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Council leader tells inquiry that local people should decide and they do not want six more wind turbines
April 26, 2013 by John Elworthy in Cambs Times
April 26, 2013 by John Elworthy in Cambs Times
"In this case, local people, the parish council, the district council, the local county councillor and local MP don't want the wind farm. Local opinion should carry significant weight or we create a democratic deficit."
Kim Fried, chairman of the Town of Newark's Planning Commission, which amended the Town Plan last year to ban industrial wind projects, a change overwhelmingly supported by residents, said "We are very disappointed and saddened. Neither SMW, the PSB or the state of Vermont appear to care about the concerns of Newark's citizens and I think this attitude towards small towns is beginning to bother many other citizens across the state, as it should.
Michael Fallon will shortly publish planning protections and proposals for a scheme of community "payments" for residents who agree to allow wind turbines near their homes. ...He also warned that he would not tolerate some areas being "swamped" by applications for wind farms. Several councils have been frustrated in their attempts to block such developments and have faced multi-million-pound legal bills.
Hager vows bill capping renewable energy mandate remains alive
April 26, 2013 by Dan Way in Carolina Journal
April 26, 2013 by Dan Way in Carolina Journal
A handful of House Republicans dealt a stunning blow to state Rep. Mike Hager's bill to phase out slowly North Carolina's subsidies, tax credits, and purchase mandates propping up renewable energy companies. Despite this setback, the Rutherford County Republican said he plans to bring House Bill 298 to another committee vote.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
North Carolina]
County keeps wind energy request up in air
April 25, 2013 by Kelly Taylor-Jerome in Huron County View
April 25, 2013 by Kelly Taylor-Jerome in Huron County View
The County Board of Commissioners decided to send a message regarding wind energy projects in the county by opting not to act on a request to release from 26.311 acres in Windsor Township PA 116 for the purpose of building an energy substation planned for the Thumb Loop.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Michigan]
Wind turbines application near Olveston receives unprecedented amount of objections
April 25, 2013 by Louis Emanuel in The Post
April 25, 2013 by Louis Emanuel in The Post
A planning application for two wind turbines near Olveston has received an unprecedented amount of objections.
Campaigners are highlighting the 594 letters sent to South Gloucestershire Council's planning department complaining about the size and proximity to houses of the turbines.
Nearly 100 people came out Wednesday night to speak out on Deepwater Wind's $250-million proposal to install five wind turbines in state waters off Block Island and connect them to the mainland through an underwater transmission line.
Also filed under [
General|
Rhode Island]
Ireland-based Mainstream has indicated it would keep $13,721 on hand for the possible decommissioning of the 53-turbine wind farm. But opponents say the cost of taking down the turbines would cost millions.
No freeze on wind projects, but greater voice for towns
April 24, 2013 by Peter Hirschfeld in Rutland Herald
April 24, 2013 by Peter Hirschfeld in Rutland Herald
Advocates of the temporary ban say a compromise package being voted out of a House committee this week could at least bring more scrutiny of the regulatory process that governs ridgeline wind projects. ...Sen. Robert Hartwell, a Bennington County Democrat and lead sponsor of the original moratorium language, said he believes those summer hearings will yield legislation next year that will amplify citizens' voices in the regulatory process.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Vermont]
Hanover tests wind turbine, sees mixed results
April 24, 2013 by Mark Burridge in Wicked Local Hanover
April 24, 2013 by Mark Burridge in Wicked Local Hanover
Up until now, Diniak said, the turbine has had issues with a part on the tip of the blade called a "tip break." The tip break causes drag to slow the turbine down ...Now, he said, the oil's overheating is the main focus.
Also filed under [
General|
Massachusetts]
Xcel opposes both the solar standard and the increase to 40 percent renewables by 2030, Regional Vice President Laura McCarten said.
"We really would be concerned about arbitrarily setting a new higher level without having gone through a more thoughtful assessment of what the implications are." If Xcel relies more on wind energy, it would have to spend more money to make sure everyone gets enough power on windless days.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Minnesota]
Williams' bill would regulate, not eliminate wind turbines in Ala.
April 23, 2013 by Scott Wright in The Post
April 23, 2013 by Scott Wright in The Post
Williams' bill calls for ADEM to establish a permit application process that would have to be completed by any company wishing to build a wind energy project in Alabama. The permit would be both a construction and operation permit.
Williams said he is skeptical of the project proposed for Cherokee County, officially known as the Shinbone Wind Energy Project, mainly because it would exist "in my own backyard."
"Be it resolved that Norfolk County council applauds the position taken by the Premier and the Government, and that, based on the position of Norfolk County council and the input received from the community regarding (industrial wind turbines), the Province of Ontario - and specifically the Ministry of Environment - be now advised that Norfolk County is not a 'willing host' for industrial wind turbine projects."
Against the wind; Public speaks out on proposed wind farm on Jack's Mountain
April 23, 2013 by Dan Pietropaolo in Lewistown Sentinel
April 23, 2013 by Dan Pietropaolo in Lewistown Sentinel
The Union Township Planning Commission listened to concerned residents about potential wind turbines being constructed on Jack's Mountain at its Monday night meeting.
Volkswind, a German wind farm development company, has not submitted anything to the planning commission.
Also filed under [
General|
Pennsylvania]
Last gasp for controversial Minnesota wind farm?
April 23, 2013 by Tom Steward in Minnesota Watchdog
April 23, 2013 by Tom Steward in Minnesota Watchdog
A letter from the owner of a proposed wind farm to regulators shows his frustration in the permitting process and a willingness to sell off assets of his investment.
"New Era has no confidence that due process for this project will ever end, nor that an ABPP (Avian and Bat Protection Plan) will ever be approved, however comprehensively and carefully drafted," said Peter Mastic, owner of New Era Wind Farm, in an April 17 letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
North East group wants tight restrictions on wind farms
April 23, 2013 by Valerie Myers in Erie Times-News
April 23, 2013 by Valerie Myers in Erie Times-News
The group, called Neighbors for a Responsible North East and led by Matt Putman and Paul Crowe, is lobbying for limits on the size of wind turbines that can be built in the township and a ban on commercial turbines, or windmills, within 1 mile of any neighborhood.
Also filed under [
General|
Pennsylvania]
U.S. States turn against renewable energy as gas plunges
April 23, 2013 by Christopher Martin in Bloomberg News
April 23, 2013 by Christopher Martin in Bloomberg News
Sixteen of the 29 states with renewable portfolio standards are considering legislation that would reduce the need for wind and solar power, according to researchers backed by the U.S. Energy Department. North Carolina lawmakers may be among the first to move, followed by Colorado and Connecticut. ...Repealing the state's RPS policy "would help increase disposable income, attract more business investment and make energy more affordable for consumers."
State says BP failed to meet several requirements for Cape wind project
April 23, 2013 by Jaegun Lee in Watertown Daily News
April 23, 2013 by Jaegun Lee in Watertown Daily News
BP Wind Energy has failed to meet several state requirements in its preliminary scoping statement for the proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm and used a half-century-old map for its turbine site plan, according to state Department of Public Service staff.
"The mapping included in the PSS is seriously out-of-date United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic quadrangles published circa 1958," the department's staff said.
Seneca Mountain Wind gets preliminary approval to erect wind-measuring towers
April 22, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
April 22, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
David Hallquist, CEO of the utility Vermont Electric Cooperative, publicly opposed any new utility-scale wind projects in the Northeast Kingdom because the ISO-New England, is ordering Vermont and New Hampshire wind projects to curtail electricity output to maintain grid stability. Hallquist said the co-op and its utility partner, Green Mountain Power, have already lost $1 million this winter on curtailment of Lowell Mountain's 21-turbine Kingdom Community Wind Project.
The conflicts are bound to grow as renewable projects spread, some environmental advocates say.
"Certainly, there's going to be a lot more wind farms than there have been historically," ABC spokesman Bob Johns said. "And the problem is that we have seen no reason to believe that areas of conflict are being avoided - in fact, quite the opposite. They're walking right into it, leading with their chin on some of these."