In Vermont wind power developers are offering direct financial incentives to facilitate the latest proposed industrial wind turbine development.  Critics are very clear that they feel the offering is a mechanism to buy the vote.  Wind proponents spin it as sharing the economic benefits of wind power.   The United States is not alone in having money being used as the carrot on the stick to silence opponents.  

In Ontario many local municipalities fall silent opposing renewable projects  when their acceptance is facilitated by the payout of Community Vibrancy Funds offered by wind developers.

The Haudenosaunee people of the Six Nations located within the Haldimand tract territories are also being engaged via installed governance structures (which are bitterly contested due to historic forced installment under the Indian Act). Six Nation Band Council along side other entities such as HDI have become willing part- owners of renewable energy projects with the promise of big monetary buy outs.  The price tag for good will metered against mandatory consultation about development guaranteed in the Canadian Constitution.  Agreements for project ownership are funded with borrowed monies indebting cash strapped communities along the Grand River. The decision to participate fueled with promises of monies and pay outs totaling in the tens of millions of dollars for some of the renewable projects. The price point rising with each agreement according to  perceived level of threat of facing opposition and fear of direct action being taken against the projects.  Many residents of Six Nations Territories are demanding to be shown the money as questions continue to swirl over the legitimacy of signatory authority of consent on the contracts and in particular alarm is raised over claimed clauses extinguishing sovereign rights for the lands.  Community consensus which is the traditional model of Iroquois government has not been reached. This was evidenced by the appeals from the  Men’s Fire Council from the Six Nation Territories at the Environmental Tribunal. Controversy and division over wind power continues today within the close- knit community.

Community disruptions and harms caused by wind power is not and will not healed by any amount of money.

Vermont: Closing Arguments:  Wind Power not Green vs Financial benefits to the Community http://www.chestertelegraph.org/2016/10/31/op-eds-closing-arguments-wind-power-not-green-vs-financial-benefits-to-communities/