Several recent letters have been critical of Clallam PUD’s lack of vision with respect to adopting renewable energy sources.
I would remind readers that from 2007-2011 our PUD, along with several other Washington public utility districts, worked to build a green wind turbine farm on Radar Ridge in Pacific County, this in response to a voter approved initiative mandating utilities adopt more renewable energy sources.
By the way, that initiative did not recognize hydroelectric power as a renewable energy source.
After considerable investment of rate-payer provided funds, the project was scrapped, rightfully so I think, because of the environmental harm it would have caused.
Wind and solar are not wholly benign or without significant impacts.
Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of birds each year.
Used wind turbine blades are being buried in landfills in Wyoming; out of sight, out of mind?
Solar farms tie up land that could otherwise be used for wildlife habitat or agriculture.
Mining, often by children in third-world countries, of exotic rare-earth metals used in solar panels and electric vehicle batteries destroys the landscape, generates large volumes of hazardous waste and are not practical to recycle.
Here’s the thing: Everything we do has impacts and consequences but, all that glitters is not green.
Jon Purnell
Port Angeles