In my contact with J. Dwight at a debate in Dixfield Feb. 4, he seemed a reasonable man, so I was quite surprised at his Perspective column in the Sun Journal Feb. 17.

Offering a series of false assertions about wind power, he neglects mentioning its indisputable benefits, nor the overwhelming threat of climate change.

Every kilowatt hour of wind power replaces one from fossil fuels, making our air cleaner. Wind doesn't produce smog, acid rain, mercury or climate-changing carbon dioxide.

Saying “no” to wind, as Dwight seems to suggest, leads to increased pollution and health problems.

I agree with the Natural Resources Council of Maine that it is in Maine’s best interest to develop wind as one approach to climate change, while recognizing there are tradeoffs with every energy resource.

Maine’s chief health official, Dora Anne Mills, M.D., M.P.H., notes there is no evidence in peer-reviewed journals of adverse health effects from wind turbines. On the contrary, Dr. Mills said, “There are tremendous potential health benefits to wind turbines, including reductions in deaths, disability and disease due to asthma, other lung diseases, heart disease and cancer. Maine has among the highest rates in the country of asthma and cancer. Wind turbines mean less dependency on foreign oil and coal … which ... contribute to the diseases above.”

Continuing dependency on fossil fuel will not create a healthy planet for our children. Wind power must be part of a sensible clean energy future for our state.

Richard K. Jennings M.D., Fayette