Webster Residents Crowd Wind Farm Hearing
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. IV, No. 2 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.BLACKSTONEVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” Friday, October 8, 2010 Webster residents crowd wind farm hearing Although a wind energy bylaw wind. and 75 or greater hours of flicker HEALTH, SAFETY ISSUES RAISED and state Tax Incentive Financing One of the recurring concerns at each year. Agreement for just such an endeav- the hearing related to something Janè said 34 residences fall within BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY wind farm on privately owned land or was approved overwhelmingly by known as shadow flicker — the the 30-49 hour zone, and 17 of them TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER between the Douglas State Forest Douglas Town Meeting voters, their blinking shadow cast by the sun would experience flicker in excess of next door neighbors in Webster are shining through a moving turbine. 30 hours. DOUGLAS — One thousand feet and the Webster town line. none too happy about the idea of Janè explained a shadow flicker While there is no statute requir- is close. According to Rod Janè of mammoth towers looming on their mitigation plan would be instituted ing turbine owners to mitigate shad- That was the sentiment of one American Pro Wind, that company horizon. should the turbines go up. ow flicker,Janè said reducing it to 30 Webster resident regarding the has a right-to-purchase agreement For most of the two dozen or so The plan, Janè said, is based on a hours or less per year is a common proximity of the proposed Douglas with landowners of three separate Webster residents in attendance at study that attempted to simulate practice based on those established wind farm to homes in the parcels that would make up the 53- last week’s hearing — which includ- flicker conditions and chart loca- in Germany, which has been using Blueberry Hill neighborhood of acre wind farm. ed members of Webster’s Planning tions where the shadows were the wind power to generate electricity Webster. According to the site plan, which Board and Board of Selectmen — worst. since the 1970s. His neighbors agree. was put together by engineers from the actual sight of the turbines is Three outlining zones were dis- Proponents of either side of the On Tuesday, Sept. 28, the Douglas Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., the not the turnoff, rather it is the con- played on a map, showing homes argument may disagree on the actu- Planning Board held a public hear- wind farm would feature 11 nearly cern of associated health and safety that would receive 20-29 hours of al impact shadow flicker does or ing for review of the site plan for 500-foot tall wind turbines, produc- issues that have them hoping for no flicker per year, 30-49 hours per year, American Pro Wind’s proposed ing 61,000 megawatt hours per year. Turn To WIND page A6 FAMILY Area libraries react to FUN Banned Books Week BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER REGION — Everyone likes to be a little naughty — even if the extent of naughtiness is simply reading a book. Last week, libraries across the country celebrated Banned Books Week. From Saturday, Sept. 25 to Saturday, Oct. 1, the American Library Association’s list of the most frequently challenged books took center stage at some libraries in an effort to promote what the ALA calls “intellectual freedom.” Christopher Tanguay photo While no books are banned A display of some of the books that have nationwide, the ALA’s list is a com- been banned by various school districts pilation of pieces of literature that and libraries across the country. have been challenged, and in some cases banned, from individual books across the United States.” school districts and libraries over At the Uxbridge Free Public the last several decades based on a Library, Director Jane Granatino myriad of moral objections. said some of her patrons were taken According to the ALA, “Banned aback by some of the books that Books Week highlights the benefits appear on the banned books list. of free and open access to informa- “People are surprised at what tion while drawing attention to the books were selected to be banned,” harms of censorship by spotlight- ing actual or attempted bannings of Turn To BOOKS page A6 Christopher Tanguay photo UXBRIDGE — Nathan Avery, 9, had a blast with his buddies while Roads at issue for Uxbridge painting an old-fash- ioned milk jug. He was taking part in a family painting day last week voters at Town Meeting at Whitin Middle School, in support of Rachel’s Challenge. For BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY story, more photos, see TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER page A13. UXBRIDGE — This town could grow by as many as 10 roads by the end of the year — but only in a legal sense. There are 10 individual roads up for acceptance at the Nov. 16 Town Blackstone River to get fall cleanup Meeting, all of which are part of existing subdivisions. To be accepted by the town means BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY Because the riverways cleanup ested that volunteers do not have to the now-privately owned roads TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER has become a yearly event, Cameron be members of the Blackstone River would become public domain and REGION — Members of the said the amount of trash collected Watershed Association to partici- maintenance thereof would fall on Blackstone River Watershed each year does go down, although pate, nor do they have to live in the the shoulders of the Department of Association are gearing up for their there are a few locations that seem Blackstone Valley. Public Works. fourth annual Blackstone Valley to collect litter every year. “If one of these spots you go to The roads in question include Riverways Cleanup Day. The areas of focus on the 24th will and you really love, it’d be great to Buttermilk Way, Cassie Lane, Jodie Dubbed “Make a Difference Day,” be Fisherville Pond in Grafton, the have the people’s help,” she said. Circle, Julia Drive, Longmeadow the cleanup is part of an ongoing Blackstone River area off River The cleanup is just one day in an Road, Rose Lane, Stanphyl Road, effort to improve the overall ecologi- Road in Uxbridge, Lake Avenue ever-evolving calendar filled with Foxwood Lane, Deer View Lane, and cal health of the Valley’s rivers and along Hopedale Pond in Hopedale events all geared toward promoting Wildlife Drive. Christopher Tanguay photo surrounding woodland areas. and the Gilboa Street section of the and maintaining the health of the DPW Director Benn Sherman told The cleanup up will be held on Mumford River, just upstream of valley’s water resources. the Board of Selectmen Monday, Buttermilk Way is one of several roads Sunday, Oct. 24 from 1-3 p.m., fol- the Douglas wastewater treatment “We do water quality monitoring, Sept. 27 the majority of the roads Uxbridge Town Meeting voters will decide lowed by a free pizza lunch at the facility. and that’s on a volunteer basis,” were nearing final inspections last whether or not to accept as a town way. River Bend Farm Visitors Center in In addition to shoreline volun- Cameron said. week, and that he did not foresee to the approved design. Uxbridge. teers, Cameron said the association For the tests, volunteers collect any problems that would prevent The design was altered during the The focus of the day: litter. is also looking for people to shove off water samples every month, which most of them from being accepted. construction phase, according to “[We’re] making sure people in canoes to collect any garbage that are then analyzed in order to keep Buttermilk Way is the only one on one resident, in order to avoid hav- know that litter is bad and that it might be afloat or snagged in the track of any trends in the rivers’ the list with any issue, Sherman ing to remove trees that skirt along hurts the water quality, and the rivers. habitats like fluctuations or deple- said, and that is only the idea that a wetland area. wildlife, and aesthetics,” said To sign up as a volunteer for the tions of certain elements in the there could possibly be a concern in No flooding has resulted from the BRWA’s outreach coordinator, cleanup, e-mail [email protected], water. the future. Two detention basins change in design, and Sherman said Heather Cameron. “We found a few or call (508) 278-5200. along the cul-de-sac road, Sherman spots that have a little bit of trash.” Cameron reminded anyone inter- Turn To RIVER page A6 explained, were not built according Turn To ROADS page A6 A2-3 ...................................... LOCAL A9 ....................... SENIOR SCENE A4-5 ..................................... OPINION A11 .............................. SPORTS CONTACT THE TRIBUNE EDITOR AT A7 .................................... OBITUARIES A13 ........................... CALENDAR ANDY STONEBRIDGEPRESS COM INSIDE @ . 2 • Friday, October 8, 2010 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE Corridor Commission lauds funding TRIBUNE ALMANAC QUOTATION OF THE WEEK “One thousand feet is awfully dang close.” — A Webster resident speaking about the proximity of his home to a proposed wind farm in Douglas. FRONT PAGE QUOTE — James Madison Courtesy photo OPEN TO CLOSE Lt. Governor Timothy Murray delivers remarks at River Bend Farm Visitors Center before (from left) Congressman Richard Neal, Representative Paul Kujawski, Senator Richard Moore and Representative Jennifer Callahan. Northbridge Town Manager (508) 234-2095 REGION — The John H. Chafee Blackstone Island. The project has yet to reach the bor- noted one of the key reasons for success of Northbridge Town Clerk River Valley National Heritage Corridor der in either state, leading Executive Director this and other Corridor projects is the strong, (508) 234-2001 Commission last week expressed its apprecia- Jan Reitsma of the Heritage Corridor to bi-partisan support from Valley legislators.