The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee has spent much of this week taking testimony on issues related to wind energy. Most of its attention has been focused on S. 30, The Bill Formerly Known As The Moratorium Bill, which passed the Senate with most of its original teeth extracted. (I’ll have more reports about these hearings in the next day or two.)

But the Committee took a brief timeout to administer last rites to an astoundingly ill-conceived bit of legislation known as H.322. The bill, introduced by Republican Bob Helm of Fair Haven and cosponsor by three other GOPers*, called for a study of siting wind turbines in Lake Champlain.

*Steve Beyor, Chuck Pearce, Philip Winters.

Helm came equipped with photos of wind turbine construction from the Joe Benning Collection of Ridgeline Porn, and a lovely picture of turbines in a large body of water. “Which looks better to you?” he asked the committee.

Oh, there’s just one little problem. The feasibility of wind turbines in Lake Champlain has ALREADY BEEN STUDIED by the state and by wind developers. And even though it often “feels windy” along the lake, the winds just aren’t anywhere near strong enough. Helm was informed of this fact, and the hearing quickly ended.

If Helm, Beyor, Pearce or Winters had bothered to do five minutes of research — or even simply asked the Legislative Council’s office to do the same — they would have realized their bill was a waste of time. If I were any one of them, I’d be embarrassed.