Green blight in Utah County

The fur would fly.

But see how different it is with the Spanish Fork wind farm. State and local dignitaries line up to praise the turbines that are a visual blight at that end of Utah Valley. The giant white blades are an awkward contrast with the natural beauty of the scene. Their very size makes them a distraction, even an eyesore.

And if the sight seems novel and exciting now, it is likely to grow less appealing over the 20 years (at least) that they'll be in action. Look back in an old newspaper at the cars, clothing and other fashions of two decades ago. You'll see how over time what once appeared new and exciting now seems old-fashioned and garish. Wind farms, now trendy, will eventually be recognized as blotches on the national landscape, just as they are in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, modern natural gas and oil wells unobtrusively pump away at locales across the nation. They do their work in school yards, parks, cemeteries, golf courses and other sites without anyone even noticing.

It's an odd contradiction that many of the same environmentalists and true believers in alternative energy who think a wind farm at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon is unobtrusive and visually acceptable are howling at the prospect that a single oil well might be placed somewhere in the 19 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

In short, they're OK with placing visual blights where they can actually be seen, but not where they will hardly ever be seen -- and even then at some vast distance. The double standard is laughable.

When the same standards of visual acceptability are applied equally to wind turbines and natural gas pumps, then the nation can begin a rational dialogue on energy issues.

Let the people decide

The latest ethics flap in the Legislature highlights problems with how the state handles ethics problems in general.

A House committee is holding hearings on charges brought by three Democratic lawmakers against Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper. He is accused of offering to help arrange $50,000 in campaign funding for a colleague if she would change her vote on school vouchers. Hughes stoutly denies this.

It's impossible to evaluate the case at this point, but it's clear that in general a tangle of regulations is far less effective at keeping lawmakers on their toes than is a posse of angry voters. Conveniently, there's an election coming up in less than a month. People in Draper should be able handle this better than politicos in Salt Lake.

But that's only if voters get the information they need. Under legislative rules, the hearings are closed, and the House panel is moving so slowly and stealthily that voters may not hear all the facts until after Election Day. Forty witnesses have received subpoenas, and the hearings could drag out for weeks.

The problem is especially acute because early voting begins Oct. 21. Hughes's constituents might begin voting before they hear all the dirt, if there is any.

Charters get top marks

Let's hear a round of applause for Utah's charter schools. They've done better than traditional public schools in meeting testing goals under the No Child Left Behind Act.

About 95 percent of charter schools in the state met their goals in the 2007-2008 school year, while 80 percent of public schools did.

Admittedly, charter schools have advantages in meeting the federal standards. They have fewer economically disadvantaged students and fewer students with special needs.

Nevertheless, it's an impressive performance. It hints at other advantages some charter schools enjoy: less bureaucracy and more creativity in teaching. Most important, it reminds us that we need not despair about education.

It's also a reminder to Utah lawmakers that charter schools deserve strong support. A tough year lies ahead for school funding, but the Legislature should stand up for charter schools and their record of achievement.