Rogers City residents who have an opinion regarding a proposed wind turbine ordinance for the city will have the opportunity to speak up at April's planning commission meeting Members of the Rogers City planning commission voted unanimously during their Monday evening meeting to set a public hearing regarding the proposed ordinance. In addition, a six-month moratorium was passed, barring all wind turbine projects within the city until the commission is able to study the issue further. "This is something that requires a lot of study and careful thought," said City Manager Mark Slown.

A series of ordinances regulating wind turbines in Raisin Township was described by township attorney David Lacasse as being a fair and balanced set of regulations. The township board approved the ordinances by unanimous voice votes Monday. "It gives reasonable regulation with the safety of residents being foremost," Lacasse said. "It's not as restrictive as some, but it achieves a real good balance."

In Ogden Township, Goetz and Gentz are accused of disregarding a conflict of interest by signing wind energy leasing agreements for what the recall petitions stated was "personal financial gain." Ballots in both townships will include both the accusations and the officials' replies to the charges, known as a justification of conduct.

Noble Environmental Power has decided to delay building the first phase of its wind park near Ubly until next year. For almost a year, the company and DTE Energy have been working on an interconnection agreement that would use the utility company's power lines to move energy generated by the park's wind-powered turbines. The agreement, however, has become entangled in red tape involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The county's noise complaint resolution process was back in the spotlight this week as the Huron County Planning Commission learned the board of commissioners did not vote on its previous recommendation - and now it's back to the drawing board. The planning commission is working to create a specific section in the county's wind ordinance that would detail a process for residents to file official complaints about the turbines.

Our hydro production is really what is called "pseudo-hydro." We pump water up to storage reservoirs during non-peak demand times, then let it flow down and make energy during peak demand. Unfortunately, it actually takes more energy to pump the water uphill, than is made by flowing downhill. Wind power is not much valued because peak Michigan wind production times are spring and fall while the peak demand is summer. So wind gives us power when we don't need it. Michigan is classified as a "good" location for solar energy, but it sure isn't cheap.

The Whitehall Planning Commission is going back to the drawing board in preparing an ordinance to regulate development of renewable energy sources within the city. The planners came to that conclusion following its regular monthly meeting, Oct. 6, which mostly was filled with discussion about a draft ordinance first presented to the board in August. ...Now, planners may not hold a hearing before the end of the year.

"Particularly on energy policy, it is absolutely critical to have flexibility to respond to changing circumstances over time," says Ken Sikkema, a former Michigan Republican Senate majority leader, who recently met with The Oakland Press editorial board. ...there is already a renewable energy standard of 10 percent, established by the state Legislature.

Some lawmakers want residents to go green - energywise, that is. They’ve proposed giving residents who buy renewable energy an annual $100 tax break.

Pentwater, with its population of approximately 1,000, is a scenic, quiet village known for its summer music concerts at the village green and its close proximity to Lake Michigan. If a newly-formed company has its way, however, Schwarz and many other local residents believe Pentwater and the 100-mile long coastal stretch from Muskegon on the south to Ludington on the north will dramatically alter the area for the worse.

The daughter of the Sigel Township resident who earlier this week filed a notice of intent to get a proposal on the November ballot asking voters whether two new wind districts should be created in Huron County, said Friday her mother's motive is to give the people a say in this issue.

When Otsego County passed an ordinance three years ago regulating the use of wind turbine generators (WTG), the focus was primarily on the commercial or industrial-sized generators ...Otsego County Planning Commission member Mike Mang said a recently formed sub-committee was specifically charged with looking at the use of private, small WTGs.

Huron County Planning Commissioners on Wednesday tabled a recommendation to amend the county's ordinance to allow for the use of residential wind turbines in certain areas. "Obviously, this is a hot topic ... I feel the tension running in the room on these issues," said Corporation Counsel Stephen J. Allen, who added he went to Wednesday's planning commission meeting not only to offer input, but to hear comment given during the public hearing.

Grand Haven resident Charles Rop said he was not convinced by Dirdal's examples of similar projects in Europe, which produced little environmental impact. "We cannot turn our lakes ... into industrial zones," he said. "I don't care if Germany does it, I don't care if Denmark does it. They can make that mistake, but we can't do it."

Wind turbines could soon be allowed to dot Holland's skyline, but there will be limits. ...Federal Aviation Administration regulations won't allow larger commercial wind turbines because of height limits near Tulip City Airport, Ottawa Executive Airport and Park Township Airport. The restriction is based on a formula that says the closer a turbine is to an airport, the lower to the ground it must be.

A group of residents in northern Michigan's Mason County are pushing for tougher restrictions on wind turbines - a move that could jeopardize a proposed $232 million Consumers Energy wind farm.

About 150 people filled the township hall for the reconsideration of the ordinance by board members who had declined, on a vote of two in favor and three against, to approve virtually the same ordinance two weeks earlier. The ordinance restricts wind turbines to a height that developers say is not feasible for their 40-tower project.

Almost a year after Duke Energy proposes a wind turbine project in parts of Benzie County, commissioners discuss whether or not to formally support that type of alternative energy.