(The answer my friend, is blowing in the industrial wind. – promoted by eli_beckerman)

In response to a question from a Lenox voter that was posted on the wall of my campaign’s Facebook page about my position on ‘industrial wind in the Berkshires,’ I submitted the following text.

“My positions on energy matters such as wind are informed by considerations of ownership, sustainability, personal responsibility and grass-roots democracy.

My particular position on legislation governing wind energy siting anywhere in the commonwealth is that any wind project of more than 2 megawats in capacity must be permitted and approved through a majority or supermajority vote at either an annual town meeting (for towns) or through a referendum (in cities). As an individual Lenox town meeting voter I would be inclined to support community-owned wind power generation after consideration of the long term (at least 20-year) economic and environmental impacts to the town of any specific proposal.  I would not vote for the kind of private, secretive development that is depicted in the documentary film “Windfall.”

I am supportive of the Mass Muni Choice bill (H3896), which has just received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. The global community is rightly addressing the negative health and environmental impacts of its present reliance on burning carbon fuels. Nations, states, and communities around the world are promoting conservation and subsidizing the development of sustainable non-carbon energy sources. Here in Massachusetts it is also important to assess the implications of our having favored private investor ownership of utilities, where the bias is for short-term return on investment, versus direct local community and farmer ownership of clean energy, such as we see prevalently in Germany, for example.

I believe that Massachusetts towns and cities should be accountable for the development of clear plans for determining the steps they will choose to take to measurably reduce and to sustainably contain carbon emissions on a per capita basis.

Here are links to blogs I have written that have some relevance to the wind discussion.  Comments from readers in support, opposition, or further elaborating on the dialogue are welcome. I strive to make my positions clear, open, and accessible.

January 2012 commentary on deliberations of the Joint Committee of Telecommunications Utilities and Energy, including statements in support of the bottle bill and the municipal power choice bill and a statement in opposition to the current WESRA bill.

October 2011 commentary and letter

to the editor of the Berkshire Eagle.

September 2011 commentary  on the opportunities to promote Green Party style grass-roots democracy, follwoing a wind energy motion that was advanced by prominent Democrats on the Lenox Select Board despite the topic not being on the agenda.

March 2010 position statement in opposition to the previous version of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act.

I would be happy to see the responses to this important question that you receive from other politicians and invite to you and others to post responses either to my campaign’s Facebook page or to this blog.”