About 20 Saginaw County farmers and farmland owners learned the ins and outs of wind farm leasing Wednesday at the Saginaw County Michigan State University Extension. ...Stein urges landowners to get help, consult attorneys and limit how much they give away in agreements.

After failing in its plans to build 65 upscale homes on land that was once sand-mined, Nugent Sand Co. wants to embark on an experiment involving generation of wind power and is seeking approval tonight. Within the next month, the firm would like to erect two meteorological towers up to 162 feet in height on its property. They would be used only for the next year to test wind speeds and direction.

Scandia Wind Offshore has pulled back from asking for county board votes on its plans to build wind farms off the West Michigan coast of Lake Michigan.

Muskegon County commissioners took no action Wednesday, but asked questions after Scandia's Harald Dirdal gave a presentation on the proposed development. Board Chairman Ken Mahoney said public hearings likely will be held on the issue. ...Commissioner Jim Derezinski, referencing the Ludington Pumped Storage Facility's importance as a "battery" for the wind farm, asked if Mason and Oceana counties told the developers not to proceed in their area, would it kill the project?

Before the winds of change blow and wind turbines are constructed on the Lake Michigan horizon, Scandia Wind Offshore LLC officials promise Lakeshore residents they will do their homework first. ...While Scandia representatives say they tried to present an honest view of the project, the reaction from the audience was mixed.

Members of the audience raised concerns about bird kill and noise. Dirdal said both issues would be studied and could change the early, tentative layout of the turbines on the site. Members of the Muskegon County Nature Club made it clear the wastewater site attracts many birds each year and they want the developers to consider the potential impact based on the studies' findings. Ric Peddler, a club member, said the area is a "natural bird magnet."

SHELBY -- The race to develop more energy from renewable sources could spark proposals to build large wind turbines in Lake Michigan within five years, according to a government energy expert.

"Maybe it'll be something good in the future but I think there's a lot of problems associated with them [wind turbines] and right know I just don't think this little township can handle all this," said Jim Benz, Riga Township resident.

The wind has been taken right out of a second wind energy project in the Thumb Area. Last month, Michigan’s first wind farm near Ubly was put on hold until next year. Now a smaller wind energy project in the Laker School District near Pigeon has been shut down by DTE Energy. The utility company says safety is the reason, but others disagree.

Seneca Township voters will decide Aug. 7 whether to keep a wind energy ordinance unanimously approved by the township board of trustees in March. The ordinance prescribes rules for wind energy turbines such as how far the turbines would have to be set back from dwellings and what sound levels would be allowed.

Hanson said Huron County Commissioner Kurt Damrow submitted a video tape from the June 24 Lake Township Planning Commission public hearing that was held to receive input on the proposed wind zoning ordinance. During that meeting, the board would not allow any discussion regarding taxes or economic implications of wind projects in Lake Township. "I refuse to listen to any economics at this meeting," said Lake Township Planning Board Chairman Louis Colletta during that June 24 meeting.

Sherman Township residents packed township hall to learn about the future of wind power generation in their community. The Sherman Township Planning and Zoning Commission conducted the public hearing in relation to a special land use permit application from the Traverse City-based Heritage Sustainable Energy. The application requested permission to install a 164-foot meteorological tower for the purpose of measuring wind speeds. Heritage was given the go-ahead to install the tower after more than an hour of public discussion. The company has operated a similar tower in Missaukee County’s Richland Township for the past two years. “Nobody can predict what the wind speeds would be, so we’re trying to measure throughout this high plateau,” said Rick Wilson, Heritage project manager. The area of interest also includes Highland Township and Clam Lake Township in Wexford County.

With energy prices soaring, some in Sherman Township are looking to the skies for an alternative. Developers have already started the process that could lead to wind farms in the northern Osceola community. But before actions go much further, some are saying the township needs to review its growth plans. "Wind farms are something that most likely are going to be here," said Ron Moesta, Sherman Township Planning and Zoning Commission chair. "If it's inevitable, we have to make sure its not interfering with the master plan."

Determined not to sink along with other links in the auto-supply chain, family-run Dowding Industries Inc. borrowed $12 million to leap into the "green" future and leave the dirty assembly line behind. Almost two years later, Dowding has built the plant and bought the machines to make parts for wind turbines, providers of clean energy intended to help the U.S. become less reliant on foreign oil. But so far Dowding has found little demand. ...With smaller volume, fewer workers are needed. And it is unlikely that the wind turbine industry will create enough jobs in the near term to offset the thousands of jobs lost in the auto industry.

Everywhere she looks, there’s a wind turbine going up.

The public has spoken, but the question is, will the state listen to what they said? Just over a month ago, the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board (WERZB) submitted their final report to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on what four areas of the state have the "highest level of wind energy harvest potential." The next step in the process is for the MPSC to look at wind turbine setback requirements and noise limitations.

"We're in the process of developing an operational guideline that we're going to make universal across the county so we're all operating on the same page so if we have to go to a mutual aid call with another fire department, we're all operating the same way." He says there are 15 volunteer fire departments covering all of Huron County.

There was standing room only at Wednesday's Huron County Planning Commission meeting, where officials discussed plans to address a series of noise complaints the county has received in recent months regarding the Michigan Wind 1 development in Ubly. Huron County Building and Zoning Director Russ Lundberg said the county has received a total of four complaints that cite problems residents have experienced as a result of the Michigan Wind 1 development in Ubly.

During Monday's hearing, Knoblock weighed in on arguments from attorneys representing Noble Environmental Power, LLC, regarding its request to have Count IV of negligent misrepresentation dismissed. Attorneys from John Deere Renewables, John Deere and Michigan Wind I, LLC asked the judge to dismiss Count III of negligent design of a wind farm and Count IV of negligent misrepresentation.

Planning commissioners Tuesday said they need more time and legal advice on proposed amendments to the Mason County Zoning Ordinance before deciding if they will ask the county board to consider a moratorium on wind farms. A moratorium would mean a delay for the Consumers Energy wind turbines