Energy generating wind turbines put up in St. Joseph County will soon have to conform to a new set of rules, aimed at keeping homeowners and their neighbors safe. The St. Joseph County Council passed the new regulations unanimously Tuesday. County leaders said they want the push toward "green" energy to continue, but not unchecked. ...But others say the regulations don't go far enough. They worry the windmills will still be too noisy, too visible, and could lower property values."

The Jefferson Township Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-1 Tuesday to make corrections to its original approval of Roger Brown's request for a conditional use permit to build a 197-foot-tall meteorological tower on property he owns along State Route 540. ...Zoning regulations allow conditional use permits for projects that can be classified as public service facilities ...but do not specifically mention turbines or meteorological towers.

Numbers fought philosophy during Monday's hearing on the proposed Dairy Hills Wind Farm environmental review. Supporters cited their sheer numbers during the public hearing meant to offer comments on the wind farm's supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In the meantime, opponents argued that subsidies, potential loss of property value and other negatives would hurt the town.

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.

Planning Board members and alternates have a wide range of views on what shape a wind development zoning law should take. The town-appointed Wind Committee submitted its recommendations on a zoning law April 22. Planning Board members and alternates submitted comments on those recommendations in July.

Opponents of a wind farm project in the Charlevoix region have struck gold - the presence of a nesting pair of golden eagles means no windmill can be built within 20 kilometres of a their nest, they say.

One red balloon will be hoisted high above the Buck Mountain ridge overlooking Black Creek Township this month. The balloon is part of a test to better visualize what a proposed wind turbine farm will look like. ...Penn Wind LLC, Sunbury, plans to build 22 wind turbines on the ridge.

Mighty River Power's planned positioning of some turbines at Turitea Wind Farm flies in the face of Palmerston North City Council's efforts to keep them away from houses, a board of inquiry has been told. The power company's 121-turbine proposal failed to meet the "spirit and intent" of the city council's 2006 decision that made a wind farm at Turitea possible, city lawyer John Maassen said.

A citizens group opposing development of a wind farm in Alnwick/Haldimand Township has asked the environment ministry for an extension of the public consultation period on proposed provincial regulations on wind turbines, and has been granted the chance to comment. That's important to the group because proposed distances to residences are not sufficient, nor are the maximum noise levels, spokesperson Tova White contends.

While it's good to prepare for a rainy day, Mundy Township officials are preparing for windy days. Rather, they are preparing for possible wind turbines that someone in the future may want to erect to capitalize on wind energy. ..."It's new technology emerging -- we're trying to be proactive."

An amendment to the city's zoning ordinance regarding additional rules and regulations for wind energy systems was recommended to the mayor and council Tuesday in order to help protect the city's character and integrity. "In a nutshell, (the amendment) says that only small wind turbines will be allowed as an accessory use in most zones, subject to a public hearing and approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals," said City Planner David Umling.

Citizens for the Protection of Libertyville addressed the Village Board at its last meeting over their concerns about a wind turbine operating near their residences. Dave Gates, a member of Citizens for the Protection of Libertyville, said the group is upset over a 120-foot wind turbine located at Aldridge Electric, 844 E. Rockland Road, within 250-feet of their homes.

A Superior Court ruling against abutters who sought to keep the town from erecting a wind-measuring device on town-owned property at the Water and Sewer Department makes it more likely the town will get an electric power-generating windmill in the future. The town wants to erect the 130-foot tower to take readings to determine wind velocity in the area.

A state senate panel has advanced a bill that would create a statewide standard for siting wind farms in Wisconsin. But senators changed the plan to add protections for people who live near the massive wind turbines. ...under a provision passed by a senate panel, the PSC would have to consider the health effects of wind turbines when they decide how far to set them back from homes.

The Butler Township supervisors took actions during Tuesday's special meeting that will lead to restrictions on wind turbine placement in the township. However, those actions will most likely lead to a legal battle between the township and the developer planning to erect wind turbines. ...The supervisors voted unanimously to reject all pending plans submitted by Broad Mountain relating to wind turbines currently before the township planning commission or board of supervisors.

A Federal Hill woman seeking to become the first Baltimore resident with a wind turbine on her roof failed to win approval from city officials yesterday. The effort by Marsha Vitow brought opposition from neighbors concerned about safety and aesthetics and confounded city officials ... David Tanner, executive director of the board, said the members had a long debate but decided wind turbines were not a legal exception.

Personal wind turbines taller than 35 feet are illegal, the town's Zoning Board of Appeals decided Monday. The ZBA voted unanimously at its monthly meeting that Roger D. Alexander's 92-foot-tall residential wind turbine is in violation of the town's zoning law. "It is theoretically a turbine, but we have nothing in the zoning laws to do with that," ZBA Chairman Edward P. Bender said. "So we're going to treat it as an accessory structure."

An energy company which has fought for nearly eight years to get permission for wind turbines on Mid Norfolk farmland last night issued a strong "we won't walk away" message after it was accused of bullying the local community. Ecotricity managing director Dale Vince reinforced his determination to develop on a site at Wood Farm, Bradenham, near Dereham, which has been at the centre of a bitter planning saga.

Two planning issues are going to wait for a decision in Mineral County as the county commissioners ask the planning commissioners to review potential wind turbine regulations and prepare to look over a draft of the exotic entertainment ordinance. "We're asking (the planning commission) to look at the public good," Commission President Wayne Spiggle said. "We're trying to figure out what we're going to look at in 10 years."

A town resident is in a dispute with the town's zoning board over her neighbor's wind turbine, which she believes is too close to her property. "I want it down," said Mary C. Grogan, a seasonal town resident who lives next to Roger D. Alexander.