County officials are pushing forward to find an independent consultant to review Florida Power & Light Co.'s environmental impact study on wind turbines and expect to have a proposal in hand by the end of next week, said County Administrator Doug Anderson. The county has a contract with Taylor Engineering Inc. of Jacksonville. Anderson said Taylor Engineering would contract with consultants who can review FPL's studies on its wind turbine project and can provide the county with its own expert view on wind turbines. County officials estimate the independent review could take up to three months to complete. Once the consultant's findings are complete, FPL's proposal would go to a public hearing.

St. Lucie County planners may hire an outside consultant to review Florida Power & Light Co.'s plans for six wind turbines on South Hutchinson Island, a move that's likely to delay a county decision for weeks if not months. Assistant Growth Management Director Robin Meyer said this week he asked Florida Atlantic University officials if faculty members can review the project, but hasn't received a response. "I'm not an expert on wind velocities," Meyer said. "Some independent experts should take a look at it."

St. Lucie County's desire for public beach access could give Florida Power & Light Co. a big bargaining chip when it seeks approval to build six wind turbines on land it owns on South Hutchinson Island. County Administrator Doug Anderson has written to FPL asking the company to renew an agreement that expired in 2006 so the county can continue to maintain a parking lot and restrooms at Walton Rocks Beach, FPL's 24 acres near the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant. "The lease agreement will ensure that St. Lucie County can continue to expend public funds to operate and maintain this beach, which has been enjoyed by our citizens for more than 20 years," Anderson wrote in a May 22 letter to FPL Vice President Eric Silagy. Anderson said he discussed the issue with FPL officials earlier this year, but has had no response.

As Florida Power & Light Co. gets closer to a public hearing on its wind turbine plan, skeptics of the project have plenty of questions left unanswered. What about the effect on birds? Or sea turtles? And why put turbines in St. Lucie County in the first place? Nick Blount, external affairs manager for FPL on the Treasure Coast, tried to answer some of those questions from about 20 members of the St. Lucie County Conservation Alliance on Wednesday night and promised to try to find answers to others raised by residents. "I respect people's opinion about our wind project, but what I do want to do is tell our side of the story," Blount said. "That's what we want."

As Florida Power & Light Co. gets closer to a public hearing on its wind turbine plan, skeptics of the project have plenty of questions left unanswered. What about the effect on birds? Or sea turtles? And why put turbines in St. Lucie County in the first place? Nick Blount, external affairs manager for FPL on the Treasure Coast, tried to answer some of those questions from about 20 members of the Conservation Alliance of St. Lucie County on Wednesday night and promised to try to find answers to others raised by residents. ... Indian Riverkeeper Kevin Stinnette said he has several issues he still thinks should be addressed, preferably by conducting a full environmental impact statement. Blount said the company would do what is required, but he didn't commit to a full environmental impact study. In addition to sensitive wetlands being in the area, Stinnette said he has concerns about the potential effects on sea turtles, fish and birds.

Opponents of Florida Power & Light Co.'s plan to put wind turbines on Hutchinson Island have exceeded their goal in raising enough money for a legal defense fund. ...Julie Zahniser, who leads the alliance, said in an e-mail message Friday they exceeded the goal by "a wide margin" and will continue to collect funds if the County Commission does approve the plan and they need to challenge it in court. Opponents believe they have grounds to challenge the project based on land use objections and possible threats to birds and fish in the area.

Although Blind Creek Park is no longer under consideration for wind turbines, County Commissioners wanted to make sure their objections to the site were still sent on to state officials. Commission Chair Joe Smith sent a letter Monday to the state Acquisition and Restoration Council, which was set next month to consider a request for an easement at Blind Creek Park to allow for wind turbines. The park is state-owned land leased and managed by the county. ... The turbine plans are still being reviewed by the county and County Commissioners would have to sign off on zoning and conditional use permits as well as a height variance to allow the project to move forward.

In the future, going to catch a few waves or taking the dog for a walk at Walton Rocks beach might involve driving past a wind turbine first. Although public lands are no longer being considered for Florida Power & Light Co.'s wind turbines proposal, three of the remaining six machines would be near public beach access at Walton Rocks. All six are proposed for FPL property near the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant. Although FPL officials said Tuesday they would keep public access to the site, it remains a concern for the Treasure Coast chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to conservation efforts to protect beaches and the ocean. Walton Rocks is a popular surfing spot and Andy Brady, the chapter's current chairman, said he's been riding waves there for about 30 years.

With the use of public lands off the table, the next battle in the war over bringing wind turbines to Hutchinson Island is beginning to take shape. Florida Power & Light Co. announced Tuesday morning it would no longer pursue turbines on state-owned land managed by the county at Blind Creek Park and would instead move ahead with just six turbines on land it owns around the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant. Local residents packed commission chambers for Tuesday's commission meeting where the turbines were originally set to come up for discussion. At the end of the night, commissioners agreed to work on a letter to the state outlining some general concerns they had about the Blind Creek location.

St. Lucie County shouldn't allow wind turbines anywhere on Hutchinson Island even though Florida Power & Light Co. cut its plan from nine to six turbines, several residents told county commissioners Tuesday night. "FPL's proposal for six windmills on its own property has all of the same environmental concerns as Blind Creek Park," said Julie Zahniser of the Save St. Lucie Alliance. She said there are threatened and endangered species in that area, and she doubts there's enough wind to make it feasible to generate enough electricity.

Public lands are off the table. That was Florida Power & Light Co.'s message Tuesday morning as the company announced it would no longer pursue three wind turbines on state-owned land at Blind Creek Park. Instead, it will move ahead only with the six turbines proposed for land it owns around the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant on Hutchinson Island. The issue was set to go before the County Commission tonight, as commissioners were to consider writing a letter to the state denying an easement for the Blind Creek property. Because the county manages the land, its approval would have been necessary.

Opponents of Florida Power & Light Co.'s plan to put wind turbines on South Hutchinson Island still hope to have a large crowd at tonight's St. Lucie County Commission meeting even though a majority of commissioners have said they oppose building the turbines on public land. "We're trying to get our people out, but many have the impression we've already prevailed," said Julie Zahniser of the Save St. Lucie Alliance. ...Tonight's vote deals only with FPL's request for three wind turbines on the public conservation lands. FPL also wants to build six wind turbines on its own property at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant.

The St. Lucie County Commission is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to send a letter to the state's Acquisition and Restoration Council opposing Florida Power & Light Co.'s proposal to put wind turbines on publicly owned Blind Creek Park on Hutchinson Island. The park is owned by the state and the South Florida Water Management District but leased by the county. So far, at least three commissioners have publicly rejected the idea of using the conservation land for FPL's $60 million wind turbine project.

St. Lucie County Commissioner Paula Lewis said Thursday that she won't support wind turbines in Blind Creek Park and became the third of five commissioners to speak against the project. "Conservation lands are just not the place for wind turbines," Lewis said. "I'm still pondering whether wind turbines should be allowed other places in the county." Lewis' decision means a majority of commissioners oppose the project and it would lose if the board voted today. It's not clear what effect commission rejection of the project would have on state reviews of Florida Power & Light's proposal.

County Attorney Dan McIntyre is recommending commissioners discuss Florida Power & Light Co.'s wind turbine proposal at a meeting in late March. ...McIntyre told County Administrator Doug Anderson in a memo that the commission should discuss the project prior to the state Acquisition and Restoration Council talking about it during its April meeting.

Mr. Craft said between 200 and 250 people showed up at last week's county commission meeting in opposition to the wind turbines on Hutchinson Island, along with a "number of people who were for them." "I'm pretty sure that the further you get from Indian River Drive, the more support you find for the project, and we have to consider the wishes of the entire community," said Mr. Craft. "But obviously, we don't want there to be a negative impact on any group of people, and that's one of the things that is part of the process; to understand what these impacts are and, if there is a net environmental gain, whether these turbines lower people's property values." Mr. Craft said the commissioners must also consider the environmental issues that may be associated with wind turbines, such as the impact on sea turtles and trout spawning and the issue of birds flying into turbine propellers.

If the community doesn't support wind turbines in the county, Florida Power & Light Co. should move its project somewhere else, according to the governor's office. Gov. Charlie Crist has told FPL it either needs to convince residents the project is a good thing or it should find another location, said spokeswoman Erin Isaac. While the governor hasn't explicitly told the company it should get out of St. Lucie County, he has stressed that a community buy-in is needed, she said. ...Despite vocal opposition from some residents, FPL says it is sticking with its plans for the wind machines in St. Lucie County.

The turbines would take up only 3 or 4 acres of dunes in the 409-acre park, FPL officials say, but to opponents like Coward that's too much. "It doesn't make any sense to me to promote green energy at the expense of our green spaces," said Coward. "I don't know that you could pick a worse site." Other commissioners are less certain about what to do, and want more information. "None of us are wind experts," said Commissioner Charles Grande, "although some of us are known for producing hot air."

Florida Power & Light, the state's largest utility, wants to build a line of nine wind turbines, each more than 400 feet tall, along an Atlantic Ocean beach. ...But a coalition of environmental groups - including Audubon of Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation and 1,000 Friends of Florida - have sent state officials a letter questioning whether the windmills will kill migrating birds and objecting to using conservation land for an industrial use. "While there are obvious benefits to considering the feasibility of wind in Florida," they wrote, "the benefits of the project do not warrant the significant wildlife impacts and bad conservation lands precedent that could result from this easement request."

Facing the possibility of two commissioners withdrawing support for its wind turbines, Florida Power & Light Co. pulled out of a planned state meeting set for today. The decision came after commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday to send a letter to the state Acquisition and Restoration Council, which oversees the use of public land, telling them they shouldn't consider the turbine proposal until the county has weighed in. FPL is seeking to place six turbines on its own land on Hutchinson Island and another three on state owned land at Blind Creek Park that is leased by the county.