Wisconsin’s endangered species law (s. 29.604, Wis. Stats.) requires the Department of Natural Resources to notify the public when it proposes to authorize the incidental taking of a state endangered or threatened species.

This news report was submitted to Windaction.org by Scott Jackson, a reseller of Redriven windmills. Mr. Jackson is seeking to get the Redriven turbine de-certified in the State of California for safety reasons.

Wind energy opponents would like to see strict regulations while land owners hoping to earn up to $6,000 annually for housing a turbine say they prefer more liberal ordinances. As a result, Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission has taken steps to bring the two sides together to discuss zoning issues and reach a consensus, said Jenny Snapp, commission's executive director. In addition, Champaign and Logan counties recently adopted ordinances - and are working on others - that will regulate where turbines can be placed. The ordinances are the first of their kind in Ohio.

Opponents of proposals to build a multistate line from Iowa east of the Mississippi River to bring wind-generated electricity to large urban markets have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reconsider its decision last month to allow the cost of such lines - estimated to be as high as $20 billion, to be spread to end users rather than borne entirely by the builders of the line.

The transmission lines face formidable opposition stemming from concerns that the natural landscape will be blighted. A number of landowners in the region have filed objections to the lines - notably a coalition called Protect North Palo Duro Canyon, which has sprung up to fight proposed routes that would cut through private land just north of the state park of the same name.

“Around March of 2012, the Department of Administrative Services shut down the wind turbines due to maintenance and performance issues and is looking at options ...“Either to repair them, to replace them, or to remove them altogether.” The state has no recourse with the company that manufactured or installed the four turbines because both went out of business.

The alternative energy plan, adopted in 2008, calls on Ohio utilities to get 12 1/2 percent of their energy by 2025 from advanced, renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass. Half must be produced in Ohio. The standards are ''effectively a hidden tax passed on to consumers and businesses.''

The transmission corridors would be built over a number of years, the report said and would provide a way to move 15,000 megawatts of new power from wind farms to the markets where the power would be consumed. It would serve as a backbone for future wind energy developments.

Energy researchers say the winds blowing across Lake Erie can power wind turbines, but the project won't be cheap. A study released Friday showed it will cost $77 million to $92 million to build several turbines and a nearby wind research center to be run by Case Western Reserve University. Earlier estimates had put the price tag at about $60 million.

A group of Jefferson Township residents have filed an appeal against the township zoning appeals board's decision to allow a meteorological tower on the property of Ralph and Rick Amerine. The board of zoning appeals decided the issue April 30, but cited no clear reason why they believed Mr. Amerine and his representative, Roger Brown, should be allowed to construct the wind measurement towers.

The whole wind farm issue has been coming to a head since the signing of SB 232 into law a few weeks ago by Governor Ted Strickland. Until that law passed, the state and local taxes were so high it was unlikely that more than a handful of turbines would be placed in Ohio because of the uncompetitive tax structure with other states. Even now it is not certain that many will be built in Van Wert County.

For the first time since talk of wind turbine development began in West Central Ohio several years ago, residents of Logan and Champaign counties got to see a close visual representation of the controversial structures. The designs, which included a map showing 78 proposed turbine locations - 15 in Logan County and the remainder in Champaign - and several photos superimposed with scale wind turbines, gave the 100-plus residents who milled through Everpower Renewables' open house Tuesday at Triad High School a view of the proposed project. ...

The Union Township Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-1 to allow a variance for a wind measuring tower on 2049 Talbott Road during the meeting Tuesday night. Board members Fred Myers, Jami Hackworth, Frank Vawter and Mike Schafer voted to permit the variance. Board member Charles Sanders voted against.

Many area Crestline residents are opposed to the construction of the Black Fork Wind Farm to be built in Crawford and Richland Counties. Concerned residents gathered Thursday night at the Crestline Public Library to discuss their concerns and the negative impact of wind farms in rural communities.

Roberta Campbell, whose property is along segment J of the preferred route, met with several other concerned landowners June 25 at the church. She scheduled the Thursday meeting as well. "The goal is to form a coalition and hire an attorney to present evidence to the PUC," Campbell said.

Negotiations are proceeding, but the matter is still very tenuous, members said. ...Last week, council met 90 minutes in executive session to discuss a proposal from SGR Site Associates of Willoughby, which wants to buy 159 acres in the East Conneaut Industrial Park for an undisclosed client. The client is interested in building wind turbine generators on the parcel. Two other landowners adjacent to the park have also been contacted about the project, officials have said. One talking point may be the length of the option granted the buyer. Interim City Manager Edward Somppi said the city is looking at a one-year option on the land.

"Green energy not only has to be green, but it has to respect green space and what is a recognized biosphere," said Thiel. "We're not against the wind farm. We just feel the connection of the wind farm needs to be done in a respectful manner. It doesn't necessarily need to cross the escarpment."

EverPower Renewables Corp. is making progress on a proposal that would eventually dot Champaign County with wind turbines, but in the meantime, residents got a chance to ask questions about the project. On Tuesday, June 10, dozens of residents filed into Triad High School, seeking information on the proposal that, if approved, would place between 120 and 150 wind turbines along a ridge that runs along the east side of Champaign County. ...Jim Bartlett, also of Champaign County, said he is not opposed to wind energy in general, but had concerns about how close the turbines would be to his home. Howard Petricoff, legal counsel for the project, said several studies, including the impact on birds and bats in the area, are still being conducted. EverPower will likely submit their application to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio sometime this summer.

"It's absolutely ridiculous to site these lines around houses, especially around homes that people have spent their entire life savings on," Walker told Gov. Dave Freudenthal during a town meeting Thursday night in Kemmerer. ...Leaders in Wyoming's wind energy industry want to connect turbines to the power grid and to export more electrical generation out of the state.

After months of talk, hours of committee testimony, more than 20 rewrites and untold thousands of dollars spent on a truckload of lobbyists, the House voted 93-1 for Senate Bill 221. The Senate is expected to concur today. "This bill gives the maximum amount of protection to make sure that energy prices moving forward will remain stable," said House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering. Strickland said it would be unrealistic to assume that prices won't increase in "very moderate ways." ...The bill also contains key green-energy provisions, requiring that at least 25 percent of electricity generation in Ohio come from renewable or advanced energy sources by 2025