A public hearing will be conducted Jan. 22 in Frostburg on a company's proposal to construct up to 29 wind energy conversion systems near Vale Summit along the ridge of Dan's Mountain. The hearing is prompted by Dan's Mountain Windforce LLC's application to the Maryland Public Service Commission for an exemption from the requirement to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and for approval to construct up to 29 wind turbines.

A state program to help people pay for installing wind turbines has already used up all the money it had for fiscal year 2009. Todd Bricken, of Mount Airy, was one of those counting on money from the Windswept grant program, which was created in July. Bricken installed a turbine at his restaurant, Brick Ridge in Mount Airy.

As U.S. WindForce prepares to present its application to the West Virginia Public Service Commission, Dave Friend, vice president for sales and marketing, said the company is looking to do more with the community. "We've been working at the community level for a while," Friend said. "We formed a community advisory panel, which has a cross section from the Keyser, New Creek and Elk Garden area. The goal was to involve the community in our planning process."

The Garrett County Commissioners are still hoping for legislation to allow for wind turbine setbacks. "We looked into it over the summer and our attorney (Mike Getty) told us we didn't have the authority," Denny Glotfelty, chairman, said. "There is no reason not to get legislation. Mr. Getty reiterated that we ask for legislation to single out wind turbines."

Despite living in a state that hopes to become a leader in energy efficiency, people like the Flesches are discovering that obtaining approval to install turbines is difficult. The struggle is not with the state or even the power companies. The struggle is with county and local governments - many of which do not have laws in effect to deal with wind turbines.

There is still some doubt over who has the authority to establish certain regulations for industrial wind turbines. ...On the list was the allowance for the commissioners to create regulations to require a certain distance from surrounding properties.

Garland is the latest North Texas city considering a zoning ordinance aimed at regulating wind energy devices that generate power for residential use. The measure is on Tuesday's council agenda. Other cities, including Grand Prairie, Waxahachie and Oak Point, already have such ordinances. Residential wind energy devices are rare in urban areas and may be too expensive or impractical for many homeowners. But city officials say they want to make sure rules are in place for the day when wind energy devices become more commonplace.

The Allegany County Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday resumed discussion of the bonding and interference policies related to potential commercial or industrial wind energy installations. ...At issue is the bond amount the county could require wind energy companies to post. Hager presented a draft proposal to the county's zoning text that would require a $150,000 bond until an abandoned wind turbine has been taken down and the land restored similar to its original condition.

A wind farm proposed in mountainous Western Maryland has cleared a key hurdle under a year-old law that streamlines state review of such projects. However, a potential new hurdle has arisen: the recent financial market meltdown. ...Kevin Rackstraw, eastern representative for the California-based company, said it hopes to begin construction next year, contingent on being able to secure financing for a project expected to cost more than $120 million. Given the credit crisis, that "obviously in this environment is a challenge," he said.

Maryland regulators have, for the first time, granted fast-track status to a wind-power project in the state's mountainous western panhandle. The 5-0 vote Wednesday by the Public Service Commission exempts California-based Clipper Windpower Inc. and its Criterion Power Partners subsidiary from having to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for its 40-turbine project in Garrett County, as power plant developers must do.

Garrett County Commissioners have opened the door to wind turbines on Allegheny Mountain ridge tops -- and they're getting slammed by local residents for it. ...The commission said it will lobby the General Assembly to approve buffer zones of land between any future wind turbines and homes. Maryland doesn't have any wind turbines, while nearby states Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York all boast multiple wind farms.

County resident Sam White alerted the county to another possible conflict of interest Davis might have in regard to the ongoing discussions of wind turbines and the proposed zoning text amendments. White also raised the allegation against Bill Duvall, commission chairman. ...The Frostburg resident [David] has owned about a half-acre of land with a trailer for nearly 30 years. The property is adjacent to the current planned wind turbine project atop Dan's Mountain. In addition, Davis' employer has listings in the nearby Harwood subdivision.

Exasperated by rising energy costs, this summer Money Lewis decided it was time to take advantage of the strong breeze that blows across his Selsey Road property. In July, he signed a $15,000 contract with a Delaware company to set up a 33-foot wind turbine on his .7-acre waterfront property. ...However, he's heard he will have to wait until the county creates an ordinance to dictate the placement of the turbine.

"We don't matter." Two Allegany County residents told members of the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday that certainly seemed to be the case. They spoke of the planned 25-unit wind turbine project atop Dan's Mountain by Dan's Mountain Wind Force LLC, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based U.S. Wind Force LLC.

Garrett County finally has a new comprehensive plan that will serve as a policy for decisions made by the county's government. ...While the county commissioners did approve a final plan, it was without the protection of ridge tops as sensitive areas. This had been an issue of contention for the commissioners when they discussed their opinions on the draft plan at the September planning commission meeting. Their concerns were the lack of specification as to the definition of a ridge top or what kind of development would be prevented.

Nearly a decade after the Navy retired and dismantled 19 communications towers along the Severn River, a fledgling energy company is planning to build wind turbines that would turn the near-constant breeze there into electricity. ...The county must decide whether wind turbines would affect the communications towers. Of the turbine proposal, Schram said, "We'll see how it goes along from this early stage."

It qualified as a wind-wind situation, the gathering on the Frostburg State University campus on a breezy Saturday during which folks with differing opinions discussed the future of Western Maryland's zephyrs and the energy turbines they may or may not spin. Competing with a nearby bagpipe band, whose members were, coincidentally, playing wind instruments, the panel of four was part of the annual Appalachian Festival.

An Allegany County resident's allegations that one or more of the Planning and Zoning Commission members could have a conflict of interest by discussing and voting on wind turbine-related issues gained the attention of the all-volunteer board. It didn't, however, help facilitate further discussion. The commission Wednesday voted 4-0 to table further discussion until at least the next meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. on Oct. 6. Members Rodger Uphold, Charles Norris and George Stimmel were not present at the meeting.

[A] state delegate and energy company are teaming up in an attempt to bring the future of energy generation to the former Naval Radio Transmitter Facility. Del. Ron George, R-Arnold, and Alpha Energy, which is based in Annapolis, are preparing a $30- to $40-million proposal for six to 10 wind turbines near the existing radio towers. Mr. George and David Murrin and Marcellous Butler of Alpha Energy held a meeting on Monday with government, energy and business officials to start a dialogue with the community.

Harwood subdivision resident Darlene Park asked the Allegany County commissioners on Thursday to "take an active and progressive role" in leading the county's effort to update its zoning code to include protection for the environment and the communities from industrial wind turbines. ..."It's become an issue," Ishler said. "It wasn't an issue five years ago" when the less stringent codes now in place were approved. "It's never been brought to the commissioners. (Park) was the first one that came" to a meeting.