The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is developing guidelines for wind development in wetland and watershed areas.

Wind turbines are relatively new developments to the landscape of Pennsylvania. A few years ago when the first turbines were erected in Somerset County, many believed the development to be a rare novelty.
However with the government's growing interest in alternative energy sources, more windmill facilities are being created across the state.

It's clear that the state needs to catch up to what developers have in mind for future projects. State regulations were created before massive windmills were part of the local landscape.

A commission spokesman said the guidelines will look to assess project impacts on not only watersheds and wetlands, but on reptiles and amphibians that could see migration routes or habitat impaired by the sites.

With the recent explosion of windmill facilities in the region, we believe the commission's efforts are a little late in the process, but still need to be done for future projects.

The wind industry has shown a strong interest in Pennsylvania with more windmills being built near Berlin and Stoystown.

As with all new development, there needs to be proper guidelines and regulations that best serve the needs of residents, industry and the environment. That's a daunting task for any agency, especially when you factor in new types of massive developments and changes in technology. It's a good idea for the commission to review the policies impacted by wind turbine development.