Do you have unanswered questions about what wind energy?  What it means to Northern Michigan?  How it could impact the region?

Benzie and Manistee County township representatives want to help you answer those lingering questions.

The leaders have launched "Understanding Wind Initiative, which is an effort to provide education and information for residents, communities, businesses and others about wind energy options and their implications.

Based upon the questions received, the Michigan Association of Planning will recommend expert firms or individuals who are unbiased and objective that can provide complete, fact-based answers along with information about best practices and the economic, environmental social and other implications associated with wind energy alternatives.  The Understanding Wind Energy Leadership Team, consisting of representatives from Joyfield and Blaine Townships in Benzie County and Arcadia, Bear lake, Onekama and Pleasanton Township in Manistee County, will review the credentials and experience of the recommended firms or individuals to further ensure that they are able to respond to questions in an unbiased, objective manner and that they have a high level of expertise. 

The questions and answers will be compiled in a report by the selected expert consultants that will be presented in at least two public forums in Manistee and Benzie Counties in April.  To encourage the submission of questions, the names of individuals and organizations that submit questions will not be disclosed.

“An important goal of the Understanding Wind Initiative is to offer everyone in our participating townships with an opportunity to learn together about the issues and implications of wind energy options,” said Brad Hopwood, a member of the Leadership Team who also chairs the Arcadia Township Planning Commission.  “By learning together through an educational process that is objective and gives us the benefit of experts in the field, we will be in a position to make much better long-term decisions about how wind energy fits with our communities, including decisions involving planning and zoning.  We hope that everyone will submit as many questions as they’d like in any manner they choose and not limit their questions to any single wind energy option.”

Questions should be submitted to the facilitator of the project, the Alliance for Economic Success, by Friday, March 25, 2011. 

E-mail, mail, phone, or fax:

jami@allianceforeconomicsuccess.com

Mail or Hand Delivery:  Wind Energy Questions, AES, 1361 South US 31, Manistee, MI 49660 (AES is open M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Phone: 231-723-4325

Fax: 231-723-3717

There will also be collection boxes placed in several areas around Benzie and Manistee Counties.

For more information, CLICK HERE.