What can we do?

North Texas Wind Resistance Alliance

Promoting the Truth about Wind Energy

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What can we do?

1. Educate your friends and neighbors, immediately!

When you first learn of a proposed project, find out as many details as you can. It's vitally important to find out early, in the planning and initial leasing stage. Immediately contact all of your friends and neighbors and organize a group meeting to share the information you have. This group will form the core of your opposition efforts. Form an organization, elect some trusted and talented leaders, secure financial commitments, open a bank account and raise a modest war chest. How much are your property and your quality of life worth?.

Your only hope at this point is to educate the landowners in your area as to the truth about wind power, and help them decide for themselves that they don't want to lease their property. It is their decision, and you must respectfully and courteously acknowledge this. If the wind developer cannot lease their property, he cannot install the turbines. You have to keep this first and foremost as your objective. The majority of Texans are laboring under misconceptions about wind energy, but they can smell a rat and are open to the truth. The law and most of the politicians in Texas are on the developer's side. The truth is on your side.

Place a series of ads in the local newspapers, exploding the myth about wind energy, and detailing the truth. Be factual. Don't exaggerate or misstate anything, or you will lose credibility. The facts and the truth are entirely on your side. Use the ads to invite more people to join your group.

Reproduce several hundred copies of Jon Boone's DVD "Life Under a Windplant". We can give you a copy. Jon has given permission to reproduce this important documentary. More than 10,000 copies have been distributed by concerned individuals worldwide. The cost is nominal.

Develop a list of critical, large landowners that would be important to any wind developer. Wind developers prefer large landowners with ridge-top or prairie-top, especially if they don't live on the land. Go and see these people, and ask them not to lease. Give them persuasive, factual literature and a copy of the DVD. Invite them to join your group. You must positively focus on these individuals.

Develop a mailing list of as many landowners as you can. Include local officials. Your list should include at least 150 to 250 landowners in the broad, targeted area. This is very important. Write an open letter to these landowners and mail it, along with a DVD copy of Jon Boone's "Life Under a Windplant".

Don't give up. Continue to run your ads. Continue to personally contact landowners. Continue to educate and spread the truth in your area about wind energy. If one wind developer gives up and moves on, another will come and try again.

2. Go and see your County Commissioners and city officials

Personally visit with your County Commissioners and mayors. Make sure they are on your mailing list and have received the letter, literature, and DVD. Personally and politely talk to them about the truth concerning wind energy. Ask them if they would pass a resolution opposing the placement of wind turbines in their jurisdiction. Ask them to oppose any requests for tax abatements.

Go to all council meetings and commissioners meetings from now on. Get on the agenda and formally ask for their support in opposing the project, and opposing tax abatements.

Always be polite and respectful. "In-your-face" confrontation doesn't persuade anyone; it only creates ill-will, hard feelings, and anger towards you and your cause. You must positively and persuasively present your case.

3. Try to link up with other groups, and jointly work together

Opposition to destructive wind energy development is fragmented on a project-by-project basis. We must join together if we are to educate urban Texans, and have any chance of changing the law in Austin.

We need to form a state-wide political action committee, hire a lobbyist, and get to work. We're way behind the opposition. But there are thousands of us - most are successful, educated, and resourceful people. Let's get going!