Municipal District of Pincher Creek held a meeting to decide on whether or not to re-zone parcels of land North of the Oldman River so that more wind farm development could occur in the area. Presently some of the land around the existing wind farms is zoned for agriculture and has to be re-zoned as Wind Farm Industrial in order for the proposed project to proceed.

The financial troubles of a P.E.I.-based wind turbine manufacturer have delayed a plan to use wind power at Island rinks to help with electricity costs. Turbines were supposed to be spinning at five community rinks on P.E.I. by Sept. 1. The province announced the program last year, offering $180,000 to help each rink buy a turbine. Eighteen rinks applied.

Opponents of new wind farms in Ontario are accusing Energy Minister George Smitherman of trying to duck protesters. A group called Wind Concerns Ontario says Smitherman's office hasn't told anyone the energy minister will attend Thursday's grand opening of the Wolfe Island wind project near Kingston.

TransAlta Corp. is still investigating what caused a fire last month that destroyed one of its turbines at the Kent Hills Wind Farm, a company spokesman says. ...Lightning has been ruled out as a factor in the Aug. 8 fire.

A proposal to put 15 wind turbines as close as one kilometre offshore in Lake Erie should require an environmental assessment, Gord Meuser, a spokesman for the group Citizens Against Lake Erie Wind Turbines, said Friday. SouthPoint Wind has completed its environmental screening report but Meuser said the group will be asking that it be bumped up to an environmental assessment with more studies specifically on Lake Erie.

The possibility of wind farms is blowing into the city and it's causing a big stir. Energy Farming Ontario Inc. held an open house last month in Pontypool that left one attendee with more questions than answers and a city councillor very frustrated. The meeting was, according to Ward 16 Coun. David Marsh, "despicable, deplorable. It's unbelievable the province endorsed this."

A group of Manitoulin Island residents is taking on a Toronto-based energy company, accusing Northland Power Inc. of fast-tracking a wind farm project without proper consultation. The dispute is the latest sign of a groundswell of unease over wind power projects in the province, fuelled by groups such as Wind Concerns Ontario, which have been highly critical of the effects of such development on local communities. ...one of the project's most vocal opponents, says Northland has essentially "bulldozed" its plan over the community with little opportunity for a meaningful public response.

Not a single wind farm project proposed in the past four years in Ontario has undergone an independent environmental assessment by the province, figures obtained by The Free Press show. Despite requests from citizens' groups for the assessments, 31 projects have been allowed to go through after a less stringent screening process undertaken by the wind farm proponents themselves.

Large wind turbines have the same impact on infrastructure as single-family homes, concluded officials from a pair of local municipalities. That's why Amaranth and East Garafraxa councils recently implemented a new development charge specific to the renewable power producers. "They are part of the community and there is wear and tear on the community," Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver says of turbines. "Like everything else, when a new development comes into a community ... they a have responsibility to share in those costs."

Residents along the Locke Road and the western end of the Howlan Road say they are feeling discriminated against by Maritime Electric. Earlier this year the utility installed a power corridor from Howlan to Sherbrooke, staying clear of practically every residential property along the way. Then the utility removed the high voltage line from the right-of-way along the eastern end of the Howlan Road. "They just keep putting us off and putting us off, hoping we'll go away," said Clyde Penney.

The province has begun reviewing a proposed wind farm that is blowing up controversy near Strathroy. But if the past is any indication, that review won't satisfy opponents who want the province to force the proposal to go under an environmental microscope. Of the 19 projects wind farm opponents sent to the province for review since January, none have been bumped up to a full environmental assessment, according to the Environment Ministry.

Financial troubles for Entegrity Wind will increase because dozens of turbines sold by the P.E.I.-based company have to be checked for a possible manufacturing flaw, says the firm's CEO. Last week, a judge gave the company 45 days to come up with a plan for dealing with at least $9 million in debts. ...Company CEO Jim Heath told CBC News last week that a problem with the turbines will dig the company into deeper troubles.

Bud Wilkin's family has farmed the land on Manitoulin Island for five generations. The beef and dairy farmer is hoping the wind that blows over his pastures will bring with it a financial opportunity that will encourage his grandchildren to continue the tradition. ...the development is stirring up controversy among some of the about 2,500 residents of the Town of North Eastern Manitoulin and the Islands. Ray Beaudry is the head of a citizens group that has formed in NEMI to oppose the development.

The threat of Hurricane Bill has workers at New Brunswick's first commercial wind farm busily attempting to protect the blackened remains of one of its turbines. A major fire damaged one of the 32 turbines at the Kent Hills wind farm on Aug. 8. The burnt-out wind turbine still sits atop its perch in Albert County two weeks after a fire grounded its power generation capabilities.

Another victory in the courts for Entegrity Wind System has given the Charlottetown wind turbine-maker another 45 days to get its fiscal house in order. Entegrity went before Supreme Court Justice Wayne Cheverie asking that he allow the company a 45-day extension so it can work with its trustee, Pricewaterhousecoopers, to develop a plan to get the financially troubled company back on its feet.

The provincial government plans to release more information regarding its proposed changes to wind farms under the Green Energy Act, a plan which has municipal officials wor ried about future development in Elgin county. Ontario's Ministry of the Environment received about 1,000 comments during a 45-day consultation period asking whether wind turbines should be set back a minimum of 550 metres from buildings, with different setbacks for roadways and property lines.

The customers of a P.E.I. wind turbine manufacturer are worried about what financial trouble at the company will mean for them. ...The company avoided an effort by a creditor to be put in receivership earlier this week. Entegrity has sold turbines to wind operations in 70 locations across North America and around the world, and some of those customers are nervous.

I wish I could write this story as a travel brochure for this gorgeous North American gem, but if the proposed prop-style wind farm is built here, right in the midst of migratory flyways and breeding grounds, there will be no reason to bring your birding glasses. Or your crab traps. ...Despite industry propaganda, bird mortality from such farms is alarmingly high, and worse, due to the placement of the farms, many of the casualties are endangered or protected species like Golden eagles.

Despite a near brush with bankruptcy Monday, the P.E.I. government stands ready to help the wind turbine manufacturer Entegrity Systems. Innovation Minister Allan Campbell told CBC News government is prepared to work with Entegrity Wind Systems to help it survive its current financial problems.