A couple dozen protesters showed up both on Main Street and in the Courthouse during the monthly County Commission meeting.  The protesters were making it clear they objected to the proposed Apex Energy wind farm in Crab Orchard.  For some time now, a coalition of citizens have been trying to get the County Commission to stop the wind turbine development saying it posed health hazards and was not economically beneficial to Cumberland County.  The County Commission has maintained it was out of

County Atty. Randal Boston

their hands and had no authority to stop the wind farm project, that would be up to State government.  At the beginning of last nights meeting during the public comment time, two protesters spoke to the Commission imploring them to be reasonable and stop the wind farm.  The wind farm project was not on the agenda for the meeting.  However, at the end of the meeting, County Attorney Randal Boston read his county attorney report.  That’s when the bomb was dropped.
Attorney Boston read a letter from the Tennessee Department of Health which stated, based on current evidence, no health risks were posed by wind turbines.  That brought a collective gasp from the gallery of protesters.  Sources within the coalition told CNF the wind farm project may be delayed for a while anyway due to Apex having difficulty obtaining the proper permits from TDEC.  The project was originally slated to begin construction January 2016 but may be delayed until 2017 if no other obstacles arise.

Below is a letter to a Fairfield Glade resident from Tn Dept of Health