Monday, October 5, 2009

Counterpoint Reply to Dustin Holt’s Article, “Tour shows how MAPP would impact County” from the Star Democrat


Again I have taken an article from the Star Democrat this time written by Dustin Holt and given a Point / Counter Point reply to the inaccurate statements. For my readers with intellectual minds:

VIENNA The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and the Dorchester Citizens for Safe Energy along with the Dorchester County Tourism Department organized a lunch and a tour through Dorchester County Wednesday to show the impact the proposed Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway project would have on the county's agriculture and wildlife.

Counter Point:
(Let’s start out with who the controlling people in opposition to MAPPs really are. The daughter of Vienna Mayor Russell Brinsfield of Vienna, use to work for ESLC and is now head of the Dorchester County Tourism Department your tax dollars at work for their special interest. ECLC gets it funding from the State of Maryland so again I should point out that this is all your tax money being wasted on this small group’s whims. You are not in control of how your tax money is being wasted on this little lunch ride, the incestuous relationships, of inbred Dorchester County are.)


The MAPP project plans to build a 150-mile high-voltage electricity transmission line that would go from the Possum Point generation facility in Prince William County, Va., to the Indian River generation facility in Sussex County, Del.
As proposed, towers about 150-feet tall would carry the line through 27 miles of Dorchester County from Taylor's Island to Vienna. The towers would consume 650 acres of county agriculture, forest and rural lands, according to the ESLC.

Counter Point:
(Again the buzz words, “consume 650 acres of county agriculture, forest and rural lands,” are still being used when these people have been given many examples from this site that it is not even close to being accurate. Now you can interject “knowingly misinforming again” from this small group in opposition. Decisions based on lies, are still lies.)


Representatives for state officials and local dignitaries along with local residents met for lunch at the E.A. Murphy Community Center in Vienna. Former Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes spoke at the lunch about the impact the MAPP project would have on the county.
"Many of us are opposed to it (the MAPP Project) because insufficient studies have been done for this line," Hughes said, who is an advisory committee member of the ESLC. "Have they looked at alternatives?"

Counter Point:
(Nothing has been decided as routes and, “Yes Mr. Hughes, many different routes are being reviewed by the true decision makers, Public Service Commission.")


Hughes said one alternative is to improve the Vienna Power Plant, which is not operating at full power. He said another alternative is to introduce energy conservation standards to reduce the need for the power lines.

Counter Point:
(Again I will have to state that the Vienna Power Plant would not be cost effective to burn coal or oil compared to the Roth Ridge Wind Farm array in Garrett County, which is a source of power that MAPP could bring to the Delmarva Peninsula. It was this type of lack of knowledge and due diligence of a subject that during your term as Governor of Maryland led to the Savings and Loan crisis in this state.)


"This is a massive project that will disrupt the landscape," Hughes said. "There are too many unknowns with no alternatives considered. As far as I can see, there is no need to rush into this."
Vienna Mayor Russell Brinsfield, who is one of the founders of ESLC, also spoke at the lunch.
He said the MAPP project would permanently and negatively impact Vienna.

Counter Point:
(How so more than the seven 69kV – 230kV transmission lines already running through Vienna and surrounding areas? Mayor Russell Brinsfield gives no supporting facts or examples to the negative.)


He said alternatives to the proposed MAPP project should include the state promoting energy conversation and renewable resources.
"Promote incentives for industry and private sector residents to conserve electricity; not just on a voluntary basis but actually offer incentives," Brinsfield said. "Also, if we can create a market for farmers to grow switchgrass as a biofuel, not only would that increase the economic viability in our farming industry, it would also help save the Bay."

Counter Point:
(I agree with this statement whole heartily and private industry is doing this now as we speak. Blue Water Wind, Roth Rock Wing, Solar Panels being erected in Dover, De. etc. But again I have to restate, YOU STILL NEED THE TRANSMISSION LINES TO GET THE POWER TO THE CUSTOMERS!!!)


State Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore; Del. Addie Eckardt, R-37B-Dorchester; and Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, R-37B-Talbot, were in attendance at the lunch in Vienna.
Eckardt said it is important to preserve the heritage and agriculture in the county. "Our biggest asset is our land, fisheries and agriculture," Eckardt said. "I'm glad stakeholders and government officials are here to get a good tour of Dorchester because that is our best kept secret."
Eckardt said if the MAPP project is to move forward, the state needs to look where the project will not be environmentally sensitive nor impair the vision of the county.

Counter Point:
(Addie Eckardt has her degree in nursing and Richey Colburn (we use to call this joke of a person “Lizard” in school) has a degree in…….NOTHING. Now there is the intellectual Algonquin Round Table to be making decisions on the subject.)


After lunch, the tour went south from Vienna, through Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and back to Cambridge. Local residents spoke during the tour about the impact the MAPP towers would have on the county landscape.
DCSE Chairman and local farmer Libby Nagel said in addition to the height of the towers, each would require about a 200-foot right-of-way. She said the MAPP towers would consume the county's landscape. "Once the land is gone, it is gone forever," Nagel said.

Counter Point:
(Again Libby Nagel is still touting this when she has been informed on this Jonathan Travers site where I have demonstrated many examples existing throughout Dorchester County where crops are grown right under existing transmission power lines. Now she is just knowingly propagating an inaccurate statement.)


To demonstrate the height of the towers, residents deployed balloons at a height of about 150 feet in fields to give a visual for those taking the tour.
Local farmer Lin Spicer said spraying crops would be ineffective with the power lines because planes would not be able to get below the lines.
"We would be forced to spray from above the towers and the wind would blow the spray all around before it reached the crops," Spicer said.

Counter Point:
(I am as much environmentally conscience as the next person and probably more so. With recent studies by genetic researchers that are now showing results that even what type of diets and much less the type of environmental exposure one’s grandparents had when they were children, are now showing mutations in the present day grandchildren. This not only applies to humans but for all organic life. An example of DDT spraying exposure to Grandmothers and increase of breast cancer risk to the Granddaughters. DDT nearly wiped out the Bald Eagle throughout the whole country. To be aerial spraying pesticides and herbicides in this sensitive area, and the dumping of raw animal waste on this high water table soils, is doing more long-term damage to this delicate eco system than a transmission line ever would. I find it quite hypocritical how those opposed to MAPP want to use the “I can’t farm by poisoning undesirable plants or insects,” as their arguments in this eco-sensitive area. You should be ashamed of yourself and try some introspection of your viewpoints.)


Spicer said irrigation systems would be limited on farms with towers. "Irrigation systems are set to pivot 360 degrees, but if a tower is in the way, it may only be able to pivot 180 degrees," Spicer said. "For a system that costs about $250,000 brand new, that cuts its use in half."
Blackwater Manager Susan Baird said the MAPP towers would have a great impact on wildlife and wetlands. She said bald eagles, which are prominent at Blackwater Refuge, need a living area of five miles. "They won't fly over the towers, so you can't tell me they or other birds will not move on to different locations outside of Dorchester County if the power lines are put here," Baird said.

Counter Point:
(Again where is your proof on this statement when you already have seven high voltage power lines running through this same area? Maybe your statement is based more on desire for it to be true than actual documented proof?)


Jay Meredith, who owns The Bucktown County Store, said the MAPP project will interfere with the proposed Harriet Tubman Historic National Park.
"It is awesome to have a Harriet Tubman National Park in Dorchester County," Meredith said. "That park and Blackwater will bring so much tourism to Dorchester County, but I'm sure the people coming here will not want to see 150-foot towers in the middle of a national park."

Counter Point:
(How is this different to the newly erected Cell Towers, existing transmission and distribution power lines in this same area? With this logic, you should be lobbying to dismantle this entire infrastructure so you too can have none of the modern communication aspects, electric for lights, cooking, refrigeration, and heat, etc. I bet you are not heating with wood this winter so you can return to the purest lifestyle that Harriet Tubman had. Again I find this another hypocritical statement.)

5 comments:

  1. Eagles won't fly over power lines? What? There are power lines all over the Shore! What do they do - walk around them?? This is the best argument the lady from Blackwater can come up with?

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  2. I have known the self absorbed Russell Brinsfield for years. He is a legend in his own mind.

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  3. When I saw this article in the Star Democrat (we like to call it the Talbot Tattler at our house) I thought to myself what a load of crap from a bunch of whiners.

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  4. From Jonathan Travers:
    Thank you all for your postings. Those making statements in this article can so easily be exposed how so inaccurate their arguments and even to the point that they are ridiculously ludicrous.

    Mayor Russell Brinsfield had also posted a comment but he was unable to articulate himself well enough to be published on this blog. To paraphrase, he did not like the fact that he and his daughter were exposed with their connections to ESLC and the Dorchester Tourist Board using our tax dollars for their own interests. Well Mr. Brinsfield the facts are what they are.

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  5. I love how everytime someone posts a comment on here that doesn't support the transmission lines, the one-sided, narrow minded admin deletes it. Johnathan are you jealous that your not in the Mickey Mouse club?

    Sincerely, Life long Mickey Mouse Club member

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