Construction of a wind farm of up to 87 turbines in the southwestern part of Wyoming County this spring may be on hold. With the nation in a recession, BP Alternative Energy business developer Kevin Davis said a good chance exists construction won't begin as originally scheduled. "We're hopeful we'll do the project this year, but if that doesn't happen, the plan would be to build the park the following year," Davis said. "We're evaluating the whole economic situation."

While planning to harvest the wind, the Hazleton City Authority wants to protect bats. The threat to bats will be weighed as the authority continues planning for a wind turbine that could provide electricity to its water treatment plant on Route 424. "There are rare species of bats in the area. There has been some concern with wind projects and bats across the country," Jay Carlis, marketing director for a company developing the wind turbine, said.

Supervisors put more than a year of work and discussion behind them by agreeing to a proposed wind turbine ordinance during Monday's meeting. The proposal goes beyond county code by imposing noise limits and extending the distance a turbine must be placed from property lines. Quemahoning will require developers to keep the nearest unit a minimum of four times the height of the turbine from the property line of a non-participating landowner. That equates to a little over 1,600 feet for a standard 2.1-megawatt turbine.

Birds are not being harmed by turbines though some bat populations are being affected, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and wind-energy companies indicate in their first annual report. It's too soon to draw any conclusions, said Tracey Librandi Mumma, a state wildlife biologist and wind energy project coordinator who worked on the study. ..."Oh my gosh, migratory bats are being killed in great numbers," Mumma said, recalling her initial reaction. ...Veterinarian Dr. Jeffrey Payne of Berlin is skeptical of large-scale wind farms and fears they will have a detrimental impact on wildlife and habitat. And while he appreciates that studies are being done, he's not satisfied that they are reporting the full depth of the situation.

Despite the impending layoff of 184 blade production employees, Gamesa Inc. will install new equipment at its Falls plant as it moves forward with other areas of production. ...The DEP discovered several violations at the plant and Gamesa was forced to pay $639,161 in state penalties. A compliance consent order was issued to ensure the installation of the oxidizer.

An effort to protect both wildlife and wind farm profits will benefit from an agreement by 20 wind energy companies to "avoid, minimize and mitigate" the impact of wind turbines on wild birds and mammals, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission said. Unlike Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Canada, Pennsylvania has no regulations for wind farm projects, relying instead on voluntary guidelines without enforcement provisions.

South Middleton Township supervisors Thursday adopted an ordinance to regulate the construction of wind energy facilities on both private and commercial sites. ..."We promote alternate sources of energy," said Chairman Bryan Gembusia. "Our goal is not to prohibit (windmills), we just don't want them to be obtrusive to the neighbors."

The request for an expansion of Logan Township's wind zone has been withdrawn because plans for a wind farm are being redesigned, Gamesa Energy USA representatives said Wednesday. ..."We are withdrawing our request," project manager Tim Vought said. "We've been looking at revising the project and sent a letter to the supervisors asking them not to vote at this time."

A wind farm proposed for Southwestern Wyoming County has some residents wondering how it may affect the county's watersheds. The 87-turbine farm proposed by BP Alternative Energy will encompass 14,861 acres in Eaton, Noxen, Forkston and Mehoopany townships. ..."The runoff is probably not going to be my problem, but it may be the problem of people who live at the bottom of the mountain," Mr. Ide said. "I'm concerned for the people below."

A Lycoming Court judge has rejected three court appeals filed in an attempt to stop a proposed wind farm in northern Lycoming County.

With two pipes beneath a road clogged in Noxen, Supervisor Carl Shook is concerned about runoff from a proposed wind farm in Wyoming County. "There is going to be a lot of water running off the mountain," Shook said. Shook was one of about 30 people last Wednesday who attended a public hearing ...The state Department of Environmental Protection held the hearing to receive public comment as it reviews an application from BP for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.

A tie vote by Tyrone Borough Council means wind turbines won't be going up on Ice Mountain - at least for now. "Half the town's going to be pleased," said Mayor Jim Kilmartin, one of three who voted against leasing borough watershed land to wind energy developer Gamesa USA. "Half the town will be unpleased." Councilmen Mark Kosoglow and Steve Hanzir also voted against moving ahead with the project that would put 15 to 20 wind turbines on the mountain as part of Gamesa's Sandy Ridge Wind Farm.

Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa Inc. announced it is laying off nearly 200 employees at its Keystone Industrial Port Complex plant in Fairless Hills because of the worldwide economic slowdown. ...Peck said changing conditions in the market and the plant's inability to produce efficient "next-generation" blades has all but forced the company to lay off 184 employees who work at the plant's blade production bay.

Gamesa SA, the Spanish wind-electric equipment maker that's gotten $15 million in state funds from Gov. Rendell, is laying off 184 of around 700 workers at its Fairless Hills, Bucks County plant as it shifts production to larger turbines.

The Freeland Municipal Authority, which owns 515 acres of desolate land in Foster Township, would like to put that land to use - as a wind energy project. The board will be submitting an application, at no cost, for a site survey to the Renewable Energy Center of St. Francis University in Loretto, Cambria County. ...Quinn said the application is complete and ready to be forwarded to the Renewable Energy Center. But he cautioned that submitting the application does not mean a project is imminent.

New documents filed in an ongoing civil lawsuit by a Portage-area couple against the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm say that wind energy experts duped local officials into believing the turbine sound was insignificant. Todd and Jill Stull of the Blue Knob area say that developer Gamesa Energy USA and owner Babcock & Brown misled local officials by supporting development of an ordinance addressing higher noise levels.

The Fayette County Planning Commission approved two amendments Thursday to a countywide windmill ordinance, but an attorney says the turbines could be too loud. The action occurred during a public hearing into the amendments related to plans by Iberdrola Renewables to erect 27 wind-powered turbines over a 3.5-mile area of Chestnut Ridge in Wharton, Georges and Springhill townships.

Legislation for the construction of wind turbines in Potter County has been approved. ...The legislation is the countywide ordinance. However, several townships where plans are moving ahead for wind turbines have passed their own ordinances or have ordinances proposed that would supersede the countywide legislation.

The countywide ordinance setting guidelines for the creation of wind turbines in Potter County will be voted on at 11 a.m. Thursday. No guests are scheduled to speak on the subject at Thursday's meeting. However, the floor will be opened for public comment, as is the usual format prior to a vote. So far, this issue has received extensive feedback.

Tyrone Borough Council will vote on a watershed study that started a few years ago. ...The city has been going back and forth between building windmills or establishing a gas lease, but the mayor says windmills appear to be the best fit.