|
Share Your Views With Government
Officials
Keep in mind that state and local officials will be participating
in decisions to determine any planning protocols that can
be used to protect the interests of Kansas and give its residents
a voice. We would suggest that:
- The State of Kansas should have some sort of planning
protocols and criteria that will protect scarce natural
resources. Map overlays of wind resources have been produced
for the Kansas Corporation Commission's wind energy promotion
campaign, and now other state agencies (Kansas Department
of Wildlife and Parks and the Kansas Biological Survey)
should produce map overlays that identify other resources
of great value.
- The State of Kansas should reserve tax incentives for
facilities that are sited in places that do not substantially
diminish ecological, aesthetic, cultural and economic values
of public importance.
- The State of Kansas should develop proactive programs
to enhance opportunities for landowners to sell or donate
conservation easements on native grasslands (in this case
the last of the tallgrass prairie) as a viable alternative
to industrial developments and subdivisions.
|
Get Involved With Grassroots Organizations
Volunteer to assist and support organizations like Audubon
of Kansas, Protect
the Flint Hills, the Flint
Hills Tallgrass Prairie Foundation and The
Nature Conservancy, groups that are working in many capacities
to protect the Flint Hills.
Display and distribute the "Protect The Flint
Hills" poster (view
poster) and other information available from these organizations.
Write to Your Editor
Wind is a renewable, virtually inexhaustible, source of energy
and it is available in many areas. However, native prairie
and prairie landscapes are not renewable, and certainly not
inexhaustible. Once plowed or destroyed, they may never be
experienced in that place again. Remind everyone that we can
have wind power development in Kansas without destroying the
last landscape-scale stand of the tallgrass prairie.
Conserve
How much electric energy would be saved if utilities allowed
"on-off" switches on hundreds of thousands of yardlights
installed on most farms, ranches and rural residences in the
state?
|
