Virginia Game Commission Tilting at Windmills

Don Quixote mistakes windmills for oppressive giants. And when Don Quixote fights the windmills people think him as a bit crazy.

Now, the Virginia Game Commission has taken up Don Quixote's battle, they are opposed to 19 windmills that are planned to go up on the Blue Ridge mountains in Highland County.

This from the Roanoke Times:

"Highland New Wind Development is proposing the windmills for two 4,300-foot ridges in Highland."

"The project would be Virginia's first major wind farm. Depending on how strong the wind blows, the windmills could produce as much as 38 megawatts of power, enough on average for 15,000 to 20,000 homes, supporters say."

But the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is "tilting at this windmill" idea. They are worried about bats and birds flying into them. But there is a problem, no one has done research and the effect on birds and bats is unknown.

Yet, 90 windmills operate in the Appalachian Mountains now. Plans are in the works to increase this by ten fold.

So, why does no one know what the risks are to birds and bats, is beyond me. With 90 windmills now in operation has not anyone looked at the ground?

To read more on Don Quixote go here.

To see more pictures like the one featured on this post go here.