In the most recent of his ongoing series of opinion pieces on wind energy, Sen. Joe Benning counseled us all that “Anger Isn’t Necessary.” The good Senator delivered stern admonitions against anger and personal attacks — not to mention “savagery with acerbic wit” by an anonymous blogger (cough*ME*cough).

Apparently he can dish it out but can’t take it. Because the earlier installments in his anti-wind series were full of anger, personal attack, and overheated rhetoric. (Acerbic wit, not so much.)

In part 1 of his series, Benning made his first printed reference to “rape,” after having been traumatized by a visit to Lowell Mountain during construction of the Kingdom Community Wind Farm. The rape, he called it, of “a pristine environment.” Guess he’d never been there before, since the site had been commercially logged for decades before Kingdom was built. And I guess he’d never visited a construction site of any kind before; they’re all pretty darn messy. Kingdom Community has cleaned up very well since then.

I do hope the Senator feels the same way about other big development plans. For instance, the massive Bill Stenger project that will wreak widespread destruction on the pristine slopes of Burke Mountain to make way for a massive ski resort. That finished product will be far more disruptive to the natural environment than any wind farm.  

Further on, Benning tries to put words into the mouths of wind supporters: “Big wind proponents claim these projects are the magical silver bullet that will solve our electric needs and cure man’s contribution to global pollution.” In fact, nobody has ever described wind as the sole solution, let alone a “magical silver bullet.” We see wind as one part of a multifaceted transformation of power generation.

Then he asserts that we need to evaluate whether wind is appropriate for Vermont, analyze the data on power production from wind farms, and develop a comprehensive energy plan. Which ignores the fact that all this work has been done, thoroughly, deliberately, inclusively, over the past 15 years or so. The state has examined the potential of wind power and identified a modest number of ridgeline sites that are economically viable. It has explored wind farms’ impacts on surrounding ecosystems, and found them to be minimal or nonexistent. It has reviewed the evidence on health impacts, and found them to be minimal or nonexistent. It has developed a comprehensive energy plan.

The work has all been done. The problem for Senator Benning is that he doesn’t like the conclusions. He wants the issue studied and studied and studied again until he gets the answers he wants.

The Senator really hit his angry, personal-attacking stride in his second opinion piece, in which he described the invasion of “gargantuan wind machines put up by rich, out-of-state developers” who wrap themselves “in an appealing cloak of green” while enriching themselves by destroying the environment. He also depicted Bernie Sanders and Bill McKibben as the spearheads of “a well-funded media splurge.” If that isn’t anger and personal attack, I don’t know what is.

The thesis of his piece is a comparison between today’s Windies and Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys, valiantly fighting against rich outsiders who plotted to evict or enslave them. Speaking as a wind advocate who is neither rich not an outsider, who doesn’t stand to earn a dime off any wind turbine (and who is, in fact, willing to pay somewhat higher electricity rates in order to limit the damage of global warming), and who has a lot of respect for the individuals and environmental groups that Benning is so thoroughly trashing, I find the Senator’s rhetoric insulting. Also misleading. And wrong on the facts.

Then came part 3, which was even angrier than parts 1 or 2. And I suppose the rising tide of rage from Benning is understandable, considering that his pet legislation, S.30, had been thoroughly dismantled by the State Senate. His wishes would not be realized; his arguments had failed to convince. In that circumstance he could either stand down or double down. He chose the latter.

He talked about wind proponents being “obsessed” with a technology that destroys mountains, kills wildlife, imperils human health, fails to generate much power, destroys democracy and permanently scars the landscape. And called wind power a “nightmare.” And asserted that opponents of S.30 had failed to read or understand the bill.

Well, if that’s not anger and personal attack, I don’t know what is. Listen, Joe, if you want respect for your side, you’ll have to offer some to your opponents. So far, you’ve done quite the opposite. If you’re occasionally the target for anger and personal attack, it’s only because we get a little tired of receiving it from you and your allies.

It doesn’t help that Benning is lying about the real aim of S.30. He claims to want more time for conversation, analysis and study. But, as Rep. Tony Klein told VPR, every S.30 supporter he’s talked to is opposed to any new ridgeline wind development anywhere in Vermont. S.30 is about stalling as long as possible, trying to run out the clock on wind development. It is not about conversation and study.

That includes Joe Benning himself; he’s made his views on ridgeline wind abundantly clear. He may claim that he wants a discussion, a civil dialogue. But in his mind, the debate is already over.