For those of you keeping score at home, renewable energy is building a healthy lead in its bizarre battle with the Township of Wayne.

First, Dr. Alan L. Bess of Westview Road, Wayne, the CEO of American Health Systems Corporation, was arrested, fingerprinted, charged — and even posed for the mug shot camera — for making Internet threats about my wind turbine plans. Here’s the Fox 5 New York coverage, in case you missed it:


Second, we won our first round in court about a week ago. With that motion resolved, we will now move ahead in our lawsuit against the Township of Wayne. The suit contends that, among other things, the Town rejected our wind turbine plans wrongly, motivated by a political vendetta.

Third, at the request of prominent leaders in our State and Federal Legislature, the Attorney General's office has opened an investigation into why exactly both the Wayne Police Department & the Passaic County Prosecutors Office refused to look into threats made about my wind turbine plans by Joseph Connolly, who flashed his Sheriff's Officer badge while making those threats. (Incidentally, the Township's Governing Body recently indicated an unwillingness to inquire into my complaint that their Police Department refused to pursue my report of these crimes; the Governing Body claimed an investigation took place and my reports could not be substantiated. However, these events were confirmed in writing by Joseph Connolly, after the fact. Either this investigation was very poorly conducted, wasn't conducted at all or the Governing Body isn't telling the truth that my claims could not be substantiated.)

All over a 43 foot pole with three spinning blades, six feet long. Twenty feet shorter than an existing flagpole. At a car wash. On a loud, dirty, busy four lane county turnpike. These reactions are both overheated and make no sense - it's a bit like driving with no car insurance - in the long run it doesn’t benefit anyone. So, it’s really surprising why no police action has been taken.

Fourth, we successfully lobbied for the passage of NJ Senate Bill 1303, which makes wind turbines inherently beneficial for municipal land use purposes. Wind turbines will now enjoy the same level of legal respect as hospitals and day care centers. This legislation is a significant rebuke of the hysteria propagated by Assemblyman Scott Rumana and the Governing Body of Wayne Township — and a big victory for clean, renewable energy in the Garden State. The next post below provides a better summary of this legislation.

More to follow as events continue to unfold…

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