There are times in life when we face choices that will leave a lasting impact on people for generations to come. Approving or rejecting the proposed Penn Forest Township wind turbine project is one of those decisions. The following account exemplifies the importance of the decision to approve or deny the wind turbines.

"Can you see them?""See what, Dad?""The wind turbines! 37 of them. Towering over the forest at 500 feet tall!""What are you talking about, Dad? Open your eyes."I open my eyes to see the lush green forest of my childhood replaced with scraggly trees that lost their luster long ago."I still don't know why you wanted to come here. There's nothing to do here," my son says.And in my mind I know he's right. It's 2050 and decades of increasing numbers of invasive plants and insects have ruined the forest's health.No one comes to hike the trails anymore because there's nothing to look at.No one hunts anymore because the animals that are left already struggle to stay alive. No one fishes anymore because the warm water temperatures have killed all the fish worth catching.Few people live near these forests anymore. Property values have followed the same fate as the forest.I often close my eyes and think about how life used to be. I remember when air pollution only decreased the average person's life expectancy by two years. I remember when winters got cold enough to prevent invasive species, like kudzu, from spreading this far north. I remember visiting the Pocono Mountains on a weekend trip with my family and everyone having a good time.I wonder what life would be like if the wind turbine project that was proposed back in 2016 had been approved. Maybe it would have opened the door for even more wind power in Pennsylvania. Maybe it could have even set a national example and prevented the death of this forest.But I know there's no point in trying to change the past. What's done is done. Still, I find myself wishing I could go back in time and do everything I possibly could to prevent the wind turbine project from being denied."I'm sorry I brought you here, son. Everything I wanted to show you isn't here anymore. Let's go home."Can you see the wind turbines? I can. But I wish I could see them with my eyes open.Many people consider the prospect of living near wind turbines to be a potential nuisance. However, I have visited a number of Pennsylvania towns that are home to rather unpleasant nuisances. Whether the town has a local paper mill that emits horrible smells every day of the year, a fuel refinery that emits air pollution, or a local military base that makes loud explosions at all hours of the night, the locals never seem to mind. When questioned, they all have one thing in common; they understand that the same thing responsible for the nuisance also provides a worthwhile social benefit. When I look at wind turbines along the ridges of Pennsylvania's mountains, I do not see metal structures that obstruct the beauty of the forest; I see a path to a sustainable future.Please do not misinterpret this letter as saying "everyone should support the wind turbine project as it is proposed." I encourage everyone to participate in the planning process; share your thoughts and concerns, even ask for a greater portion of the wind power profit to be shared with local residents. But I implore you - do not fight the project itself. The future of our children, grandchildren and the forest depends on us transitioning to nonfossil fuel energy sources.Thank you for your consideration.Colton BrownMount Joy