News
Obama administration gives wind farms a pass on eagle deaths, prosecutes oil companies
May 14, 2013 in The Associated Press
May 14, 2013 in The Associated Press
Nearly all the birds being killed are protected under federal environmental laws, which prosecutors have used to generate tens of millions of dollars in fines and settlements from businesses, including oil and gas companies, over the past five years.
"What it boils down to is this: If you electrocute an eagle, that is bad, but if you chop it to pieces, that is OK," said Tim Eicher, a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforcement agent based in Cody, Wyo.
Also filed under [
Impact on Birds|
California]
PUC forces NorthWestern to buy electricity from Clark wind farm
May 6, 2013 by Bob Mercer in Aberdeen News
May 6, 2013 by Bob Mercer in Aberdeen News
Oak Tree Energy attempted in 2010 to negotiate with NorthWestern. The utility refused to buy the power, saying the additional electricity wasn't necessary.
Oak Tree Energy turned to the PUC in April 2011. Oak Tree used a federal law known as the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 as the basis for its complaint.
Also filed under [
General|
South Dakota]
Renewable energy mandate opponents appeal to Colorado governor; They claim rates would skyrocket
May 10, 2013 by Marianne Goodland in Fort Morgan Times
May 10, 2013 by Marianne Goodland in Fort Morgan Times
Hickenlooper said Thursday he will meet with executives from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, which provides power to 18 rural electric co-ops and is one of the two entities targeted by SB 252 (the other is the Intermountain Rural Electric Association).
Tri-State executives claim the bill will cost the co-ops at least $2 billion to implement.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Colorado]
Latest cleantech funding woes spark fears of industry slide
May 11, 2013 by Peter Delevett in Mercury News
May 11, 2013 by Peter Delevett in Mercury News
The problem, he said, is that those big investment firms tend to focus on mature companies that are generating significant revenue, and there are few of those in cleantech. Meanwhile, more government investment seems increasingly far off as congressional Republicans demand answers about the failure of Fisker Automotive.
Opposition to wind farm increases; Will the setback distance also increase?
May 13, 2013 by Seth Slabaugh in The Star Press
May 13, 2013 by Seth Slabaugh in The Star Press
Opposition to a possible wind farm in Delaware County is growing.
An overflow crowd of about 75 people showed up at a city-county plan commission meeting on May 2 to voice objections to a potential wind farm.
According to various reports these incentives were scrapped as many developers took incentives to save tax and after the completion of incentives either neglected or abandoned the wind farms altogether.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
Asia]
After turbulent hearing, supervisors postpone action on wind ordinance to May 15
May 10, 2013 by Sierra Robinson in East County Magazine
May 10, 2013 by Sierra Robinson in East County Magazine
After more than three hours of heated testimony on Tuesday, San Diego Supervisors opted to delay a decision on a controversial wind ordinance and changes to plans for two backcountry communities until May 15. The postponement came after a lawyer representing rural residents sent a last-minute letter claiming that approval of the project would be illegal.
Also filed under [
Zoning/Planning|
California]
Lack of wind halts Scituate wind turbine studies
May 11, 2013 by Patrick Ronan in The Patriot Ledger
May 11, 2013 by Patrick Ronan in The Patriot Ledger
A group of residents have complained that the noise and shadow flicker from the turbine, erected last year, are hurting their health. At the behest of the town's board of health, Scituate Wind hired Tech Environmental to see if the turbine complies with state noise standards.
In a decision swiftly condemned by conservationists and wildlife advocates, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said operators of Terra-Gen Power's wind farm in the Tehachapi Mountains will not be prosecuted if their turbines accidentally kill a condor during the expected 30-year life span of the project.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grants exceptions to a wind farm and a building project in harassing or killing the endangered birds.
At Lowell, Sheffield: DPS Commissioner concerned about turbine noise
May 10, 2013 by Robin SMith in Orleans County Record
May 10, 2013 by Robin SMith in Orleans County Record
Since October, 105 complaints about the big three wind projects have been collected by the DPS division on consumer affairs and public information, not including this complaint from McGrath.
Some of those complaints are from the same people. Twenty-three different people have complained. In one case in November, 31 people joined to file a petition about wind noise about the Lowell wind project which prompted Green Mountain Power to adjust early operations.
Specifically, the company is asking for a 10-month extension of the July 18, 2013, deadline to meet Special Condition #19 requiring the company to provide evidence of sufficient financial resources to construct, maintain, operate, decommission and reclaim the facility. ...The Industrial Siting Council will meet at 10 a.m. on Monday June 24, 2013, to consider the company's request for the extension.
New funding is being sought for a wind farm scheme off the coast of Aberdeen, opposed by Donald Trump, after a major investor announced plans to reduce its stake in the project.
Hoopeston wind farm building permit extended for a year
May 11, 2013 by Tracy Moss in The News-Gazette
May 11, 2013 by Tracy Moss in The News-Gazette
The extension also allows the project to adhere to parameters set out in Vermilion County's original wind ordinance, requiring turbines to be 1,000 feet from a primary structure, which includes houses.
Also filed under [
Zoning/Planning|
Illinois]
In 2007 voters approved a $3 million bond issue for the turbine, which sits behind the tennis courts at the high school. It's been idle since June 2012 due to a broken gear box. The town has been weighing its options ever since.
Also filed under [
General|
Rhode Island]
In reopening the hearing, Montgomery said any additional testimony or proofs would be limited to the single issue of noise generated by the turbines. He said he remains concerned that six of the proposed turbines would be located near homes with potentially "sensitive" individuals and that ensuring turbines meet state standards should be the job of the developer.
Application process continues for southern VW County wind farm
May 9, 2013 by Ed Gebert in Times Bulletin
May 9, 2013 by Ed Gebert in Times Bulletin
The update touched on many topics, but little new information was brought out. BP Wind is still working toward applying with the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB), probably in early September. The licensing process will probably take up to nine months to complete.
The zoning board of appeals declared two town-owned wind turbines a nuisance in a 4-1 vote Thursday night.
The decision overturned Building Commissioner Eladio Gore's determination that noise from the turbines did not constitute a nuisance. Turbine abutter Neil Andersen, of 211 Blacksmith Shop Road, appealed that decision in November, and the board closed that hearing last week.
Also filed under [
General|
Massachusetts]
LePage's energy director, Patrick Woodcock, made recommendations Thursday to rewrite the state's 2008 Wind Energy Act, shifting focus from growing wind energy capacity to lowering electricity costs and making sure Maine sees an economic return on its wind energy investments.
According to the 2009 Energy Information Agency Report on Electricity Generation, wind power provided 70.8 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) out of the U.S. total of 3,953 billion kWh. Why, it must be asked, does wind power equal only 1.79 percent of the generated power when over the past 30 years seemingly every political speech has contained the phrase “wind, solar, or other renewables” as the solution to our energy problems?
Boards tell developer wind turbine plan is 'incomplete'
May 7, 2013 by Michael LoCicero in Sheboygan Press
May 7, 2013 by Michael LoCicero in Sheboygan Press
Supervisors unanimously voted the application was incomplete because it failed to address numerous requirements in both the town ordinances and Public Service Commission requirements.