Public hearing on wind turbines

Prospect, Conn. (WTNH) - Two proposed wind turbines brought almost 1,000 people to a public hearing in Prospect Wednesday night.

They sat on the edge of their seats at Long River Middle School listening, ready to battle each other at the microphone. Outside the school gym, residents were raising green to fight green.

"We are fighting for our rights, for our peace and quiet, and fighting for our sanity," said Prospect resident Karen Dunn.

"All for green energy, these guys could have come in like heroes on white horses if they had put them up on a ridge line farther into the woods, were looking for .6 of a mile away," said Ken Aubertin.

The proposed site sits near the crest of a hill 850 feet from homes. Debora Hanky lives less than a half a mile from the site.

When asked what changed her to vote yes, Hanky said, "The fact that I have two little kids that can't be here to speak for themselves, and I want to leave them with a better world economically, environmentaly and any way I can."

BNE Energy says the new turbines that would go on the site are quieter, and a proven technology.

"There is a group in Falmouth that would dispute that. They have one of the new turbines and one man actually tried to commit suicide," Dunn said.

"They keep highlighting a turbine in Falmouth that they visited, it is an older technology, older turbine. At the property line we know that through our studies it's as loud as a refrigerator, at the property line," said Greg Zupkus from BNE Energy.

There will be another hearing which will be more like a trial, where both sides can present witnesses and evidence in favor and against the wind power project. That hearing will be held Thursday at 2:00pm at the same location.