http://www.windaction.org/ facts, analysis, exposure of wind energy's real impacts en-us Windaction hourly 1 http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.windaction.org/articles/22628 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:12:30 GMT State regulators declined to reopen a debate over the location of four new wind turbines in east-central North Dakota, saying they had already considered a neighboring landowner's arguments that they should be moved. The state Public Service Commission on Monday agreed to ask the project's developer, NextEra Energy Resources, if it would be practical ...in moving the turbines to alternative locations nearby. http://www.windaction.org/articles/22628 http://www.windaction.org/articles/22308 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:10:01 GMT Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, is asking the North Dakota Public Service Commission to reconsider its approval of several turbine locations for a wind farm near Luverne to accommodate concerns from neighbors. In a letter sent last week, Mathern asked the commission to consider imposing longer setback requirements for four turbines located near a bed-and-breakfast as well as a dogsled operation. http://www.windaction.org/articles/22308 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21991 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:24:17 GMT State regulators approved the location of a new wind farm in east-central North Dakota despite complaints from some nearby residents about potential disruptions from turbine noise. The North Dakota Public Service Commission on Wednesday said one of the project's 80 wind turbines must use an alternative location to avoid disturbing a rural bed-and-breakfast business. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21991 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21964 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:45:15 GMT The Stutsman County Commission approved a zoning ordinance concerning commercial wind farms during its regular July meeting Tuesday. The ordinance passed unanimously after four amendments were made to the document prepared over the past nine months by the Stutsman County Zoning and Planning Commission. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21964 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21847 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:25:46 GMT A Minnesota-based utility company intends to install 33 wind turbines in south-central North Dakota within the next two years. In mid-June, Minnesota Power applied for a special use permit to install 17 wind turbines in Morton County. A permit application is pending for 16 others in Oliver County. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21847 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21413 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:22:17 GMT Now the Public Service Commission requires at least 1,400 feet between a tower and an occupied dwelling. It's meant to protect the property owner from noise and shadows, and a possible tower collapse. Commission President Kevin Cramer says the minimum distance is not formally spelled out in state rules. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21413 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21399 Sat, 30 May 2009 15:43:24 GMT The Bismarck Planning and Zoning Commission this week tabled action for a draft wind turbine ordinance in city limits and its extra-territorial zone. City planner Gregg Greenquist, tasked with creating the ordinance with a committee, said the new draft was conservative in terms of sound levels and aesthetics. He expects as technology evolved, it would be amended. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21399 http://www.windaction.org/articles/21098 Wed, 06 May 2009 15:00:02 GMT Energy companies discovered long ago that the abundant wind in North Dakota could be harvested to produce electricity. Now, many homeowners in Bismarck are trying to get in on the action, too. That`s why the city held a meeting Wednesday evening on a proposed wind turbine ordinance. http://www.windaction.org/articles/21098 http://www.windaction.org/articles/20220 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:21:45 GMT The subcommittee of the Stutsman County Zoning and Planning Commission has completed its work on a proposed zoning ordinance concerning commercial wind farms in the county. Now the debate moves on to the full zoning and planning commission ..."The two big items for the full board to make a decision on are the fees and the setbacks," said Noel Johnson, Stutsman County chief operating officer and a zoning administrator. http://www.windaction.org/articles/20220 http://www.windaction.org/articles/20070 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:27:46 GMT The Stutsman County Commission heard information from one of the leading wind farm developers in the nation during its regular meeting Tuesday. ...A principle point of contention in the proposed Stutsman County wind zoning ordinance is a requirement that all wind turbines be set back a distance of five rotor diameters from property lines unless neighboring property owners have signed waivers. http://www.windaction.org/articles/20070 http://www.windaction.org/articles/19980 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:41:30 GMT The subcommittee of the Stutsman County Planning and Zoning Commission continued work on a zoning ordinance to regulate commercial wind farms in the county Thursday. In what was intended to be the final meeting of the subcommittee, it made changes regarding safety issues concerning meteorological towers, placed a decibel limit on the noise generated by the turbine, added a cap on the site application fee, removed expiration dates for site authority and defined road testing. http://www.windaction.org/articles/19980 http://www.windaction.org/articles/19853 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:58:40 GMT Members of a subcommittee of the Stutsman County Zoning Board took another step toward creating the first county wind farm zoning ordinance in North Dakota. The group met Thursday and discussed definitions and policies of the planned ordinance. "The county is not looking to manage locations as far as tower to tower," said Fritz Fremgen, Stutsman County state's attorney. "We are looking to create a setback between occupied structures and property boundaries." http://www.windaction.org/articles/19853 http://www.windaction.org/articles/19728 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:11:58 GMT A Stutsman County Zoning Board subcommittee is continuing its work to draft a wind zoning ordinance. During a meeting Thursday it heard presentations from Kevin Cramer, public service commissioner for North Dakota, and people involved with the wind industry. Of concern to the subcommittee is the issue of setbacks or the distance that wind turbines must be from the property of others not involved in the project and the distance that wind turbines must be from occupied structures. http://www.windaction.org/articles/19728 http://www.windaction.org/articles/18902 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:07:52 GMT Fremgen said by increasing the setback from landowners not under contract you force the wind farm developer to get contracts from any landowner that would be close enough to the turbine to have their wind resource affected. "The other issue is roads," Johnson said. "These towers take about 360 tons of concrete and are put up with 280-ton cranes. The companies always reassure the people that they will recondition the roads but how do we make sure?" The board agreed to continue with the development of an ordinance. http://www.windaction.org/articles/18902 http://www.windaction.org/articles/18528 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:23:56 GMT A public hearing on wind facilities is slated for 5:30 p.m. Thursday before the Morton County Planning and Zoning Board at the commission room of the Morton County Courthouse. In preparation for the meeting, a Planning and Zoning Subcommittee sifted through a wind generator policy and the application process this week. According to County Auditor Paul Trauger, no applications for wind facilities have been received for generators, but there have been five inquiries. http://www.windaction.org/articles/18528 http://www.windaction.org/articles/18487 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:04:58 GMT http://www.windaction.org/articles/18487 http://www.windaction.org/articles/18107 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:59:37 GMT The Public Service Commission, which regulates and approved the wind farm's associated transmission line, could end up fining the company as much as $200,000, said commissioner Susan Wefald, president of the commission. ...The order approving the line said the company would have to ask for permission to move any towers. In June, the company notified the PSC it had changed the location of about 50 of the 102 towers without seeking formal approval for the changes from the agency. "For a company to just ignore that is unfortunate," Wefald said after the PSC's Wednesday morning meeting. "Our orders include requirements that are important to meet." http://www.windaction.org/articles/18107 http://www.windaction.org/articles/17947 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:17:42 GMT After three years of waiting, the Rugby community is looking forward to construction of a 149-megawatt wind farm. The North Dakota Public Service Commission approved the re-siting of turbines east of Rugby for Iberdrola Renewables, formerly PPM Energy, Wednesday in Bismarck. ...Iberdrola plans to move forward with the project regardless of the status of any agreement for purchase of the power. ...it appears the company is willing to commit to building even if it means selling the power on the open market http://www.windaction.org/articles/17947 http://www.windaction.org/articles/17911 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:35:16 GMT State regulators are planning a hearing next month on a proposed 368-megawatt wind farm in south central North Dakota. The project is called Just Wind. It includes 160 wind towers in Logan County, near the community of Napoleon. http://www.windaction.org/articles/17911 http://www.windaction.org/articles/17677 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:55:38 GMT The PSC reissued state certificates Wednesday to Iberdola Renewables Inc. to take over the Rugby Wind farm project from PPM Energy. PPM got the original certificates in 2005 to build 100 turbines that would put out 150 megawatts of wind power near Rugby. Iberdola proposes to 71 larger turbines, which would still put out 150 megawatts. Construction is to start around Oct. 1. http://www.windaction.org/articles/17677