TENNESSEE VOTES: GIMME WIND

This is so strange. How does this guy get re-elected?

Tennessee Residents Favor Expanded Wind Energy; Powerful Wind Energy Support at Odds with Sen. Alexander
June 11, 2007 (Invenergy Wind LLC via PR Newswire via Yahoo Finance)

WHO
1,047 likely registered Tennessee voters polled by Telephone Strategies Group (TSG), U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Karl Eiermann, Plant Manager, Buffalo Mountain Wind Energy Center
wind energy at Buffalo Mountain
WHAT
Tennesseans overwhelmingly (12 to 1!) support the increased use of wind energy in their state. Senator Alexander objects to developing an industry that brings clean, safe, renewable energy to his state while preserving and protecting the environment, alleviating dependence on foreign energy and providing his state and many other Americans with jobs.

WHEN
Poll taken June 5-6. Buffalo Mountain statistics of production apply for the last 30 months.


WHERE
- Buffalo Mountain Wind Energy Center, owned/operated by Invenergy Wind LLC, is near Oliver Springs, Tennessee.
- Invenergy Wind LLC is headquartered in Chicago.

WHY
- Buffalo Mountain has produced 133 million kilowatt hours of emission-free electricity for Tennessee, saving 50 million pounds of greenhouse gases.
- 74.5% Tennesseans favor wind energy, 6.2% oppose, 19.3% undecided: 12 to 1 Pro.
- 78.7% are aware Tennessee is near the bottom of US wind production
- 82.2% believe wind energy is a viable pollution-free electricity source for their state
- Senator Alexander expressed skepticism about the value of wind energy in Tennessee during his speech on the senate floor this morning. Do Tennesseans need a senator who better represents them?
while much of Tennessee is a zone 1, the Appalachians offer zones 2 thru 5, lots of opportunity for Tennesseans (click to enlarge)
QUOTES
- Eiermann: "This poll clearly indicates the people of Tennessee support wind energy and they see it as a viable way to help the state access energy and reduce pollution…The residents of Tennessee are saying 'yes' to more wind power."
- Alexander: "…wind produces puny amounts of high-cost unreliable power…Congress should not subsidize the destruction of the American landscape." (Senate speech, May 13, 2005)