. Click here to read one of the latest articles planted by the wind industry national publication, full of inaccuracies. Could it be their lies are beginning to catch up to them? We can only hope.

Four musical acts will be featured including three local groups and a Pittsburgh band.

• Mike Ferencak
• Jenny Drummey
• Rachel and Bo
• The Patti Spadero Band

Cost: $10.00 admission
Date: July 20, 2008 from 4:00- 8:00 p.m.
Where: Boulevard Grill

Tickets can be purchased at the Boulevard Grill or by contacting Kim Moore at anoldforest@yahoo.com or 814-418-3964.

     A couple who have been forced out of their home by wind turbine noise have found out their house is unsaleable. Jane and Julian Davis moved out of their Deeping St Nicholas home in Christmas 2006 after months of sleepless nights due to noise and vibration from wind turbines, which are around 900m from their property. They have long believed that the value of thier home has been damaged, and their fears have now been proved justified, after real estate agents Munton and Russell refused to market their property. To read the rest of the article click here

     Read the WindAction.org article here.

     It has NOTHING to do with energy production. It's all about the CASH$$$$$$$$$$$$$. This company is trying to destroy the last remnant wild areas of Pennsylvania so they can harvest bonus depreciation subsidies. Read the article here

     Gamesa Sued by respected physician and his wife over noise generated by Portage/Blue Knob industrial wind plant. Read the Altoona Mirror article here. Read the entire COMPLAINT here. See for yourself.

     Up next -- legal actions against Township Supervisors who enact weak ordinances that ruin the lives of local residents. Are Township Supervisors going to continue to take the CASH PAYMENTS from wind developers and enact WEAK ORDINANCES, or are they going to do what's right and regulate the placement of these industrial power plants so that they do not destroy property values and ruin the lives of their neighbors, like has happened to the Stulls? Will it take formal legal action to get them to stop taking wind developer money and start protecting their constituents?

     Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently expressed deep concern over wind power project development in Exceptional Value (Clear Shade Creek) and Wilderness Trout Stream (Piney Run) watersheds, and adopted a policy to avoid harmful impacts, avoid ecologically sensitive areas and reduce habitat fragmentation. Shaffer Mountain is home to EV and wilderness trout headwater streams and has been designated a Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Area of Exceptional Significance. It is one of the most intact, ecologically sensitive areas in the Commonwealth. Will the PAFBC be able to fullfill it's function and protect our last highest quality wild places from wind destruction or will Rendell's political machine steamroll them?

     Maryland has banned all wind development from their state forests. See for yourself here. While Maryland is banning wind development, Pennsylvania's Governor Rendell, is strongly pushing to open Pennsylvania's state forests for destruction by wind power companies. What this all means is that Maryland will now obtain their required renewable energy (required under Maryland's Renewable Energy Standards Law) from Pennsylvania which allows and, indeed promotes, the utter devastation of its state forests and last wild, unspoiled areas by wind power developers.

     This is just more of the same -- just like importing New York / New Jersey garbage. Just like exporting 31% of the electricity produced in PA to New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Washington D.C. from Pennsylvania power plants that New York, New Jersey and Maryland do not want in their states. Let's destroy rural Pennsylvania. Let's exploit it's poor, under educated, politically powerless people to satisfy the needs of the urban masses. Let's build the power plant in their back yard. Put the garbage dump there -- they can't do anything about it. Heck, let's even build industrial power plants on their mountain tops and degrade their drinking water in the process. What's a few less "species" anyway... we got a lot of species left. This is only possible because Pennsylvania has a governor from Philadelphia who could care less about the environment and about rural Pennsylvania -- about us. He is on his way to Washington and will stop at nothing to promote his personal political agenda even if it means harming his own people.

     Many of you are familiar with the severe weather of Shaffer Mountain. It's legendary. Blizzards, ice storms, 80 mph winds, torrential thunderstorms - this area truely has some of the worst weather in all of Pennsylvania.

     Click here to see what happens to a wind turbine when the winds blow too hard - like happens routinely on Shaffer Mountain.

     The problem with Gamesa is, in their blind rush to harvest tax subsidies and government handouts, they just don't think things through.

     On May 28-29, Wind industry lobbyist and Rendell's shill, Penn Future, will be holding its annual "Clean energy Conference" in Harrisburg. Much of this conference will focus on wind power development in Pennsylvania. Click here for more information on this conference

     You will notice from the informational pamphlet that the conference is focused on "monetizing and trading renewable energy credits" or the government subsidies that are the main reason wind development exists at all. These subsidies are "harvested" by big corporations who trade them as a commodity.

     This conference is a great opportunity to expose and educate wind industry executives, developers and state bureaucrats on the serious environmental problems caused by wind development, if allowed to occur in our last highest quality wild habitats. This would be an excellent opportunity to get our message out to the community and show the dire need for statewide siting regulations in Pennsylvania. Currently we have none.

     Please plan to attend this conference. A charter bus is being arranged to transport people from the Somerset, Bedford and Fulton county area. If you are interested in catching a ride on this charter bus, please contact us and let us know. There is no cost for the bus ride.

     Gamesa has spent many thousands of dollars lobbying against statewide siting regulations. We need to show the wind industry and our legislators why we need statewide regulations. We need to show them what Gamesa wants to destroy on Shaffer Mountain.

     Science section of the Daily Tech: Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling.

     Read full article here.

     Read Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article here.

     PA DEP has issued a second deficiency letter to Gamesa outlining numerous problems and deficiencies with its disastrous Shaffer Mountain Wind Project. Read it for yourself here. When is Gamesa going to face reality. When is Gamesa going to realize that their Shaffer Mountain project is simply not going to fly - it's in the wrong place.

     When is Gamesa going to realize that most opponents support wind power if built in the right locations like the 7 million acres of farm fields and 10 million acres of strip mines, degraded forests and abandoned industrial sites across Pennsylvania.

     When is Gamesa going to realize that opponents of the Shaffer Mountain wind project will not stop until they abandon the site or move it to the strip mine. We will never stop fighting you.

Environmental Ed gives Hillary his blessing

     Rendell wants to be Secretary of Energy under Hillary. And he just might do so if he makes a name for himself in alternative energy so he is pushing hard for wind development. That’s the main reason inefficient wind turbines are springing up across Pennsylvania. Ed wants them on the highest ridges in the state because that is where they will be most visible to the largest number of people – so the people can see what he is doing to save the earth with “green” energy. What a crock.

     Wind power in Pennsylvania is not about saving the environment. It’s about our governor furthering his personal political agenda. In the process he appears to be willing to ruin our few unspoiled ridges, and sacrifice our last wild places, thereby destroying the environment while claiming to be saving it.

     The Wall Street Journal ran an article January 26th that exposes Rendell's agenda. Environmental Ed for sure.

     Several weeks ago, shaffermountain.com reported the alarming noise levels at the Portage wind farm. We also predicted what Gamesa would do in response to the noise complaints (see below: Gamesa Lies Come Back to Haunt Them).

     Here’s what we said would happen: First, Gamesa would say the noise is isolated to a few turbines they will “fix”. When they can’t fix the problem, we predicted Gamesa would bring in “experts” who will say that the noise is “not that bad” and that people are exaggerating their complaints. Finally, when these tactics fail, we think Gamesa will contest the legality of the Township ordinance that sets allowable noise levels at 45 decibels.

     The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat recently (1-17-08) ran this article:

     Everything is falling into place just like we said. It appears that Gamesa cannot “fix” the noise problem. In fact, noise levels up to 85 decibels are common from industrial wind turbines and cannot be “fixed”. It’s the nature of the beast. Now that they cannot “fix” the noise problem, Gamesa has moved on to the next tactic – bringing in noise “experts” who will say that the noise complaints are exaggerated. In fact, Babcock & Brown spokesman Matt Dallas stated in the above article that

“The company still is not convinced the noise levels exceed maximum allowable levels. Recent testing by a sound engineer showed that the level’s within the ordinance levels.”

     But instead of Gamesa or Babcock & Brown (new plant owner) bringing in these “noise experts” they are having the Portage Township Supervisors bring them in – the same Portage Township Supervisors who receive cash payments of $3,000 a year for each wind turbine from Gamesa. Gamesa is having their bought boys do their dirty work to keep them “out of the picture”. This is yet another classic case of Gamesa pitting neighbor against neighbor – manipulating the local populace.

     If the “locals” stand up to the bogus “expert” reports which will almost certainly say that the noise complaints are exaggerated, Gamesa will contest the legality of the ordinance that sets a 45 decibel maximum limit for noise from the turbines. This legal action will drag on for several years – enough time for new wind farm owner, Babcock & Brown, to suck out all the government subsidies. They will then sell the wind plant to another “investor” who will get a new set of government subsidies to exploit. That’s how it works.

     It’s all happening – JUST LIKE WE SAID!

     This article appeared in the Johnstown Tribune Democrat on January 15th.

     Shooting at wind turbines is against the law. Although turbines are huge, they are vulnerable to serious damage by high caliber rifle fire if hit on the blade hub or the nacelle which houses the gear box, yaw mechanism, control systems and generator. Damage can run into many thousands of dollars and disable the wind turbine so those responsible may be guilty of a felony. Is it worth the risk of jail time? It is easy to see how people could be pushed into taking such drastic action. The noise generated by wind turbines can cause depression, insomnia and a medically recognized condition known as turbine noise syndrome. Here's a WJAC news story from January 11th on Gamesa's noisy Portage wind project 10 miles North of Shaffer Mountain. These people were lied to by Gamesa before the wind plant was built and are now living with the consequences.

     From the beginning Gamesa has claimed that it's Shaffer Mountain wind plant will affect only about 160 acres. This blatant lie is dispelled by Gamesa's own NPDES permit application which they refiled with Pennsylvania DEP on November 20th 2007. This is the erosion, sedimentation and pollution permit they must get from DEP so they can start taking advantage of the government subsidies.

     On page one of their application Gamesa admits that the project will cover an area of 5358 acres - or almost 8 1/2 square miles - of mostly undisturbed mountaintop forest owned mostly by Berwind Natural Resources Corporation. 18 miles of industrial roads and transmission line corridors in an area that currently has 3 dirt roads and 2 of the highest quality Exceptional Value streams in Pennsylvania.

     THIS MAKES NO SENSE when Berwind owns this huge reclaimed strip mine less than 1.5 miles west of the current project area. Look here see for yourself.

This area is high, open and very windy with an existing road system. No water resources, no endangered species, no rare raptor migration corridor - A perfect spot for an industrial wind facility. A wind plant was built last year on the next ridge at the same elevation. Wind developers build on strip mines routinely. In fact, the good developers seek out the previously disturbed sites so as to avoid destroying intact forest habitats.

See video below

     "If Gamesa can't even build a test tower to take what this mountain weather dishes out, how can they be trusted to protect EV streams and endangered species?"

John Sedewar, Shaffer Mountain Resident

     "The test tower was made of tubular steel. The blades of a wind turbine are made of fiberglass. If the weather up here can do this to tubular steel, imagine what it will do to fiberglass."

Scott Usjak, Shaffer Mountain Resident

     Last Friday (December 14Th, 2007) a 200' tall "test tower" erected by Gamesa on Shaffer Mountain, collapsed in a winter storm. Read here. The tower is made of heavy gauge aluminum - just like the 404' tall wind turbine towers. The tower collapsed in a winter storm that is pretty much typical on Shaffer Mountain. According to local resident John Sedewar, "We get several of these a year but this one was not even a bad one. Storms up here can get much worse. The weather on Shaffer Mountain is quite a bit different than the weather in Spain. We have been trying to tell Gamesa this all along. Maybe now they will listen. If Gamesa can't even build a test tower to take what this mountain weather dishes out, how can they be trusted to protect EV streams and endangered species?"

     This Eastern Golden Eagle, one of perhaps 1000 remaining, was captured on 11-24-07 on Shaffer mountain in the area Gamesa wants to build 30 404' tall wind turbines. As part of a study by the National Aviary and Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the eagle was examined, banded and fitted with a small telemetry device that allows it to be tracked during its migration. Go to www.nationalaviary.com to track the migration of this golden eagle. Data will be used to determine how eagles use ridgelines such as Shaffer Mountain on their migration. Other wind farms have killed thousands of eagles and hawks. Gamesa continues to frantically push for it's permit from PA DEP before this data is compiled and made public.

Click here for the survey.

Click here for an explanation of the Endangered Species Act.

     It has recently been disclosed that, this past June, Bat Conservation & Management of Carlisle, PA was hired by Gamesa to survey Shaffer Mountain for bats. They placed mist nets across woods roads and other bat travel corridors and collected two juvenile Indiana Bats in the middle of Gamesa’s wind project area. The Indiana bat is a federally endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it is a protected species that may not be killed. The presence of juvenile Indiana bats indicates that a larger maternity colony exists nearby in Gamesa’s Shaffer Mountain project area. It is a scientifically documented fact that wind turbines attract and kill bats. Thousands have been killed by wind turbines in West Virginia and Meyersdale, where turbines have been found to act as “bat magnets?".

     Normally the discovery of an endangered species, especially juveniles, in a project area either stops the project or requires the developer to obtain an individual takings permit (ITP). This permit requires years of studies and the negative publicity that goes with trying to get a permit to take (kill) an endangered species usually leads to the abandonment of the project.

     How did Gamesa react to this information? They ignored it. Why? Well, if they can ignore Pennsylvania environmental laws and regulations and get away with it, why not ignore the Federal Endangered Species Act as well. After all, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service does not have the money to enforce it. Anyway, there’s no Endangered Species Act in Spain and as a Spanish company they should be subject to Spanish law. They’re providing 180 jobs in Ebensburg, so they can ignore the law. What’s a few dead Indiana bats? No one’s going to find them anyway. They’re tiny. They’ll either rot quickly or a scavenger will eat them. Either way, they’ll never be found.

     A law is only as strong as its enforcement. If the right political skids are greased, a law is worthless. Or will the federal government step up here and enforce the ESA?

     Residents near Gamesa's Portage wind plant are claiming that Gamesa's wind turbines are generating twice the level of noise as promised by Gamesa. Imagine that? Here is a link to the news story. These people, many of whom have contacted Shaffer Mountain.com, are furious that Gamesa lied to them about the noise levels. We feel very bad for these people who will make great witnesses in the upcoming Shaffer Mountain litigation.

     Now that the terrible noise levels of Gamesa's wind turbines has been exposed, here is what Gamesa will do:

• First, they will say they will "fix" the problem which they will claim is limited to "only a few" of their turbines.
  
  
• Second, when this doesn't work, they will try to pay off the people who are complaining by giving them money so they don't hear as good. Might even offer to buy the houses of the biggest complainers (with 70% of the purchase price coming from our tax dollars).
  
  
• Third, if that doesn't work they will refute the public outrage by arguing that the noise complaints are "exaggerated" and the noise isn't that bad. They will bring out of town "experts" in who are much smarter than any of us local people to tell us that the noise is "not that bad". We are overly sensitive and really aren't hearing such loud noises, which the wind turbines are incapable of making. They will try to make us feel dumb and ashamed for bringing such trivial complaints. After all, if the wind turbines are shut down Gamesa will have to close it's plant in Ebensburg and our neighbors will lose their jobs, right???
  
  
• Finally, if that fails, they will contest the legality of the Township Ordinance that sets allowable noise levels at 45 decibles. They will say that such a "low noise threshold" is unreasonable and illegal and will threaten to go to court to get it changed.

     Just wait and see........

     Industrial wind turbine development to end in rural and wild areas

     The Sustainable Environment Federation (FED), with the heritage and countryside associations who demonstrated in Paris on October 6 against industrial wind energy, are pleased by President Sarkozy’s redirection of French policy concerning wind turbines and renewable energy.

     In his comments at the closure of the « Grenelle de l’environnement », the president of the republic announced the end of the « rush » that has characterized French policy on wind turbines up to now and that ultimately means degradation of the environment. New wind turbines will be installed first in brownfields and far from emblematic locales.

     In an improvisation that was not in the prepared text provided to the press, M. Sarkozy turned to José-Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, and added : « Frankly, when I see some European countries, it doesn’t make me envious ».

     The president of the republic also announced acceleration of research into energies of the future.

     This new policy marks the end of industrial wind turbine installations in rural and wild areas. This is a relief for the 800 villages and 52 departments represented in the October 6 demonstration. It is also a powerful contribution to the image of France and shows Europe that an energy policy can reconcile the fight against global warming and respect for the countryside and every life.

*******

     The 1500 demonstrators on October 6 brought six demands. Many of them have been accepted : publicize the true numbers of wind energy development (M. Borloo [environment minister] has committed to this), protect public health from wind turbine nuisance, protect the cultural and natural heritage of France, restore peace in the villages, commit to an effective energy strategy.

     The sixth concerns the financial scandal of the price of wind-generated electricity. The highly elevated price encourages the production of intermittent energy which does not promote the reduction of greenhouse gases. It will lead to speculative pressure for the few areas in France that meet the criteria of the new policy.

     Just as the president announced that the policy of supporting biofuels will be reviewed, price support for wind turbines needs to be reviewed.

     The Allegheny Front Hawk Watch is perched atop Shaffer Mountain at 2,780 feet above sea level - just over the Bedford County line, five miles east of Central City, PA. Here are directions. This is one of the best places in the United States to see migrating raptors - hawks, eagles, falcons, ospreys. Last year 18,348 raptors were counted here during the fall migration which is now in full swing (October 15th ). Don't miss this. Come and see for yourself exactly what Gamesa wants to destroy forever.

     Read about the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch here.

     The Golden Eagle research project continues. Once again this fall, the PA Game Commission, National Aviary, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Lafayette College are banding together to catch and place transmitters on Eastern Golden Eagles to track their migration routes and elevations. This will enable the PA Game Commission and other regulatory bodies to determine if these rare protected raptors will enter the "chop zone" of wind turbines proposed for the Allegheny Front - the main migration corridor for Golden Eagles in Eastern North America. While this study is on-going, Gamesa is frantically attempting to obtain their permits to begin construction of the Shaffer Mountain wind plant - smack dab in the middle of the heaviest Golden Eagle migration route in Eastern North America. Click here to learn more about the Golden Eagle research project.

     If this concerns you, call and write your state senator and congressmen today.

     On 9/25/2007 Governor Rendell announced more than $1 million in grants to schools in PA to fund environmental education projects. Central Cambria, Northern Cambria, Chestnut Ridge, Dubois Area - all got around $2,000 each - big money. Isn't it ironic that a governor who throws around money to garner headlines as an environmental activist is also the biggest promoter of destroying Pennsylvania's roadless ridges - an environmental disaster.

     This guy talks out of both sides of his mouth. Just how stupid does he think the people of Pennsylvania are?

     We have just learned that leases have been secured for the development of an industrial wind plant on beautiful Laurel Ridge - in Upper Yoder Township - just west of Johnstown, PA. This development will run from the terminus of Laurel Ridge near the Conemaugh Gap, southwest to Route 271. Thirty two 425' tall industrial wind turbines will be built in both Cambria and Westmoreland Counties.

     DCNR Chief Micheal DeBernardinis is trying to open DCNR lands and state parks up to wind development. If he is successful, this industrial wind plant will be extended South of SR 271 and into Laurel Ridge State Park in Somerset and Westmoreland counties with another 16 wind turbines.

     For those of you who live in Upper Yoder, Lower Yoder and Westmont and thought that the problem we are experiencing on Shaffer Mountain does not affect you - better think again. This scourge and defilement of Rural Pennsylvania is coming to your back yards soon unless we can stop them here - on Shaffer Mountain. If you don't believe this - just go up on Laurel Mountain and see the "test tower" the wind company set up. Lots of "good wind" up there.

     Funny thing is - none of you folks probably knew anything about this.

GET INVOLVED NOW OR LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES.

Click here for the article.

     Since Gamesa is now claiming that opponents of its destruction of Shaffer Mountain are bullying and intimidating people to oppose poor, little helpless Gamesa, now you can see for yourself. Here is the DEP public hearing for you to view. See for yourself how everyone who speaks against Gamesa was intimidated. All 42 of them. See for yourself and decide for yourself

     On Wednesday September 12th Ellen Lutz and Tim Vought of Gamesa attended the Windber Area Authority monthly meeting.

     They advised the WAA that they would be refiling their NPDES permit application (permit to destroy Shaffer Mountain) on October 28th. It was rejected as vague and incomplete on June 8th by the Somerset Conservation District. They also advised WAA that they have hired a Philadelphia hydrogeologist who is going to improve our Exceptional Value watershed. That's right. He's going to show us dumb hunkies and hillbillies how to make the watershed better by building 18 miles of roads and transmission channels right through the middle of it. Sounds good to me - how 'bout you, Stush? Bubba?

     According to Save the Mountain chairman Joseph J. Cominsky, who attended the September 12th meeting: "Gamesa came in, and with a straight face told the WAA that their Philadelphia hydrogeologist was going to go up to the mountain and make the watershed better. It's already an Exceptional Value watershed - the highest, purest designation possible - It's the best in PA. God made it that way. Apparently Gamesa thinks it can make it better than what God has made it."

     Now that's arrogance.

You got a problem with that?

     Is this how our state government is supposed to operate? Using intimidation to quell the opposition. . . Is this what our state government has degenerated to?

     On Tuesday, August 28th, over 800 people turned out at Shade High School to hear what you and your business partner, DEP, had to say about the industrial wind plant you want to build on Shaffer Mountain. Although you bused in forced supporters from your Ebensburg plant, fully 85% of those who attended this hearing were against the siting of this industrial facility in the Piney Run and Crumb Bog Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Area of Exceptional Significance. Although you continued with your attempt to paint your opponents as anti-wind wackos and fanatics, the truth came out at the hearing. The people against you do not oppose wind power - they oppose where you want to build this wind plant . . . in the middle of one of the highest quality natural areas in Pennsylvania.

     Did you get the message? Citizen after citizen testified that they want no part of you or your wind plant on Shaffer Mountain. Of the 47 witnesses who testified, 42 were against your project. Five of these held advanced doctorate degrees in biology or other related fields, many were working people, woodsmen and housewives, a couple were lawyers, one worked for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, several were successful business people, and one was a child of 12. The coalition against you is diverse, broad-based and growing. None of the witnesses that testified against you, however, were paid witnesses. All attended of their own free will and at their own expense.

     Of the five who testified for you, one was paid to attend, one was your paid forester and one was a young man who could not understand why your opponents were not permitted to give their "science" during the first part of your staged hearing. None of your witnesses live on Shaffer Mountain.

     Why don't you get it through your head that no one, except Berwind and the two people who signed leases with you, wants any part of Gamesa on Shaffer Mountain. Windber Borough, Paint Borough, Paint Township, Scalp Level Borough, Windber Area Authority and Central City Water Authority have all asked you to abandon your plans on Shaffer Mountain.

     Nobody wants you here - so go away.

     If you do not, you will destroy your credibility statewide and we will be more than willing to help you do so.

     There are places you can build these industrial facilities. Farm fields, reclaimed surface mines, brown fields, fragmented and degraded forests - areas where high quality biologically diverse wild resources do not exist. There are literally thousands of these disturbed sites across Pennsylvania. You can be very successful and make lots of money building your industrial plants in these places. Everyone can win.

     If you continue to try to destroy the Piney Run and Clear Shade Creek watersheds, know this . . . we will do whatever we can within the law to stop you. We will never end in our efforts to stop you. As far as we are concerned, the fight to stop you has only just begun.

     Move on down the road one mile to Berwind's reclaimed surface mine, and everyone will be happy. Your refusal to do so will be very bad for your company because we are not going away.

     750 people, including approximately 675 opponents of the proposed Shaffer Mountain wind plant, attended DEP's public hearing charade last night. Forty-three people testified, thirty-eight against, five for Gamesa and the wind plant. Of the five that testified for - one was on the Gamesa till (their forester) and one received an appearance fee. Three others were misguided souls.

     After the hearing DEP's Southwest Waterways Manager, Rita Coleman, stated that this thing is headed to court because their decision (which was made months ago) will be based on science and science is defensible. Ms. Coleman thus made a mockery of the entire process and confirmed for all the totally political nature of the DEP / Gamesa partnership. DEP is not a regulator of wind energy companies - DEP is their business partner and promoter.

     Speakers opposing the wind plant included a Harvard biology Ph.D., a biology professor from the University of Michigan, a biology Ph.D. from Pitt, several scientists and a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Biologist, all who appeared of their own free will and at their own expense, at these farcical proceedings.

     The fight has just begun.

     Shaffer Mountain lies on the Allegheny Front on the border of Somerset and Bedford Counties, Pennsylvania. The area is largely wild and unspoiled, with few roads and little development. It's part of the Windber Area Authority (WAA) watershed that provides 10,000 people in the Windber, PA area with clear, pure drinking water. The area is also home to two pure mountain streams, Piney Run and Clear Shade Creek, that have been designated by PA DEP as streams of Exceptional Value. This means that they contain the highest water quality in the Commonwealth and may not be degraded by human activity under any circumstances. There are only 28 EV streams in PA. Gamesa Energy wants to build a 33 turbine industrial wind plant on Shaffer Mountain, in the middle of the WAA watershed and along Piney Run. This development will include 17 miles of new roads and transmission lines and will place the quality of WAA drinking water and EV stream water at risk.

     In the history of the Commonwealth, there has never been a private industrial development of this magnitude ever in an EV watershed. We have asked Gamesa to give us one example. They cannot.

     It is clear that Gamesa is trying to use the Shaffer Mountain Wind project to set precedent. With all the sensitive environmental issues involved (two EV streams, threat to Indiana Bat, endangering raptor migration, harm to upland wetlands with rare and endangered plants, etc) Gamesa apparently thinks that if they can get this project pushed through, they can build industrial wind plants anywhere.

     There is strong local opposition to this project. On March 14, 2007 the Windber Water Authority (WAA) voted 5-1 AGAINST allowing it in their watershed. Every municipality in the WAA has done likewise - Windber Borough, Paint Township, Paint Borough & Scalp Level Borough. Yet Gamesa arrogantly ignores this opposition.

     As we speak Gamesa is frantically pushing the Somerset Soil Conservation District and DEP to issue permits as quickly as possible so Gamesa can begin to destroy this EV watershed. Huge political pressure is being applied to drive this process forward more quickly than would ever happen for an ordinary private citizen. Gamesa is frantic because public pressure is growing against their project every day.

     Given the modest amount of electricity generated by wind turbines, the benefits of wind turbines must be balanced against the environmental harms they cause. Undoubtedly there are places in Pennsylvania where wind turbines could be built without disturbing Exceptional Value streams, damaging pristine wilderness areas, destroying migratory birds, killing endangered bats, and threatening wetlands. DEP's alternatives analysis must compare the fragile ecology of the Shaffer Mountain project area to other available sites, such as former strip mine sites, where the risk of environmental harm would be reduced. Such an analysis leads inevitably to the conclusion that the Gamesa application for development on Shaffer Mountain must be denied.

     After you review the FACTS on this website, please click on "What can I do?" and VOICE your opinion. Call your State Representative and State Senator. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Call Gamesa. Contact the Governor. Let Gamesa know your feelings about this watershed threatening project. Demand that the WAA take firm action to STOP the project NOW. They have the absolute legal right to do so.