Could there be a lawsuit in the tea leaves over a proposed wind law in Hartsville? For the second meeting in a row, discussions at Wednesday night's town board meeting focused on a newly-unveiled wind regulatory law. And again, discussions of legal action by those benefiting from the project have been discussed. This time, the reference came from the developer. According to Jackie Murray, an attorney for German-owned E.ON Climate and Renewables - the company planning to build around 51 megawatts worth of industrial wind turbines in the town - a proposed law would block wind development because of overly-strict guidelines in the legislation, and could cause problems for the town.

The Tasmanian wind power company, Roaring 40s, says a wind turbine at its Woolnorth farm injured a wedge-tailed eagle two weeks ago. The eagle's wing was damaged and it had to be put down by a vet.

People who want to tell a board of inquiry what they think of the redesigned Turitea Wind Farm proposal will soon find out if the board wants to hear from them. Of 225 submitters on Mighty River Power's adjusted proposal, 103 people said they wanted to speak to the board, but the board is unlikely to give all of them a slot at the hearing, which resumes in Palmerston North next week.

Christmas came early this week for several Minnesota farmers when state regulators unanimously rejected a permit for a controversial wind farm proposed by the City of New Ulm, which had threatened to use eminent domain authority for the first time on record to seize the wind rights over the opponents' property in order to force through the 8-megawatt project.

That proposal already has defined the Cape region as a battleground in the national debate over future energy sources.

A mobile, high-tech unit -- owned by the county and put in operation in April -- is recording wind speeds that exceed initial expectations and show the site would support energy-producing wind turbines. The plan is to continue collecting data for a calendar year, so all seasons are represented in the final wind-speed numbers.

The federal government started pushing alternative energy development with aggressive incentives, and wind turbines suddenly became one heck of a great tax shelter. "We started out selling a small wind turbine to consumers for $98,000" said Coulter. "The consumer got a huge tax write-off, about two-thirds in tax savings," he recalled. "In one month, we built an entire wind farm - 72 machines."

"We are VERY unappreciative of this symbol being used by the USPS for Earth Day," Marie McNamara recently emailed postal officials in Washington. "Thanks for putting us on record as strongly objecting to the symbol of industrial wind turbines as a postmark. Thanks for putting us on record as wanting to see the postmark go away immediately."

...to traditional crofters, it would destroy the heart and soul of the island. "They don't want to see the land spoiled," says Catriona Campbell, chairman of Mointeach gun Mhuileann - Moorland without Turbines (MWT) - the crofters' group opposing the scheme. "It's just intrinsically connected with us as people."

The global financial crisis has forced the Dokie wind energy project in northeast B.C. to seek court protection, in order to hold off creditors who are looking to recover $131 million in debt. EarthFirst Canada Inc. announced recently that it obtained creditor protection. A press release stated that the crisis in global financial markets hindered the company's ability to develop alternatives for financing or completing the sale of the company.

The cash-strapped proponents of B.C.'s most advanced wind farm project have obtained court protection in a bid to hold off creditors. EarthFirst Canada said Tuesday an Alberta court has granted protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ..."EarthFirst has sought protection under the CCAA as its current cash in hand would not allow it to meet its obligations and its obligations with respect to the construction of its 144 megawatt Dokie 1 wind energy project in British Columbia," the release said.

Redcar and Cleveland Council's planning committee voted 10-1 to refuse Empirica's application for consent to site the wind turbine at Ridge Farm, Stanghow Ridge. More than 20 letters of objections were received against the wind turbine plan.

People following the wind story are still reeling from a state Public Service Board hearing officer's recommendation to deny a certificate of public good to the East Haven Windfarm project.

Is there an interested buyer for the East Haven wind project? The answer is no, according to Mathew Rubin, project manager for EMDC, parent company of East Haven Windfarm. “There is no potential buy,” Rubin said Wednesday. “Our project is in a holding pattern waiting to see what happens in Sheffield.” This belies an e-mail message sent to Ken Mason, manager of the Lyndonville Electric Department, from William Piper, attorney for LED. “Earlier this week I got a voice mail from Matt Rubin informing me that there is a party who may be interested in acquiring his East Haven wind farm project at the old radar site on East Mountain,” Piper wrote. “Presumably, if that were to happen, this new developer would want LED to reopen its [Section] 248 proceeding to building the power line to connect the project.”

What did Reunion Power executives say about the Town of Cherry Valley's revised proposed law to regulate wind-turbine development? "Nothing that's publishable," said Walter Buist, town planning board member. The proposed ordinance, adopted by the planning board Wednesday, Sept. 6, was due before the town board Thursday, Sept. 14, as this edition went to press, and it includes provisions that may make development of a 24-turbine wind farm on East Hill impossible. (For a report on that meeting, visit www.freemansjournal.com Friday morning, Sept. 15.)

One committee member asked whether having a property line setback would limit the number of wind turbines in Eastbrook. First Wind Project Manager David Fowler concurred that it would. The committee was split in its opinion about the issue.

A handful of local municipal officials and a few residents got an advance look Tuesday night at what kind of effect a large-scale wind farm might have on their town, which has fewer than 400 year-round residents.

A group in southeastern Idaho has requested a judicial review of the Bingham County commissioners' approval of two wind farms. Natural Guardian Limited Partnership of Idaho Falls requested the review late last month because it said the production of energy is not in compliance with a county ordinance. The group also said there were inconsistencies within the county's planning and zoning decisions when it came to approving the wind farms.

Campaigners trying to protect the Lammermuirs were this week in shock following a decision to allow a windfarm in a national beauty spot. The approval for 16 giant turbines on the Aikengall Ridge took protestors by surprise when it was granted by East Lothian District Council last Tuesday. Widespread outrage erupted after councillors went against the recommendations of their own planners and voted in favour of the 125m turbines. There was further anger when it emerged that only five of the 12 councillors at the meeting had actually visited the site which is on a prominent ridge on the eastern edge of the Lammermuirs. Six councillors voted in favour with six against and the deadlock was broken by chairman Norman Hampshire using his casting vote in favour of the farm. East Lothian's first windfarm would, he said, be good for the "global environment".

LEE - Residents spoke for and against a $100 million wind farm being proposed for far eastern Maine when the Land Use Regulation Commission held its first public hearing on the project Tuesday. Evergreen Wind Power is seeking a zoning change to build 38 wind turbines on Stetson Mountain, a ridge line that runs about six miles along the border between northern Washington County and Penobscot County between Danforth and Springfield.