Environmental officials praise Somerset County, Pa., wind-farm energy success
The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa. --Sep. 1--CHAMPION, Pa.
Sep. 1--CHAMPION, Pa. -- Pennsylvania is cleaning up its act when it comes to energy.
McGinty touted the county's three wind farms as evidence of economic
opportunity in the renewable energy field.
"Those wind farms are a sign of the part of the state that is moving and
heading in new directions," she said. "Communities such as we have
here in Somerset may be a good microcosm." McGinty's remarks came during a
60-minute keynote address at the Renewable Energy Conference at Seven Springs
Mountain Resort in Champion.
The two-day conference -- sponsored by Southern Alleghenies Conservancy and
state Rep. Bob Bastian, R-Somerset -- drew 60 community and business leaders
looking to tap into what they hope will be a lucrative market in wind power,
hydroelectric power, solar power, methane energy and other energy sources.
The symposium resumes today.
The United States has increased its dependency on foreign oil from 30 percent
and 40 percent in the 1970s to 60 percent today, McGinty said.
Because OPEC nations are finding it harder to extract oil from the ground,
the cost is passed on to oil-using countries.
Finding renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels like coal and oil
are needed as OPEC's oil reserves diminish, McGinty said.
"It's not like we'll be out of oil tomorrow," she said. "It's
become enormously expensive to extract those additional barrels of oil. We're
reaching the point of diminishing returns." One alternative is wind
farming, which can generate energy for communities and income for farmers whose
properties have turbines.
Three wind farms operate in Somerset County with 34 turbines turning out
electricity for homes and businesses. Feasibility of wind farms was just one of
many topics highlighted by conference leaders.
Seleen Shimer of Fulton County and Michelle Miller of Blair County are taking
the wind farm idea back to their respective conservation districts.
"Farmers have a hard time making ends meet," Shimer said.
"We're trying to find ways for them to have extra income to keep the farms
going." Not everyone is quick to embrace the idea.
Dan Boone, spokesman for Citizens for Responsible Wind Power, cautioned that
further study on the environmental impact of wind farms is needed.
"Wind turbines are gigantic compared to what they were just a few years
ago," said Boone, a Maryland resident.
"They're going to have an impact on migratory birds," he said.
"We need to be conscientious enough to evaluate the impact ahead of
time." Exchanging ideas with guest speakers and representatives from 10
organizations who staged exhibits on renewable power is what the conference is
about, said Len Lichvar, executive director of SAC.
The region's wind and water resources play a role in the state's future
energy needs, he said.
"We need to do a better job utilizing the resources we have,"
Lichvar said. "We come here today to try to promote and bring the movers
and shakers together in the Cambria-Somerset region to think about that."
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