facts, analysis, exposure of wind energy's real impacts Windaction http://www.windaction.org/articles/c105?theme=atom Xarayar 2006-06-12T02:16:27Z .38252 2013-05-01T23:50:24Z 2013-05-01T23:50:24Z

Representatives from Wasatch Wind discussed their proposed wind farm at an Open House held concurrently with the Monticello City Council meeting on April 23. According to Wasatch Wind representative Julie Mack, the purpose of the event was the help local residents visualize the impact of the wind farm on the Monticello area.

.36293 2012-10-13T03:21:03Z 2012-10-13T03:21:03Z

The turbine closest to town would be about a mile from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Monticello temple. Some wind towers might be within a half mile of some property lines at the northern of town, but Wasatch Wind said the closest city boundary will be approximately three-fourths of a mile from the nearest turbine.

.35503 2012-07-12T19:02:05Z 2012-07-12T19:02:05Z

Deputy Utah Fire Marshal Troy Mills says high winds either caused crossing wires to touch or come close enough to spark, sending a surge to the ground and igniting grass. The Wood Hollow Fire burned 75 square miles, or about 47,000 acres, and destroyed more than 100 structures besides homes. It was 100% contained July 2.

.32477 2011-07-16T00:07:14Z 2011-07-16T00:07:14Z

Growth and more expensive sources of power are necessitating a look at raising rates, here. "Power operations have not covered operating costs for two or three years," said City Manager John Thacker Monday.

.30899 2011-01-27T18:31:09Z 2011-01-27T18:31:09Z

A proposed $30 million wind farm near the mouth of Weber Canyon failed to blow away the South Weber City Council, resulting in the plan being tabled for further review.

.29378 2010-10-04T19:23:19Z 2010-10-04T19:23:19Z

UAMPS is looking to install a 108-megawatt wind farm in Bonneville County, Idaho, and needs cities to commit in advance in order to buy up to 56 wind turbines for the project. Amid the complicated numbers and projections that filled last week's meeting, one aspect became the decision's true hinge: Will the need for renewable energy in the future justify its higher cost now?

.28406 2010-07-22T13:44:56Z 2010-07-22T13:44:56Z

Guy and Beth Nelson thought they were going to cut their power bill when they installed a windmill ...But since the turbine went up last October, so have their power bills. They haven't received a credit for generating excess power that supposedly goes back into the grid, and Beth Nelson wonders if the new reversible meter the city installed is actually being sped up, instead of reversing, when the canyon winds blow.

.28115 2010-07-07T12:43:22Z 2010-07-07T12:43:22Z

Madison, Wis.-based RMT Inc. says it laid off some workers and reassigned others because of the delay.

.28114 2010-07-07T12:35:37Z 2010-07-07T12:35:37Z

The developer of Utah's largest commercial wind farm is putting a plan to expand the project on hold for now. First Wind spokesman John Lamontagne said the company has every reason to believe it can get started soon on 68 more turbines - once it wins a contract to sell the power.

.28020 2010-06-29T15:01:45Z 2010-06-29T15:01:45Z

Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the federal government for its failure to immediately enact protections for the greater sage grouse ..."Delay in protecting the sage grouse is a recipe for extinction for these magnificent birds," said Jon Marvel, executive director of Western Watersheds Project.

.27998 2010-06-28T08:23:51Z 2010-06-28T08:23:51Z

A Utah startup says it will add sonar and laser devices along with mechanical wind meters to assess the potential for a wind farm along the Wyoming border. Together, the devices will tell the company where on leased lands to put spinning turbines of different sizes to match wind conditions.

.27102 2010-05-03T14:55:41Z 2010-05-03T14:55:41Z

The purpose of the nocturnal sojourns in the hilly terrain of cedar-juniper trees and sagebrush is capturing the greater sage grouse and outfitting them with radio collars. What biologists learn about the birds' habitat use and range will be used for environmental assessments or studies required when companies apply to lease land to build projects such as wind farms for generating electricity in Iron and Beaver counties.

.26803 2010-04-19T21:07:23Z 2010-04-19T21:07:23Z

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are launching a study of the chicken-sized bird across more than 300 square miles in Iron and Beaver counties. The study area has a "high potential" for wind development but no projects have been launched yet, according to Christine Pontarolo, a biologist with the BLM's field office in Cedar City.

.25085 2010-01-12T14:50:03Z 2010-01-12T14:50:03Z

It was standing room only at Monday's public hearing during the Iron County Commission meeting addressing a proposed wind ordinance amendment recommended by the Iron County Planning Commission. The ordinance was not passed, at the urging of the public, so further studies could be conducted relating to fire hazards, erosion impact and power transmission corridors associated with wind farms.

.23356 2009-09-28T20:39:26Z 2009-09-28T20:39:26Z

In Utah, state officials are fielding various combinations of energy proposals, a list that includes solar and geothermal installations and an energy storage project ...Scores of projects - some speculative, others well-funded and a few quirky - have surfaced with energy companies eager to take advantage of loan guarantees and tax breaks being promoted by President Barack Obama.

.22977 2009-09-04T20:09:46Z 2009-09-04T20:09:46Z

The Iron County Planning Commission held a lengthy discussion Thursday night with state energy program representatives, wind energy company members and retailers, engineers and concerned residents on the county's proposed wind energy ordinance changes. The Iron County Commission hopes to pass changes to the current ordinance, which was adopted February 2008, after planners have a chance to elaborate on wind energy regulations for both residential and commercial areas.

.22000 2009-07-09T16:53:12Z 2009-07-09T16:53:12Z

In a lawsuit filed this week in federal court in San Francisco, the groups -- including the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance -- allege agencies that mapped the 6,000 miles of energy-corridor rights of way failed to analyze renewable-source locations and numerous federal and local land-use plans.

.21837 2009-06-29T12:28:27Z 2009-06-29T12:28:27Z

Rocky Mountain Power said Monday it will go to court to try to force the town of Willard to allow it to build a high-voltage transmission line through the city despite concerns that electric and magnetic fields from the project could harm the health of nearby residents and damage property values. The utility plans to ask a 1st District Court judge to bar the town from interfering with its construction.

.21277 2009-05-18T14:21:09Z 2009-05-18T14:21:09Z

There's a method of steering a big truck that's so obscure you've probably never heard of it, but it's considered dangerous enough to be banned in Utah and several other states. A KSL investigation shows it happens a lot, possibly as a matter of routine. The issue involves long loads like giant windmill blades. "Blade Runners" used to be rare, but the wind farm industry is booming, and some drivers are literally steering two vehicles at the same time.

.21090 2009-05-06T03:04:39Z 2009-05-06T03:04:39Z

Mountain West Energy Resources from the Salt Lake Valley is requesting a zone change from agricultural to industrial on Antelope Road in the Escalante Desert for 158 acres in its first phase of a 32- turbine wind farm. MWER owner, Mike Tyler, said the upstart company is vying to be the first wind producer in Utah to keep the power in the Rocky Mountain Power grid system. This system buys and sells power to neighboring states, such as Montana and Wyoming.