Donald Trump to Bankroll Anti-Windfarm Campaign
Written by STV, www.news.stv.tv/scotland | 
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The US tycoon wants to stop Alex Salmond who he says seems 'hell-bent on destroying Scotland's coastline'.
February 23, 2012
US tycoon Donald Trump is to bankroll an anti-wind farm campaign in his fight against an offshore development near his luxury golf resort. Mr. Trump wrote to First Minister Alex Salmond earlier this month, telling him he seems “hell-bent on destroying Scotland’s coastline” with wind turbines. A planning application for an 11-turbine European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre off Aberdeen Bay, near Mr Trump’s Menie resort, was submitted to Marine Scotland last summer. A decision is expected to be made later this year. He said turbines are “ugly monstrosities” and “horrendous machines” and has halted work on his development until the decision is made by the Scottish Government.
Communities Against Turbines Scotland (Cats) contacted the Trump Organisation after the letter to Mr Salmond was published and they have now joined forces. Speaking to The Herald newspaper, George Sorial, vice-president of the Trump Organisation, insisted Mr Trump will use all resources at his disposal and do “whatever it takes” to prevent the turbines being erected.
Anne Murray Protests Proposed Pugwash Wind Farm
Written by Canadian Press, CBC News, www.cbc.ca | | |
February 21, 2012
Singer Anne Murray is against wind turbines being built in Pugwash, near her summer home. (Aaron Harris/CP) Nova Scotia's songbird is choosing fight over flight in her lengthy battle against a wind farm near her summer home. Anne Murray has written a letter to Premier Darrell Dexter, saying the proposed development is "deeply disturbing" and has no place in Pugwash, N.S., or near its scenic golf course. Murray, who purchased a home in the area 30 years ago, said the wind farm would lead to plummeting property values and fewer tourists, adding that it would have a "catastrophic" impact on the economy.
Criminal Gangs Look to Renewables Boom to Launder Millions.
Written by The Scotsman, www.scotsman.com/ | | |
February 21, 2012
ORGANISED criminal gangs in Scotland are eyeing the renewables industry, including windfarms, as a potential way of laundering money, police have said. The Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) is particularly wary after gangs targeted similar projects abroad.
The agency believes criminals may attempt to use legitimate businesses as a front so they are able to secure large grants that are available in what is a growing industry. The scam is similar to organised crime securing council contracts, such as taxi accounts and even children’s nurseries. Police have shared intelligence with local authorities in an attempt to stop public money being used to hide the proceeds of crime.
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WindAction Editorial U.S. Public: Say NO to Big Wind
Written by Lisa Linowes, Industrial Wind Action Group, www.windaction.org | | |
February 22, 2012
The Big Wind lobby has descended on Washington DC and its objective is singular -- secure a four-year extension of the Production Tax Credit ('PTC'), the 20-year ‘temporary' subsidy most credited for market growth in the wind sector. The PTC is due to expire at the end of this year.
For the last month, the industry poured millions of dollars into its nationwide campaign aimed at convincing the public that any lapse in the subsidy would prove a crushing blow to American jobs. Most of the ads targeted Congressional House members who resisted the industry's demands for their PTC earmark. The cry for action reached a fevered pitch last week as Congress negotiated the payroll tax bill, viewed by many as the last best chance to attach an extension of the PTC before November's presidential election.
Politicos from wind-friendly states like Iowa and Kansas wrote letters repeating the same tired talking points about jobs. It was embarrassing to see these politicians blindly repeat what they were told with no apparent understanding of the costs and impacts of their pro-wind policies. They clearly viewed their support of the PTC as safe politically. Not so fast.
Click here to read the rest of Lisa's article...
Green Companies with Political Ties to Obama Receive Billions in Federal Funds
Written by J.D. Heyes, Natural News, www.naturalnews.com | | |
February 19, 2012
In case you may have forgotten, one of candidate Barack Obama's central themes during his 2008 presidential bid was "change." In particular, he wanted to change the way Washington did its business, pointing out - correctly, by the way - that there was too much collusion between lawmakers and lobbying interests. There would be no room for lobbyists or special interests pulling the strings or winning undue influence in his administration, by golly. "They won't work in my White House!" Obama shouted to a crowd in Iowa in 2007, as he began his quest for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. "They are not going to dominate my White House."
Obama's Fake Fossil Fuel Infatuation
Written by Marita Noon, Columnist, Town Hall Finance, www.finance.townhall.com | | |
February 18, 2012
President Obama’s crush on oil and gas was short lived. On January 24, he angered his green base when, in his State of the Union address (SOTU), he stated that he is directing his “administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources.” He also called for “every possible action” to develop “a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years.”
Greenpeace’s reaction: “President Obama announced a potential environmental nightmare when he called tonight for more than 75% of offshore oil and gas resources to be exploited.” Time’s Ecocentric blog chastised him for barely mentioning even the words “climate change.” Others felt that his “cheerleading” for greater shale gas drilling risked the enthusiastic support of environmentalists and accused him of selling out the environment for re-election. Over all, the SOTU “left many eco friendly people more than a little unhappy.”
Not to worry. His infatuation with fossil fuels was merely a short-lived crush.
The Word from Waubra. A Conversation with Dr. Sarah Laurie
Written by Wind Wise Radio, www.blogtalkradio.com/windwise | | |
February 20, 2012
Dr. Laurie is the medical director of the Waubra Foundation in Australia and is facilitating some of the seminal research surrounding the set of symptoms known here in the U.S. as Wind Turbine Syndrome. "Down Under" it is often termed Waubra Disease. In mid 2010, Dr. Laurie was in the process of returning to work clinically as a rural General Practitioner when she became aware that a wind energy project was proposed for the hills near her home in regional South Australia. Being concerned with climate change and the environment, and the need for renewable energy she was initially supportive of the local project and unaware of any health concerns. It wasn’t until a neighbour alerted her to Dr Amanda Harry’s study of health issues with wind factories, that Dr. Laurie realised there were some potentially serious health problems associated with wind turbines. She decided to look into the matter fully, and became aware that despite the health problems being described around the world, there was a lack of research, and hence an urgent need for more research into this problem.
AWEA Latest Press Release: As Wind Manufacturing Job Losses Loom, Bipartisan Wind PTC Extension Drive Continues
Written by Press Release: American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), www.awea.org | | |
February 16, 2012
Despite substantial bipartisan support, an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) does not appear to have been included in the payroll tax legislation currently being finalized on Capitol Hill. American Wind Energy Association CEO Denise Bode released the following statement today concerning the urgency of the issue and next steps in the plan to extend the tax incentive before its year-end expiration: "The stakes here could not be clearer. Economic studies have shown that Congressional inaction on the PTC will kill 37,000 American jobs, shutter plants and cancel billions of dollars in private investment. Congress needs to understand that, with PTC uncertainty, layoffs have already begun and further job losses and even plant closings will accelerate with each month we near expiration in December.
