Highland County supervisors agreed Tuesday they could use some help getting the proposed industrial wind energy utility here off the ground ...Toward that end, supervisor David Blanchard suggested the county ask for $1.5 million in stimulus package money to pay for consultants who could assist. The 39-megawatt facility planned by Highland New Wind Development LLC has state and local permits to build and operate the plant, but there are strict conditions attached to each.

Norfolk Southern Railway Co., trying to preserve tax benefits it gained by investing in wind power generation facilities, filed a lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk against Caithness Western Wind Partners LLC of New York and two related en ities. Caithness wants to sell certain wind power facilities over the objection of Norfolk-based Norfolk Southern, which invested more than $16.1 million with Caithness over the past four years to gain federal tax credits for renewable energy investments, acco ding to the filing. The railroad said its investments were based on the partnership lasting through at least 2011. Norfolk Southern contends any sale requires its written consent and that, if the transaction goes through, the railroad will have to pay millions of dollars in taxes and would be greatly harmed. It is seeking to block the sale. Michael Cole, an attorney with Caithness Energy LLC, the manager of Caithness Western Wind Partners, did not return calls for comment Tuesday.

Turning algae into fuel? Building a windmill on Tangier Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay? Setting wind turbines miles off the Virginia Beach coast? The ideas might sound futuristic, but they are the primary alternative-energy projects that the state will support with $1.5 million in research grants, to be awarded next week.

County officials estimated that, in addition to spending $5 million in the next five years to improve energy efficiency in its public buildings, Arlington will spend more than $400,000 in the coming months to plant 1,200 trees, buy more wind-generated power, hand out more than 2,000 fluorescent light bulbs at fairs and other events and provide free energy audits of more than a dozen homes. County officials want to give residents who buy hybrid cars a break on their personal property tax — an unusual perk for a Virginia community. Cost estimates on the tax break are not available. The tax break would require approval from the Arlington County Board, but other elements of the plan, such as distributing light bulbs, can go forward without board permission.

RICHMOND — A bill to give localities the option of how to tax wind utility equipment passed the House of Delegates Monday by a margin of 10 votes.

The bill is designed to give tax refunds and grants for using clean, efficient energy. One of its provisions would award grants of 0.85 cents for each kilowatt of electricity produced by a corporation from certain renewables, including wind utilities.