Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – In response to the misleading article concerning the potential effects of Eurowind’s Nathro Hill windfarm proposal, the Esk Board and Esk Rivers and Fisheries Trust would respond as follows.
The board, in its statutory capacity to protect salmon and sea trout stocks, highlighted its concerns in March 2011 when the scoping report was published.
The current application, while accepting some of the points raised by the board, does not, in the opinion of the board (and trust) provide sufficient assurances concerning specific actions required to ensure that the development will not impact on important spawning and nursery burns in the North Esk catchment.
The fact that the windfarm is located near the ridge is immaterial as its influence, unless stringent measures are imposed, will be evident in such burns as the Paphrie and Calletar which flow into the West Water and subsequently the North Esk.
Windfarms during their construction, operation and decommissioning can have an adverse effect on water courses through the mobilisation of silt arising from drainage, road construction and traffic.
All these factors can lead to decreased peat stability.
In view of the lack of detail concerning methods and a plan to prevent damage to salmon stocks in the current environmental impact assessment, the board, supported by the trust, have objected to the development.
Tom Sampson.Chairman, Esks Rivers and Fisheries Trust.Mains of Balgavies,Forfar.
Jenny has no faith in Scots
Sir, – Jenny Hjul seems to have completely lost the plot in her desire to attack Alex Salmond on any issue with her usual Brit-Nat fervour (August 29).
In her opening gambit she again shows a lack of understanding of the difference of the Union of the Crowns and the Union of Parliaments they are completely separate issues.
Her understanding of the retention of sterling in Scotland is also poorly understood. As MSP Mark MacDonald pointed out recently, without Scotland’s major contribution to the proposed sterling zone the UK’s balance of payments (BoP) deficit could double.
So it is clearly in all nations’ interests to work together in the spirit of a social union of equality.
However it is her lack of vision and belief in Scottish people that is really beyond the pale. Does she really think that creative industries would not wish to work in Scotland or that the Scottish Government is not actively working to develop these industries?
The Scottish Government was instrumental in forcing the hand of the Tory-led Westminster administration to agree tax breaks for the world-leading games industry in Dundee.
With independence that decision could have been made over a year earlier and potentially brought greater investment and jobs.
In the multi-media world in which we now live the democratisation of television is absolutely sensible.
Ms Hjul may be happy for faceless people in London to decide where creative talent is nurtured, I have faith that Scotland can be a world leader in many of the creative arts and media.
Cllr Neale Hanvey.Dunfermline Central and Crossford.
Time to forget all the slurs
Sir, – I was disappointed to see The Courier publish yet another letter making the ludicrous, distasteful and inexplicable link between the SNP’s 21st century vision of civic nationalism and the 1930s fascist dictatorship of Nazi Germany (Letters, August 31).
Sadly, Angus Brown dredges up the unsubstantiated unionist nightmare of an independent Scotland as some sort of police state, based (somehow) on Alex Salmond’s eminently sensible suggestion that Scottish broadcasting be recalibrated to guarantee better, more relevant programming and to ensure greater transparency and impartiality.
Can we not have a rational and empirical national debate on independence, free from negative and unconstructive slurs like Mr Brown’s?
There is nothing fascistic, racist or authoritarian in the independence movement’s desire for a modern, pluralist and social democratic Scotland.
It’s about time that your more hysterical correspondents took a deep breath and recognised this.
David Kelly.17 Highfields,Dunblane.
Not preserving a fairytale past
Sir, – Is John Crichton (Courier, August 31) really suggesting we should turn Scotland’s beautiful countryside and coastal waters into one massive industrial power plant?
To say anyone opposing plans for wind turbines and the like is trying to preserve a pre-industrial fairytale past is frankly ludicrous.
The Scottish landscape that many people know and love is not an archaic remnant from the past. It can and should be preserved.
Mr Crichton is right to be concerned about the shrinking habitat of the polar bear, but studies have shown that introducing wind energy into the grid can actually cause a slight rise in carbon emissions due to the need for back-up power.
Wind energy is not solving global warming. It is destroying land and lives.
Laura Newey (13).Arncroach.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.