Two Ripley families say they've moved out of their homes because of what they say is the negative health effects of living too close to wind turbines. "We can't live in our house anymore. We bought a house and moved to Kincardine. My son and daughter-in-law and two-year-old who live on a different farm . . . the wind company is paying for them to stay in Kincardine," said Glen Wild.

The federation's directors discussed the current debate around wind turbine developments at their June meeting and passed two resolutions. One was to request lower-tier municipalities in Huron to enact a moratorium on commercial wind energy projects pending results of an epidemiological study conducted into the health impacts of the specific infrastructure on residents living near such developments. The other was to support the study.

The scale of public opposition to Europe's largest onshore wind farm proposed for the Shetland mainland has been underlined after about 70 campaigners handed in a petition of more than 3600 signatures demanding the plans be scrapped. ...The signatures, representing almost 20% of Shetland's population over the age of 12, were given to Shetland Island Council convenor Sandy Cluness.

The topic of wind turbines came to the commissioners after the Leavenworth County Planning Commission decided that the Obergs needed a special use permit in order to install the turbine. Along with the special use permit were proposed amendments in planning regulations that would establish rules for wind turbines.

Wind turbines located too close to homes and humans can pose a health hazard, a Mars Hill area resident warned New Denmark homeowners during a REACT (Reacts Efforts Against Construction of Turbines in New Denmark) sponsored meeting held in the community recently. ...Todd said if wind turbines setbacks were increased, the negative effects on nearby landowners would be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.

The isle has rocked to vibrations from work off the area's coast as power giants Vattenfall build a huge wind farm project, writes Tom Betts. The loud bangs came from the Sea Jack vessel which is currently pile-driving the sea bed in order to install the foundations. The noise was heard last night (Monday, June29) across Thanet from Birchington as far round the coast as Broadstairs and even Ramsgate.

Opponents of a wind turbine adjacent to a residential neighborhood won an extension of a temporary restraining order to keep the turbine turned off until July 14. ..."At that hearing we will be expected to present our evidence that we are being harmed by the noise of the turbine," Gates said.

Although the zoning board now has ruled to approve a portion of the proposed wind turbines, recent action by the board of county commissioners would allow a wind power project to start without going before the zoning board. Earlier this month, Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites voted to change the zoning ordinance to allow wind turbines as a permitted use in A-1, M-1 light industrial and M-2 heavy industrial zones. Previously, wind turbines were only permitted after obtaining a special exception from the zoning board.

A Minnesota Department of Health analysis of possible health effects from wind turbines concludes that annoyance and diminished quality of life are the most frequent complaints from nearby residents. The "white paper," a review of available scientific research, notes that people vary greatly in their sensitivity to noise, with penetrating, low-frequency sounds posing the most problems.

Complaints about noise and possible health effects from wind turbines arose at a recent public hearing concerning a proposed 157-megawatt wind farm near Luverne, N.D., in Griggs and Steele counties. The Stillingses and several other rural residents who live adjacent to nearby wind farms testified that they are bothered by turbines, even though they comply with the North Dakota Public Service Commission's setback requirement.

Rocky Mountain Power said Monday it will go to court to try to force the town of Willard to allow it to build a high-voltage transmission line through the city despite concerns that electric and magnetic fields from the project could harm the health of nearby residents and damage property values. The utility plans to ask a 1st District Court judge to bar the town from interfering with its construction.

Citizens for Protection of Libertyville scored another victory in court this morning. Judge Mitchell Hoffman issued a 2nd temporary restraining order against Aldridge Electric and DPR Investments LLC that shut down the turbine until July 14, 2009. Citizens for Protection of Libertyville, a group of neighbors who live in the surrounding area, are suing the Village of Libertyville, Aldridge Electric Inc. and DPR Investments LLC to force the permanent shut-down of the 146' turbine that was erected within a few hundred feet of their backyards.

People who live near some of the 46 turbines at a wind park in Bingham and Sheridan townships are now complaining about ongoing noise and rumble from the 300-foot-tall renewable energy generators. "You can't go outside and have a nice, peaceful quiet night anymore," said Curt Watchowski, 42, who lives about 1,500 feet from two turbines on Purdy Road.

Monday's Commissioner's Court meeting began as usual with public forum, but a lengthy, animated discussion with members of the gallery regarding action on a proposed county tax abatement for the Senate Wind Project lasted in excess of 90 minutes.

Reminding a state panel Shay's Rebellion was fought in the Berkshires, numerous area residents expressed their displeasure on Wednesday night with a bill working its way through the Legislature they say would put too much control over wind-turbine permitting in the hands of a "politically appointed" state board. "This is about giving away your freedom, this is about giving away your power," said self-proclaimed mountain man Rene Wendell.

The board voted 8-2 today, after two hours of public comment, in favor of Public Service Electric & Gas Co.'s proposed 45-mile, $750 million high-voltage power line project that opponents testified would ravage the land -- hurting flora and fauna -- and damage the region's natural beauty.

Members of Grey Highlands council did their best to clear up some confusion about a wind tower planning application the is currently before the municipality. The public galleries at Monday morning's meeting were once again full of opponents of the AIM Power Generation planning proposal to install a number of wind towers in the southern part of Grey Highlands.

A city councillor's push to have the provincial government halt any new wind farms for 18 months until potential health problems caused by the renewable energy projects can be studied is expected to die next month at city council.

A Ripley woman, who lives near her area's wind turbine project and has been fighting to have her community's health problems acknowledged by the provincial government, congratulated the residents of St. Columban for questioning two proposed wind projects before they're built. "We've suffered extreme health problems and we're so proud of you as a community that you're coming together to find out the truth."

Huron County commissioners decided Tuesday to conduct a noise study of the Michigan Wind 1 development that's independent of one that will be conducted later this summer by John Deere Wind Energy. Commissioner Dave Peruski said an independent study on the existing turbines near Ubly will provide more evidence on what effects the park may be having on nearby neighbors.