LEEUWARDEN, 03/10/00 - Many residents and former residents of Friesland object to the placement of windmill parks in their province. In a local newspaper ad, they yesterday urged the provincial executive to locate windmills in industrial sites instead.

Several prominent Friesians placed their signature in the advertisement, including Philips President Cor Boonstra and former Queen's Commissioner Hans Wiegel. Kampen Mayor H. Sybesma and Judge R. Wegener Sleeswijk were also among the protestors. All claim special windmill parks would damage Friesland's scenery and quality of life.

According to the provincial plan, isolated windmills must disappear from the Frisian landscape wherever possible. The protesters agree, but want the clusters at industrial sites only. There, turbines could be 60 meters tall. In most places, the current maximum height of windmills stands at 45 meters.