The U.S. Forest Service has rejected a proposal to build a wind farm on Great North Mountain in the George Washington National Forest - for now, at least. Freedomworks LLC, a renewable-energy firm based in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., wanted to put 131 400-foot-tall wind turbines along 18 miles of ridgeline between Virginia and West Virginia.

Officials announced this week that construction of the Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline, also known as PATH, will now be completed by June 2014. The deadline is nearly two years later than one suggested when the project was initially discussed. "The economy is really the main driver," Doug Colafella, a spokesperson for Alleghany Energy, said of the delay.

Anyone wishing to file a protest to the construction of a 23-turbine wind farm along a 3 1/2-mile stretch of Green Mountain has until Thursday, April 23, to do so. Pinnacle Wind Force LLC filed application with the West Virginia Public Service Commission on March 17 for approval of the facility. On March 24, a legal advertisement detailing the application and plans for the wind farm ran in the Mineral Daily News-Tribune.

A wind energy official has fired back at a Mineral County commissioner on the viability and public perception of the wind industry. David Friend, vice president of US Wind Force, said in a letter Friday to the Allegany County commissioners and also sent to the Times-News that Commissioner Wayne Spiggle's skepticism and concerns "are unfounded."

David Friend, vice president of US Wind Force, said in a letter Friday to the Allegany County commissioners and also sent to the Times-News that Commissioner Wayne Spiggle's skepticism and concerns "are unfounded." ...Friend's letter was in direct response to a Times-News March 29 story in which Mineral County Commission President Wayne Spiggle said he doesn't believe wind energy decreases greenhouse gases and questioned whether the majority of Mineral County residents do.

The House has apparently killed a resolution supporting development of a wind farm on the site of a planned mountaintop removal mine. Activists with Coal River Mountain Watch have been pressing Richmond, Va.-based Massey Energy to drop its mining plans in Raleigh County in favor of a wind farm.

Wind Farm near Keyser is a favorable site for turbines based on wildlife considerations, according to extensive studies conducted by environmental consultants retained by the developer, US WindForce. That was the message from Monday night's meeting of the Community Advisory Panel, delivered by Jennie Henthorn of Henthron Environmental Consultants.

The developer of a Greenbrier County wind farm said his company plans to immediately move forward with the construction of a wind farm in Greenbrier County. The statement by Dave Groberg, vice president of development at Invenergy Limited Liability Co., came after the state Public Service Commission said on Friday that it would not reconsider its approval of the $300 million project.

US WindForce will host a public meeting Monday evening at the Wind Lea Banquet and Conference Center as part of the company's ongoing efforts to keep the public abreast of its Pinnacle Wind Farm project near Keyser, with environmental issues again the focus of discussion.

Opponents of a large wind farm project in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties have been rebuffed once again by the state Public Service Commission. In an opinion issued Friday, the PSC denied petitions for reconsideration of the regulatory body's Feb. 13 approval of a siting certificate for the Beech Ridge Energy LLC project. The petitions were filed by Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy (MCRE) and Jeffrey and Alicia Eisenbeiss.

"Wind energy is something that is on the horizon," remarked Bland County Administrator Jonathan D. Sweet. "With technology constantly changing, we have to look at our zoning ordinance to address that." According to Sweet, the Bland County Board of Supervisors and the Economic Development Authority took a recent field trip to Grant County, W.Va., to see wind turbines in action. The Bland County Planning Commission will follow suit.

Opposition and proponents to the US Wind Force Pinnacle Project both admitted during a community meeting that they may never see eye to eye. "I don't think you all understand when someone is opposed to this," Mike Wilson, Keyser area resident, said. "We are selling our mountains, we are selling our souls. Are they worth it? You're not going to change their minds by having them talk to this person or that person. ... It's within our culture in West Virginia. These are our heritage."

Saying they "have lost faith" in state-run agencies, officials from Mountain Community For Responsible Energy on Friday criticized last week's decision by the state Public Service Commission that issued a building permit for a $300 million Greenbrier County wind farm. As of Friday, no legal papers had been filed by MCRE, the grassroots group which has been fighting the Beech Ridge Energy wind farm since 2005, asking the PSC to reconsider its Feb. 13 decision, the first of its kind since wind farm building permit rules were updated by state lawmakers. State laws allow for a 10-day appeal window after a PSC decision is published. ..."Our case is strong and our membership is solidified. Remember, this is our home. We won't abandon it to turbines."

Maine and County Planner Scott Clay recently presented a report on their research into wind power to the Mineral County Commissioners. Although Clay said the inches-thick binder of information he had gathered contained “both pros and cons” of wind power, most of what the two officials had to say seemed to be in opposition to the construction of wind farms in Mineral County.

"We are not surprised that the PSC ruled in favor of Beech Ridge. We've been expecting it. We're deciding on whether we're going to file for a motion to reconsider." Michael Rosalina with Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy says they've opposed the project since its inception in 2004. Despite a loud chorus of voices against the 119 giant wind turbines planned for 23 miles of ridge line, and against the advice of their own staff, the PSC went ahead on Friday and gave Beech Ridge the final approve to move forward with the $300 million project.

Wind turbines could continue to sprout along the state's Appalachian ridgetops, as state regulators approved a project on the Randolph/Barbour County border in November. The same company applied in December to build a project in Grant County, while another developer announced plans in January for a project near Keyser. Industry growth may be slowing, however, as the national economic recession dries up the investment capital needed to build new projects.

Just two days after Gov. Joe Manchin introduced a sweeping renewable energy proposal to lawmakers, the state Public Service Commission on Friday gave its final stamp of approval on a $300 million Greenbrier County wind farm. The much anticipated decision came nearly 4 1/2 years after Chicago-based Invenergy first applied for a siting certificate to construct 119 giant wind turbines on 23 miles of mountain ridges owned primarily by MeadWestvaco.

Residents filled the auditorium of Washington High School on Monday evening in hopes that their voices would be heard and a change would be made to the proposed route for a high-voltage power line slated for construction in the area. Nearly 150 people turned out for a public hearing about P.A.T.H., which stands for Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, and is a joint venture of Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power that was announced last year.

Disputing what's been called a "dialogue," several guests at Monday's US WindForce community meeting felt questions have gone unanswered just as the company recently announced its intention to file an application with the Public Service Commission for 23 wind turbines comprising the Pinnacle Wind Farm.

Fresh from beginning the formal application process with the West Virginia Public Service Commission, US WindForce will meet tonight with area residents as part of its ongoing public outreach efforts on the Pinnacle Wind Farm near Keyser. The Community Advisory Panel for the Pinnacle project will meet at 6 p.m. at the WindLea Conference and Banquet Center. The meeting is open to the public.