Kansas officials said Thursday they'd prefer to wait for the federal government to place new caps on carbon emissions rather than follow California's aggressive approach to curb global warming.

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Friday that Wabaunsee County commissioners have the right to prohibit the construction of commercial wind farms in their county. But the court also questioned whether an ordinance banning commercial farms but allowing smaller wind generators for personal use violated some provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Commissioners adopted the ordinance in 2004. In a unanimous decision, the court acknowledged the commission's concerns about potential harm to the aesthetics and ecology of the Flint Hills if huge wind turbines were erected in Wabaunsee County.

Under controversial proposals, two 400ft wind turbines could be built on Salt Hill on the crest of the South Downs National Park, at East Meon, near Petersfield. But many local people and South Downs conservationists have vowed to fight the proposed scheme, which has been unveiled by Volkswind, one of Europe's biggest wind farm developers.

The topic of cumulative effects also came up when it was heard there are over 150 wind turbines operating in the Manawatu region and if the committee approves Unison's application, there could potentially be another 128 turbines added to the tally.

A wind turbine company is being sued by a farming community in Kerry one year after a bog slide - which has still not been cleared - blocked access to their land. Residents of Lyrecrom­pane in the Stack mountains have insisted that the wind farm - currently being developed by Tralee-based Tra Investments - is to blame for last August's bog slide.

Locals in north Kerry are up in arms at the alleged role of a wind energy firm in the landslide that destroyed a river's salmon and trout stocks. Before the facts of what caused last week's landslide in a north Kerry river network were known, a nearby wind energy firm taking the brunt of the local anger. Prior to the landslide, Tralee-based company Tra Investments had begun site works for an eight-turbine wind farm in the Ballincollig Hill-Maghanknockane area. Within 24 hours of the slide, the company announced that it would commission an independent review into the incident, which it promised to make public.

While work has already begun on the turbine, specifically land excavation for the foundation of the structure, residents from several communities have raised concerns that the structure could pose significant health and public safety risks. The turbine will stand 380 feet tall once placed on a 262-foot-tall concrete pedestal.

A new energy strategy for Kerry will see whole swathes of the county earmarked for windfarms - but not in top scenic areas. The initiative coincides with a decision by An Bord Pleanála last week to approve the county's highest turbines near Castleisland. Over 70,000 hectares of land had been identified as suitable for wind, water, and other energy sources.

The town's planner discovered the footings of a wind turbine going up across the road. She insisted that Armstrong, for his half of the farm that falls within 550 metres of the turbine, would have to get the property rezoned to never allow a home to be built on much of it.