Ben Fawkes Nuclear article  (Dominon Post Monday 7^th) sadlly lacks depth and understanding.  Nuclear promoters ignore the 140 Year process costing multiple billions of dollars to decommission a single plant extinguishing any value created in a 40 year lifetime and leaving a three generation future liability.

 

 Even more dangerous was the naive assumption that wind power was the answer.   Injection of massive 40 storey industrial wind turbines into quiet rural residential neighbourhoods destroying the amenity values is bad enough. The real worry is emerging evidence of health damage from low frequency infra sound emitted by wind farms recorded by Dr Barry, Dr Piedpont and Massey University.   Dr Barry ’s survey paper to UK COGP recorded 81% of wind farm neighbours suffering health effect’s including sleep deprivation, headaches, anxiety, stress, depression and cardiac problems and suicide.  Massey surveys showed 80% considered turbines intrusive and 74% unattractive, with effects reaching more than 10 KMs. (All of Wellingtons western suburbs).

 

Public health issues are tracking, Asbestos, Smoking, Thalidomide, Xrays and Leaky Homes.  Inadequate standards fail people and incur massive liabilities.

 

The Government and Council promoting and permitting these should remember green also means “naively foolish and dangerously gullible”

Nimby, Not In My Back Yard types, rise from kitchen sinks and back sheds whenever a sustainable, carbon friendly wind farm proposal is introduced to a rural community. Maria McCoffrey, CEO British Wind farm Association (Dominion Post 9/4/08) describes these Mum and Dads as “short sighted, shallow, socially irresponsible and more than a little selfish” No surprises here, wind farm proponents actively pursue strategy’s creating these outcomes, all care, no responsibility their theme. With ducks lined up ready to go, commercial contracts with councils signed, start dates agreed, hearings a mere a tick in the box, is it no wonder Mum and Dad are concerned.
Understanding the Resource Management Act is challenging for professionals, for Mum and Dad a brave new world awaits, describing why their tranquil paradise called home should not be invaded a daunting prospect, yet to preserve their family’s way of life this is what they will do.
Perhaps one day wind farm proponents will learn some simple messages. Walk the social responsibility path with integrity, be honest open and transparent, demonstrate a willingness to solve not mitigate and Mum and Dad will be putty in their hands.

I support sustainability and the governments commitment to the Kyoto protocol.

Meridian Energy are proposing 31 wind turbines (approx three times higher than the Brooklyn one), as close at 1.2 kms to homes. Safe/free/green energy?

 

 I am in the dark thanks to a complete lack of co-operation from SOE Meridian Energy!

 

They had committed ( through their literature) to inform our community enabling us to help shape their proposal for Resource Consent.  I was eager to help but needed more information on: Noise, health impacts, roading/traffic details, turbine specifications, environmental effects and construction details. I just wanted to be informed so I could comment! This I am sure seems a reasonable request of a SOE. 

 

Despite a number of requests I still don’t have that information. I have asked three times………silence…

 

Meridian have confirmed that they have this informttion but will not share it with the community until after Resource Consent has been applied for.  So much for giving input beforehand! Will I object? Who is to say? I simply don’t have enough information!!

  

This SOE seems to have forgotten it’s social responsibility!

Your cheery little article last month giving details of a windfarm “development” in Ohariu Valley near Wellington belies an issue that should be ringing alarm bells for lifestylers across this country.  Meridian is currently gearing up the same juggernaut process that steamrollered all local concerns last year to gain resource consent for its Westwind farm just to the south at Makara. The proposal for our valley has shattered the local residents, who quite reasonably fear that everything that they treasure about their lifestyles here will be lost once it becomes festooned with these abominations.  Power companies like Meridian however are in a race with each other to grab sites all over the country where they can put in more and more turbines – projections are bandied about that in time “up to one pecent of the countryside” could be covered in windfarms. Because the collosal turbines need to be located on exposed ridges and hills, that means they will in time be visible over the entire country.  Gone for ever will be many of our iconic natural landscapes and views.  So watch out: coming soon to hills sourrounding you also could be a windfarm of mind-popping proportions, with all their attendant noise, visual and health-related intrusions, and spelling doom to your little piece of paradise.

It’s unbelievable that Trevor Mallard said (in the house) that issues of Corporate Social Responsibility are operational. His hands-off-approach sees the community in Ohariu Valley stonewalled by Meridian Energy. He admitted that in the case of Mill Creek Windfarm, Meridian has had an unusually shorter period of discussion with the community. In that time Meridian have failed to provide the information needed by our community to help shape Meridian’s proposal for resource consent (as promised) or make meaningful submissions.

 

Mr Mallard has said that CSR’s should not only be embedded in corporate values, but should more importantly be reflected in the day-to-day activities of a SOE.  He also states that SOE’s are publicly accountable for their CSR practices.

 

From a strategic view Mr Mallard should have some concern for the ‘eloquent’ Ohariu Valley people. We have highlighted to him and the Board of Meridian, that we feel there has, in the case of Mill Creek been a breach of CSR.

 

It is irresponsible of Mr Mallard to expect the RMA process to pick up the

short-falls of his SOE Meridian.

The effects of the Mill Creek wind farm planned by Meridian Energy in Ohariu Valley are likely to be felt much more widely than Ohariu Valley. The proposed turbines are three times the size of the Brooklyn wind turbine. At 111m they are almost the same height as the Majestic Centre tower. They will be visible from Johnsonville, Newlands and Churton Park. It’s difficult to assess the anticipated noise effects from the turbines, as they are likely to increase as the equipment ages and because they are affected by topography and background noise. However a 2007 survey of residents near the Ruahine and Tararua wind farms showed a quarter of respondents more than 10kms from the wind farms reported they could hear the wind turbines. Anyone living within 10kms of the wind turbines could do well to educate themselves about the potential effects the Mill Creek project could have on their health and well-being so they can form their own conclusions about whether Ohariu Valley is an appropriate site for a wind farm

Ever since moving to the Valley the night sky’s and the particularly full moons are always special. With no streetlights and very little traffic connecting with the universe seems possible.

Last night (21 April 2008) was one of those nights. Starts off with the northwester blows itself out to nothing taking the clouds away all of a sudden the starlight stage opens, Orion bow and arrow pointing, the southern cross and the moon, all crystal clear and so close. And quiet, so very quiet. Wow and I live here. Whats that a opossum, the dog will love that, the kuni’s happily snuggling together to keep the autumn chills away, contentedly snoring. And being Monday no activity down at the Wool shed

Nights and moments to cherish.

 

Wow what a summer. October, November, December followed by January, all fine spectacular days, fantastic camping weather, though on Wellington Anniversary day Waikanae became a lake, not that the races were unduly affected.

We all know what its like getting home after a break driving up the drive way, the family and dog bouncing out of the car after the short but challenging drive, young boys teasing mums patience combined with young boys rivalry, everybody keen for a good nights sleep in their own bed. Dad of course keen to resusitate the remains of his precious lawn, browned by sun and lack of rain. Inside the kitchen and 5 days of mail, write note to memory thank neighbour for bringing in mail and newspaper.

It looked innocent enough, an ordinary envelope, handwritten and addressed to the residents. Ripping the envelope apart, long gone are the days of saving the stamps, a single A4 piece of paper printed on both sides but unusually signed by several people, obviously more than a casual glance required. More bills, more advertising, the post post Christmas sale, will Christmas just quietly move on.

Back to that letter, gee its from Windcorp, I wonder who they are, read on, ahh the local farmers and they want to, partner with Meridian, New Zealands largest electricity generator and build a windfarm in Oharaiu Valley, wow a sentence and a half, a heat beat to take the breath away.

So an invite to attend a meeting at the local wool shed to get the details. A novel venue, in the past a good place to have a few ‘quiets’, share a yarn do the catch up, check the community barometer Wellington, work and city life, a distant memory.

Hmm honey you’d better read this, both of us will struggle to attend, doesn’t appear very child friendly hmm

A wind farm, not wanting to build another Churton Park like subdivision, who is the chairman of Windcorp, are the returns in farming so poor, haven’t some of these farmers sold Valley land recently for $million $million $million and a bit more? Meridian, aren’t they building West Wind at Makara? Aren’t they still kicking sand in the face of the Makara community? Where did all those questions come from? January, isn’t that a gentle easing back into work, thinking about the Black Caps and how will they perform, a windfarm in Ohariu Valley?

Gee have I pissed the farmers off that much? Have the neighbours? Wow a windfarm in Ohaiu Valley. Towers the size of Mt Kaukau 111meters tall, 40 plus stories on the ridgelines, gee this looks serious, hmm and  Meridian they are very very serious.

Oh theres the dog, straight into the stream and mud, if the pigs have noticed her that would be a first, ahh the boys hiding from the sun or just glad to get back to the computer and play station, a windfarm in ohariu valley, hmm this will be big, I wonder how every body else feels…..