Champlain Wind Power Plan

(Published in the Burlington Free Press September 13, 2008)

Champlain Wind Power Plan

Now that Ms. Symington says she wants 20 percent of Vermont's electricity in ten years from windmills, here's how to bring that dream to reality. In addition to using our beautiful windswept mountains, Lake Champlain's southerly breezes should be captured, too, for the 200 plus towers needed.

The shallow bays of Lake Champlain, near Addison, Chittenden, and Grand Isle counties, where electricity demand is growing rapidly, would be ideal for the giant windmills. In fairness, this windy watery playground also should be contributing to Vermont's renewable electricity.

Of course, new sub-stations are necessary. Burlington's Moran Plant could be revitalized as a mixed-use facility delivering a higher public benefit than wall climbing. Shelburne Bay and Shelburne Farms have a few optimal shoreline spots too. These will conveniently serve Charlotte and Shelburne's wealthy couples living in 5,000 square foot homes, espousing wind and conservation, while underwriting a pack of attorneys to ensure that neither compromises their own consumption or scenic views.

The shallow waters of the Inland Sea are a perfect spot for a dozen or two windmills to serve fast-growing Grand Isle County.

'Scientists' claiming human health hazards from VELCO's new overhead transmission lines surely could tune the electromagnetic fields from the underwater connections to attract and zap lamprey eels, thus improving lake fisheries.

Discarded car and truck tires attached to the towers underwater provide perfect artificial reefs. Fish really do like these spots, evidenced by the magnificent fishing around the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. By gosh, in addition to a Fathers Day derby, we could have Mothers Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day fishing tournaments adding millions to the economy.

Attaching more tires above the water line would serve as ideal bumpers for boaters mooring to enjoy the soothing 'whoosh-whoosh-whoosh' of the rotating blades. A further attraction, electrical outlets, would encourage overnight stays. Mooring fees collected by the coastal towns would dampen escalating local property taxes. Ice fisherman will also benefit from the windmills by plugging into handy electricity to heat shanties and cool beverages.

Over the years, thousands of double-crested cormorants have guanoed all other living things to extinction on Young, Mud, Bixby Islands, and elsewhere. This problem, too, could be cured with a few strategically placed towers. Depending, of course, on wind speed, the cormorants would be more or less finely diced by the windmill blades, providing a new food source for fish swarming around the tire reefs.

A few multimillion dollar research studies will certainly validate the project's overall potential. With 200 or more of these towers of power, we could generate enough clean electricity to reduce our carbon footprint by another three percent. Vermont will be the envy of green folk everywhere!

With all these benefits, why does Vermont's Department of Public Service Electricity Plan miss the potential for wind power from Lake Champlain? The Legislature must surely scrutinize the opportunity as intensely as climate change. They could solve the cormorant and lamprey problems, increase our fun on the water and ice, provide local tax benefits and tourism dollars, and the towers could host antennas for next generation wireless broadband Internet access. Our solons can claim hero status rather than be cast as villains bent on eliminating Vermont Yankee with no replacement electricity!

So, let's get cracking on the Champlain Wind Power Plan. Ms. Symington should immediately contact Mr. T. Boone Pickens for advice and funding. We can't afford to miss this opportunity! If we start now, with expedited permitting, chances are better than even that CWPP will be online in 10... maybe 15 years at the outside.