Town officials and UPC Wind, the developer behind a 16-tower wind farm in Sheffield, have negotiated a new agreement on what UPC will pay the town. ...The new plan is partly an attempt to forestall the possibility of lower payments, if the state Legislature passes a law, as expected, that, among other things, would change how wind projects are taxed in Vermont. Under the new agreement between UPC and Sheffield, signed Wednesday, UPC will pay the town $520,000 a year. Some of that will go directly to pay property taxes on the development. The rest will be paid into a fund set up by the town.

UPC Wind plans to continue with its construction schedule for a wind farm in Sheffield, even though Ridge Protectors, a citizens group opposed to commercial wind on Vermont's rural ridgelines, has filed an appeal of the Vermont Public Service Board's decision with the Vermont Supreme Court. "We think the Public Service Board's decision will stand the test of time," said Matt Kearns of UPC, project manager for Sheffield, on Friday. The Supreme Court could overturn the PSB's decision, if it decides to hear the case. Kearns said UPC has faith that won't happen. ...Ridge Protectors suit, filed by attorneys Dan Hershenson of Norwich and Anthony Roisman of Lyme, N.H., argues that the wind farm will not have a substantial economic benefit to Vermonters, largely because it doesn't have stable power contracts. Kearns said UPC expects those to be in place this winter.

Ridge Protectors has filed a Vermont Supreme Court appeal of the Vermont Public Service Board's decision to approve a wind farm in Sheffield. The appeal comes as no surprise. Ridge Protectors, a citizens' group opposed to big wind turbines on Vermont's rural ridge lines, has tenaciously battled the project and announced its intent to file an appeal last fall. UPC Wind, based in Massachusetts, wants to put up 16 420-foot commercial turbines on Sheffield's ridge lines. In August, the PSB issued a certificate of public good for the project, along with 32 conditions to be met, saying that the economic benefits of the 40-megawatt generating project outweighed its adverse affects. Ridge Protectors' appeal, filed late Monday, asserts that the PSB actually did not demonstrate that the project will result in an economic benefit to the state and its residents, a serious legal deficiency in its decision, lawyers claim.

Bats are dying off by the thousands as they hibernate in caves and mines around New York and Vermont, sending researchers scrambling to find the cause of mysterious condition dubbed "white nose syndrome." The ailment - named for the white circle of fungus found around the noses of affected bats - was first noticed last January in four caves west of Albany. It has now spread to eight hibernation sites in the state and another in Vermont. Alan Hicks, a bat specialist with New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, called the quick-spreading disorder the "gravest threat" to bats he had ever seen. Up to 11,000 bats were found dead last winter and many more are showing signs illness this winter. One hard-hit cave went from more than 15,000 bats two years ago to 1,500 now, he said.

In response to information about a mysterious illness that has been associated with the deaths of more than 8,000 bats, conservation groups today asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to close all bat hibernation sites and withdraw all federal permits to “take” — that is, harm or kill — imperiled bats until the cause of the deaths is understood. One species of bat that is at risk is the endangered Indiana bat. While details are limited, scientists have given the name “white-nose syndrome” to describe a Fusarium mold that is exhibited around the dead bats’ noses. The syndrome is associated with the discovery of thousands of dead bats in at least two Albany, New York-area caves last winter. ...The Indiana bat is one of the most endangered terrestrial mammals in the world.

The Barton Planning Commission has held hearings on both its revised town plan and a petition, signed by more than 200 of Barton's 2,500 residents, asking that the plan specifically prohibit commercial and industrial wind. At the latest hearing, about 25 people showed up and watched a slide show produced by JoAnn Stefanski, who has been instrumental in launching the petition drive and fighting the possible introduction of commercial wind in Barton Barton's petition is in response to UPC Wind's intention to put up 16 wind turbines in Sheffield, a plan the Vermont Public Service Board has approved, and one that a slim majority of Sheffield voters said they supported at a special town meeting two years ago. A big and vocal minority continues to oppose the project and will file a Vermont Supreme Court appeal of the PSB decision next week. Meanwhile, they have asked for a halt to construction, saying that UPC Wind has failed to meet some of the 32 conditions that the PSB has imposed on the project.

Noble Environmental Power is seeing which way the wind blows - and how hard. The company put up the first of two meteorological towers in West Rutland last week, and project manager Brad King said the second is scheduled to go up in Hubbardton today. The towers are taking measurements as part of the Connecticut-based company's plan to put a wind farm on the Grandpa's Knob ridge line. King said not to go out looking for windmills, as the towers are very tall but have very thin poles.

It has been almost two years since voters at Town Meeting directed the Select Board to oppose a wind project planned for Little Equinox with up to $150,000 after a contentious discussion. As this year's Town Meeting approaches, the proposal seems to have dropped from the radar of both the proponent and the town directed to stop it. Endless Energy, a Yarmouth, Maine-based company, had proposed to build five 390-foot wind turbines on Little Equinox to generate 30 million kilowatt-hours a year that would be sold to the Burlington Electric Department. ...On the municipal side, the money voters set aside to oppose the project is no longer being held in reserve and has been added to an allocated surplus fund, according to Manchester Town Manager John O'Keefe.

A proposed wind farm on Grandpa's Knob cleared its first state hurdle last week. The Public Service Board issued a certificate of public good for a pair of meteorological towers that will test the wind levels atop the Grandpa's Knob ridgeline. The towers, described in the finding as up to 197 feet tall and 8 to 10 inches thick, are set to land on sites in Castleton and Hubbardton. Testing could last up to five years, according to the board's findings. ...Public reaction to the proposal is muted. None of the select boards from the involved towns sent in an official response, through Pittsford passed along correspondents from residents before its portion of the request was withdrawn.

The town voted to oppose a plan to put many as 17 wind turbines on ridge lines in Searsburg and Readsboro at a special Town Meeting Wednesday evening. After a short discussion, voters approved a motion to oppose the project in a 51 to 15 vote. Voters supported a second motion to fund the opposition with $40,000 in a 49-14 vote. The selectboard will use the money to argue the town's opposition to the project in hearings before the Vermont Public Service Board. Earlier this fall, the board requested "intervener" status in the public service board's hearing process. "Intervener" status allows the town, through legal counsel, to play an active role in the hearings, cross-examining witnesses, providing expert witnesses, and introducing testimony. Before voters sounded off, selectboard member Rob Wheeler noted that the outcome of the meeting wouldn't lock the board into a course of action.

Voters told the Selectboard Wednesday that they wish it to oppose the proposed wind turbine project for Searsburg and Readsboro. More than 60 voters met in Twin Valley High School's cafeteria Wednesday night to make their voices heard on the subject, which has been an ongoing controversial topic here. They voted 51 to 15 to oppose it, beginning with a written testimony due Dec. 21 and culminating with hearings in April 2008 before the Public Service Board. ...But voters still walked away unhappy after Wheeler reminded them that this was an advisory vote and the board would hold the right to change its mind if new information was brought forward.

A new citizens group is forming to raise awareness about a wind project slated to be built in the towns of Readsboro and Searsburg. Save the Ridgelines is a grassroots organization made up of people who share a concern about wind power and the proposed Deerfield Wind Project. ..."For locals, it's health concerns, noise, and because it's on national forest land. A lot of it will be destroyed, access will be limited," said Lee. "Then there are those concerned with how will it affect tourism, property values, flashing red lights, and the loss of pristine ridgelines." Recently Save the Ridgelines launched a Web site to make available information related to the Deerfield Wind Project. ..."Realistically if we let this happen, we're the guinea pigs of this project and if it can happen here, it can happen everywhere," said Lopez.

Being close to a windmill lowers the value of a property, says Derby's Board of Civil Authority (BCA). After inspecting property belonging to George and Doris Buzzell, the board decided to lower its appraised value by 10 percent from $242,300 to $227,600. ...According to the minutes of recent BCA meetings, the Buzzells objected to the recent revaluation of their property on Ridgehill Drive off Shattuck Hill Road. The couple was represented at meetings on October 29 and November 7 by Trevor Evans and Raymond Toolan. Mr. Toolan argued that noise and light from a windmill within 300 feet of the Buzzells' house lessens the home's value. The Buzzells say noises, vibrations and lights from the windmill, owned by Senator Vince Illuzzi and located on his property, interfere with the enjoyment of their home. Mr. Buzzell's "quality of living is far different today than when he purchased the property," Mr. Toolan said.

The war over wind raged on this week, as the Barton area's Ladies Improvement Society pressed the Barton Select Board for any means to stop commercial wind development in town. Though no commercial wind projects are being proposed for the Orleans County town, the 10 or so women who attended a Monday night select board meeting want to ensure that stopgaps are in place in case a project should be proposed. The group doesn't even want wind developers to drive heavy trucks through Barton for other projects. ...Selectmen, however, told the group that a community-wide discussion will have to happen on the issue, because there are many in town who support renewable energy.

Well above the number of required voters have signed a petition in Barton asking that the town plan be changed to ban commercial and industrial wind power. Members of the Ladies Improvement Society and others launched a petition to change the town plan, which is up for review, so that commercial wind turbines would be prohibited in Barton. About 200 people signed the petition out of 1,600 registered voters, JoAnn Stefanski said. ...The petition drive is a response to UPC Wind's project planned for Sheffield, which has been approved by the Vermont Public Service Board with conditions.

Selectboard members discussed the extent of their participation in upcoming public service board hearings on the proposed wind generation expansion in Searsburg and Readsboro at their regular board meeting Wednesday evening. ...“My personal objection is aesthetics,” said board member Meg Streeter. “I’ve heard from a lot of citizens that they foresee a loss of property values that will occur as a result of this. Unlike the existing windmills, these are considerably larger and will have FAA mandated lighting. They’ll be much more visible and obvious from numerous points in Wilmington.”

Environmentalists intend challenging in the Vermont Supreme Court recent approval for a large out-state wind-power company to build turbines atop a popular mountain ridge. Local conservation group Ridge Protectors opposes plans by Newton, Mass.-based UPC Wind to erect 16 wind turbines 425 feet high in the Hardscrabble Mountains near the town of Sheffield. ...The group claims the VPSB misapplied Vermont law and drew conclusions not in keeping with facts in the hearing record.

Noble Environmental Power, a Connecticut company, plans to turn on the power from its 120-turbine project in Clinton and neighboring Ellenburg this winter. A second developer, Texas-based Horizon Energy, is awaiting permits to erect 109 turbines next summer in the two towns. ...Visitors will hear no resolution to the debate over wind energy's benefits and costs that's going on back home. Although Clinton and Ellenburg have embraced wind development, the turbines have their fierce opponents as well as enthusiastic supporters. ... Amy Filion's Clinton home also sits amid the turbines. "It breaks my heart. I've lived here all my life because I love the country - and this isn't the country anymore," she said. ...It's not until travelers crisscross the two towns on back roads that jaws begin to drop. Towers are scattered across the landscape. Around each corner new towers appear, on the right, on the left, ahead and behind. They look like an alien army out of a "Star Wars" movie - but whether they are things of beauty or ugliness depends on the individual viewer.

A group opposed to a plan to build 16 wind-power turbines on a ridge line in Sheffield is taking its case to the Vermont Supreme Court. Ridge Protectors said it is appealing the Vermont Public Service Board approval of the project. The board granted the Massachusetts-based UPC Wind approval in August, with 36 conditions, including noise limits from turbine operations and a UPC sponsored wildlife management plan.

"It is our belief that the PSB decision is based on critical misapplications of Vermont laws, procedural errors, and several conclusions that are not based on findings of fact in the hearing record," said Paul Brouha, a founding member of Ridge Protectors. "The decision is inconsistent with Vermont legal precedent and if allowed to stand would open the door to alteration of ridgelines throughout the state," he said. Without generous federal subsidies and the lucrative regional market in renewable energy credits, developers would not be planning such projects in Vermont.