The End of Culver?

A Culver group warns of near apocalyptic consequences should the proposed NextEra Wind Farm be approved.  Humans may suffer headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, depression, etc.  Farm animals may become sick, die, suffer birth defects, decreased dairy and egg production, etc.  Birds, bats, butterflies, fish, etc. may be killed or abandon the area.  Yes, even fish.  Wildlife habitat may be lost.  Lifeline helicopters and crop-dusters may not serve the area.  Wind turbines may catch fire and endanger firefighters and EMS crews.  And, the horrid wind turbines will pervert the community’s natural beauty and depress property values.

That was just a sampling and it’s frightening.  Could this be the end of Culver?  To answer this question I looked at an even more ominous threat that Culver has thus far withstood- BOATING.  Boating threatens people, animals, the environment and our aesthetic sensibilities.  The Coast Guard reported that in 2009 boating accidents resulted in 736 deaths and 3,358 injuries.  Rescuers put their lives on the line every day responding to these accidents.  The noise, turbulence and emissions of boats adversely affects the feeding, breeding and nesting of fish, birds and other aquatic life; and it affects water clarity and quality.  This results in increased algae and the introduction of metals, hydrocarbons and other carcinogenic pollutants.  And don’t forget that boats introduced zebra mussels.  As for aesthetics, does anything pervert the lake’s natural beauty more than the hundreds of piers, lift stations and boats that line our shores half the year and our roads the other half?  And the noise- it carries for miles while disturbing a peaceful weekend afternoon.  Perhaps the Culver group’s next crusade should be to ban all boats on Lake Maxinkuckee.  As silly as that sounds my point is that scare tactics can be used to instill fear and undermine anything.

Alfred Nyby

http://am1050.com/2011/the-end-of-culver/