I read with interest the editorial letter on Windmills arent health hazard but safe energy producers. While I respect that Ms. Wright is entitled to her opinion, some of her statements are factually incorrect.

Wind power is not cheap. In an article (The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 2012) by former Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, the cost of wind subsidies is extraordinarily high at $52.48 per million watt hours generated. In contrast, nuclear is $3.10, hydro is 84 cents, coal 64 cents and natural gas is 63 cents per million watt hours generated. In one year alone existing federal subsidies for wind have cost taxpayers over $12 billion. With wind annually at around 2 percent of our power source nationally, does this seem to be an economically sound investment? Have our power rates decreased because of wind generation on the grid? Do we have cheaper power now than we did a decade ago before wind turbines? Shepards Flat was 11 percent investor funded; 89 percent of the remaining total of $1.6 billion was subsidized by taxpayers. How much of this power, now online, has reduced your power bill? Or kept your rates from increasing?

Has the addition of wind projects reduced the CO2 emissions? No verification of this to date. Since wind must be backed up by alternate and more stable power sources (fossil fuels and hydro), the opposite might be said. The influx of wind power generation has taxed our current grid to maximum. Updating our current grid will cost millions. PacifiCorp is laying new line from Walla Walla to McNary to expand the ability to add additional power from wind. Who will be paying for this new infrastructure update? The wind companies? Or you?

Umatilla County welcomed wind energy into the county, but with that came responsibilities of a balanced approach. The Umatilla County Planning commissioners worked at wind turbine siting for 21/2 years. They came up with a comprehensive and balanced approach to siting. The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners validated it. It did not exclude wind energy from being sited in the county but ensured protections for citizens of Umatilla County. Health and safety regulations were put into all energy siting processes to protect the public. This fact ensures the safety and well-being of its residents.

We are fortunate to have a local process that is forward thinking, balanced and responsive to an ever-changing landscape.

Cindy Severe

Helix