Turbines already are taking a heavy toll in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Game Commission released a report last spring showing the death rate is highest for bats, which additionally face being wiped out by a mysterious phenomenon called "white-nose syndrome." The evidence has mounted since studies in 2004 showed 1,500 to 4,000 bats annually were killed by the 44 turbines on West Virginia's Backbone Mountain.

The Federal Aviation Administration has found six of the 25 wind turbines Gamesa Energy wants to build in Taylor and Snyder townships to be "presumed hazards," but the company is continuing to study the proposed location in hopes of changing that determination. The turbines in the proposed Sandy Ridge Wind Farm would be 475 feet tall. Nine of them would be in Taylor Township, Centre County. The rest would be in neighboring Snyder Township, Blair County, on land owned by Tyrone.

A $1.5 million federal stimulus fund grant awarded Monday is just the boost needed to launch southcentral Pennsylvania's first commercial wind turbine project atop Turkey Hill in Manor Township, according to a county official. ...Warner and equal partner PPL Renewable Energy believe the turbines will serve as an example that small-scale wind projects can be built in rural areas to serve nearby customers.

One red balloon will be hoisted high above the Buck Mountain ridge overlooking Black Creek Township this month. The balloon is part of a test to better visualize what a proposed wind turbine farm will look like. ...Penn Wind LLC, Sunbury, plans to build 22 wind turbines on the ridge.

The Butler Township supervisors took actions during Tuesday's special meeting that will lead to restrictions on wind turbine placement in the township. However, those actions will most likely lead to a legal battle between the township and the developer planning to erect wind turbines. ...The supervisors voted unanimously to reject all pending plans submitted by Broad Mountain relating to wind turbines currently before the township planning commission or board of supervisors.

The zoning permit issued in 2008 to a company planning to construct wind turbines in Butler Township has been revoked. The Butler Township Zoning Hearing Board met Wednesday in the North Schuylkill Junior-Senior High School auditorium to issue its decision on an appeal by township residents to fight the permit that granted a height exception to Broad Mountain Development Co. LLC.

A Georges Township man wants a Fayette County judge to nullify recent changes to the zoning ordinance related to windmills, claiming that officials "intentionally stifled" public comment on the matter. Thomas J. Bozek sued this week in Fayette County Court, and wants the amendments to the zoning ordinance - on June 25 and on Thursday - to be thrown out. ...On June 25, commission Chairman Vincent Zapotosky and Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites voted to amend the ordinance to allow windmills/wind turbines as a permitted use in certain zoning districts.

Gamesa Energy USA's plan for a 25-turbine wind farm that would straddle the Centre-Blair county border will be up for review at the Centre County Planning Commission's August meeting. The Sandy Ridge Wind Farm will be built on 4,683 acres of land, some of it in Taylor Township, for which the company has lease agreements allowing placement of the turbines. The turbines will be 404 or 475 feet high. ...The project has sparked opposition from residents and organizations concerned about the potential negative effects of splitting up the forest.

Tuesday's meeting of the Butler Township board of supervisors seemed more like a court of law as the supervisors and the zoning officer were questioned over and over about wind turbine issues. At times, the questioning seemed more like an interrogation of supervisors Kevin Kowalick, David Kessler and Robert Burns as well as Zoning Officer Thomas Squires.

The Brady Township supervisors agreed Monday to draft an ordinance to regulate wind energy in the township after a hosting a public forum on the issue. "If every single one of us would go by the old saying 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you,' (it) wouldn't be necessary for any ordinance to ever be drawn up - but life isn't that way," Supervisor Chairman Les Wachob said.

The Gamesa plant in Cambria Township will be idled in what executives call "fits and spurts" starting later this summer. But there will be no layoffs for the approximately 300 workers at the wind-turbine plant. And, although the economy is slow and some energy tax credits have expired, the idle periods are not related.

The developer of a proposed wind turbine project that was again halted by the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board last month when the board denied requests for eight of 22 turbines has filed an appeal in Fayette County Court asking that the denial be reversed because the company cannot receive a fair and impartial hearing before the zoning board.

An Oregon company that last month received a split decision on its request for special exceptions for 22 wind turbines filed an appeal Wednesday against Fayette County's zoning hearing board. Iberdrola Renewables, formerly known as PPM Atlantic Renewable, claimed it has not "and cannot receive a fair and impartial hearing" before the zoning hearing board.

Twelve miles of underground cable, 15 miles of new road and 35 towers standing more than 260 feet tall will add up to Somerset County's newest wind farm. ...The site, measuring 4,313 acres, will sprawl over three townships: Allegheny, Shade and Stonycreek.

Logan Township supervisors will allow a wind farm developer to build the nation's next-to-tallest wind turbines in Chestnut Flats. Supervisors voted 4-to-1 Thursday night to allow Gamesa Energy to build 19 turbines north of Altoona, making them visible from 17th Street, Mill Run Road, Old Mill Run Road and along Route 36. Because of the vote, the turbines can placed on 335-foot towers, rather than 270 feet as allowed by ordinance.

Much of the Brady Township Supervisors July meeting dealt with the concerns of residents Gary and Sharon Gilmore and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Swope regarding the proposed wind farm in the township. ...Gary Swope said the township cannot write a weak ordinance due to the fear of litigation and Sharon Gilmore added that if the ordinance does not contain restrictions that will protect the health of all residents, litigation could come from residents.

Although the zoning board now has ruled to approve a portion of the proposed wind turbines, recent action by the board of county commissioners would allow a wind power project to start without going before the zoning board. Earlier this month, Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites voted to change the zoning ordinance to allow wind turbines as a permitted use in A-1, M-1 light industrial and M-2 heavy industrial zones. Previously, wind turbines were only permitted after obtaining a special exception from the zoning board.

Fayette County's zoning hearing board on Monday issued a split decision on an Oregon company's request for special exceptions for 22 wind turbines, granting 14 of the requests while rejecting eight others. ...The board then denied setback variances and special exceptions that had been requested for eight of the towers, meaning 14 of the towers have all of the required approvals for construction. The company will have to ensure those 14 comply with a number of conditions imposed by the board, including a measure that could shut them down temporarily if the blades kill too many bats.

Fayette County commissioners on Thursday approved an amendment to the county zoning ordinance that eliminates the need for a special exception for wind turbines. ...Prior to yesterday's action, a special exception and approval by the zoning hearing board were required to erect wind turbines on land zoned for agricultural and industrial use.

In a split decision on Thursday, the Fayette County commissioners voted to amend the county zoning ordinance to allow windmills/wind turbines as a permitted use in certain zoning districts, eliminating the need for wind energy companies to seek approval from the zoning hearing board.