This past week, I had the privilege of attending the Senate deliberation on Senate Bill 159 that would override Sussex County Council’s rejection of a substation project for US Wind. I was able to address the representatives with my support for the bill, and after carefully considering the article in your newspaper, I came to the conclusion that it contained a personal opinion by the writer. The article speculates that objections to the bill were more than 2-to-1, which I take issue with given the writer's lack of factual information. Moreover, the debate was more concentrated on legislative objections to overriding the unilateral decision made by the county.
Some of the objections by the public appeared to concentrate more on individuals and the possible inaccurate effect of cables under Indian River Bay. Certainly, the objections were a speculation rationale, as suggested by the reporter.
The legalities of the bill, which is supported by recommendations of expert professionals, is not a matter of who votes for or against it in the Legislature or county meetings, but should be in consideration of the greater good for the state and communities. What was largely minimized were the benefits of increasing the power supply in the face of the expansion of new home construction and potential savings of millions of dollars to the state and for the citizenry. The applications and conditions met by US Wind, installers of the wind power project, are not a question. What is the question is whether we, the people, will come forth and support what is right for the benefit of the total community. Such should be recognized by us, as individual citizens, to express opinions for public consideration and not for limited interests. It is up to us to take our individual responsibility to actively participate in the community affairs that surely will impact the futures of ourselves and future generations. It is up to us!
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