"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."

The government's recently announced $1-billion plan for wind energy development came under fire during the opening question period of the fall sitting Wednesday when the Opposition accused the province of protecting Maritime Electric's bottom line over the interests of Islanders. The government's 10-point plan for wind energy development was announced a few weeks ago with much ado. It seeks to grow the Island's wind energy production to 500 megawatts by 2013 and sets out a framework for wind energy projects, establishing ground rules for developers.

The Winnipeg skyline may soon have a distinct feature that would stand as tall as the Richardson building. The province and The Forks are considering building a wind turbine if community consultations and wind-monitoring tests prove successful.

The plan for a new wind farm in Prince Edward Island that would produce 130 megawatts of renewable energy for both domestic and export markets is dead in the water, says Opposition Energy critic Mike Currie.

In its submission to the McGuinty government, the Canadian Wind Energy Association says all parties to a development proposal should retain a right of appeal to the OMB. However, CanWEA wants the province to impose a three-month deadline for the OMB to make its decisions. "From a developer's point of view, you still want an automatic right of appeal, and as a citizen, you want the right of appeal to make sure the project is being done right," Lewis said.

Shear Wind Inc. president Mike Magnus told shareholders at the company's annual meeting Wednesday that the firm is trying to recoup a $500,000 penalty it paid to Nova Scotia Power when it failed to deliver wind power on time. The Bedford renewable energy company forfeited its performance security deposit when it did not deliver wind-generated electricity from its proposed northern Nova Scotia wind farm by the end of last year.

The people in the audience may have been wearing shirts that said "No" on them, but the Brome-Missisquoi MRC has given a qualified yes to a proposed wind power project. "It is conditional on the signing of an agreement with Groupe SM to reduce the impact," said Robert Desmarais, director general of the Brome-Missisquoi Regional Municipal Council. The agreement outlines six main conditions that the company must meet if it is to build 31 industrial windmills in Bedford Township, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge and Pike River: Any damage caused to the road network during the construction will be repaired Noise level tests must be carried out regularly and passed If the rotating blades cause any ill stroboscopic effect on residents they must be minimized Local workers and suppliers must be given first priority during construction Any telecommunications problems caused by the towers (cell phone reception, public security communications) must be dealt with, at SM's expense And $100,000 must go to the MRC every year for a fund to improve the Pike River.

COLCHESTER, VT., June 22 /CNW/ - Green Mountain Power Corporation ("Green Mountain Power" or the "Company") (NYSE:GMP) announced today that Green Mountain Power and Vermont-based Northern New England Energy Corporation ("NNEEC") have entered into a definitive agreement whereby NNEEC will acquire Green Mountain Power. Shareholders of Green Mountain Power will receive $35.00 per share in cash or approximately $187 million in the aggregate.

Thompson said the focus should be on meeting the service needs of all Ontario residents and on protecting the most-affected rural residents, environment and family heritage in the immediate impact area. "The news is filled with stories about those opposed to wind turbines and those supporting them. It's a never-ending war of opposing forces in many rural communities.'' Thompson said the wars are tearing the rural social fabric to shreds.

The list of those demanding a moratorium on the construction of wind turbines in the local area continues to grow. Grey County council joined the chorus of those demanding a moratorium on the construction of wind turbines at its regular meeting held on November 24. County council passed a resolution asking the provincial government to study the health affects turbines have on people.

Grey County council has taken a first step to take back control of wind farm development in light of health concerns and newfound legal hope. Councillors passed a motion Tuesday ...to direct staff to investigate preparing a wind turbine control bylaw for the protection of people's health.

Until a few months ago, one would have been hard pressed to find any sort of organized opposition to the mega-wind project proposed for Wolfe Island. Times have changed. These days, it's hard for some local residents to recall a more divisive issue in the recent history of the tight-knit, pastoral community. Residents with concerns about the location of the 86 steel turbines have formed an action group they've called Wolfe Island Residents for the Environment - or WIRE. The group has been attracting new members.

The group's application for a judicial review alleges numerous deficiencies in the government's environmental review process and its failure to address the cumulative effects of multiple industrial wind developments in the community. "The ministry is ignoring the effects on our health, safety.

While opposition to wind farms continues in some parts of Dufferin, a new organization, Ontario Highlands Friends of Wind Power (OHFOWP) has formed locally "to promote wind power in the Ontario Highlands."

The group also proposed to council that they join a growing list of 67 Ontario municipalities requesting a moratorium on industrial wind turbine development in the province until further research is done. "Every week there are more municipalities signing on," said Switzer, adding, "you're not muzzled."

"The littlest things we can do to delay this project, the closer we are to shutting it down." Brooks said the group checked after Nextera announced its Forest public meeting and found Kimball Hall hadn't been booked. "So, we booked it," she said.

Wary of what a wind turbine farm might do to rural parts of Northumberland, a group of citizens has come together to hold a public meeting of its own. The Alliance for the Protection of the Northumberland Hills was formed shortly after Energy Farm Ontario held an open house in late-July about its ongoing study of rural properties near Grafton as a possible location to construct up to 20 wind turbines.

The Oppose Belwood Wind Farm Association is expecting 1,000 people to attend the final public meeting for the Springwood wind farm planned near Fergus. "Many believe that the Springwood wind farm proposed near Lake Belwood, Fergus, and the beautiful Elora Gorge area by wpd Canada Corporation, a huge German multinational, is merely the tip of the iceberg."

Schmidt and a large group of neighbours and area residents feel their quiet country solitude will soon come to an end with the arrival of wind turbines. They have spent countless hours in research, discussed their concerns with wind energy representatives, and heard from people around the world who have literally lived in the shadow of these enormous structures. They have informed the media and alerted the public, but feel their protests have largely fallen on deaf ears. On Nov. 7, a delegation of 14 area residents opposed to wind turbines were given 15 minutes before the R.M. of Rhineland council.

A citizens' group is challenging the recent approval of a wind farm near Thamesville and citing concerns about low-frequency noise. Chatham-Kent Wind Action Inc. (formerly Chatham-Kent Wind Action Group), as well as a non-participating resident in the Kent Breeze Wind Power Project, filed the appeal this week.