Thumb named primary wind zone
Huron Daily Tribune|Kate Hessling|January 29, 2010
The MPSC on Wednesday designated the Thumb area as a primary wind energy zone. The zone consists of parts of Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. This area was as Region 4 by the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board in an Oct. 15, 2009 final report. Per state law, the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board was created to identify areas within the state that have the most potential for wind energy development.
The MPSC on Wednesday designated the Thumb area as a primary wind energy zone. The zone consists of parts of Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. This area was as Region 4 by the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board in an Oct. 15, 2009 final report. Per state law, the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board was created to identify areas within the state that have the most potential for wind energy development.
LANSING - The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) took two steps this week that will greatly affect the Thumb region.
The first was when the MPSC on Wednesday designated the Thumb area as a primary wind energy zone. The zone consists of parts of Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. This area was as Region 4 by the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board in an Oct. 15, 2009 final report. Per state law, the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board was created to identify areas within the state that have the most potential for wind energy development.
The MPSC used that final report to make the final designation. Given the fact that Region 4 was identified as having the most wind energy development potential out of any other …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]LANSING - The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) took two steps this week that will greatly affect the Thumb region.
The first was when the MPSC on Wednesday designated the Thumb area as a primary wind energy zone. The zone consists of parts of Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. This area was as Region 4 by the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board in an Oct. 15, 2009 final report. Per state law, the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board was created to identify areas within the state that have the most potential for wind energy development.
The MPSC used that final report to make the final designation. Given the fact that Region 4 was identified as having the most wind energy development potential out of any other area in the state, Wednesday's announcement wasn't really much of a shocker.
"To me, that is not surprising, simply because I happen to believe that Huron County and this region is best suited to wind farm development ... from a wind point of view, obviously, and from a land use point of view," said Russ Lundberg, Huron County Building and Zoning director.
Huron County's zoning ordinance includes a wind overlay ordinance that allows commercial wind turbines in agricultural districts. The purpose of this, officials have stated, is to preserve the area's agricultural heritage, as allowing turbines in agricultural areas provides an additional use for farmland, and prevents other kinds of development in agricultural areas.
In a statement issued Wednesday, MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu said Michigan has taken a "great step forward in harnessing its abundant wind energy, which has gone virtually untapped.
"Transmission companies will now be able to expedite siting of the transmission projects needed to move the wind energy onto the electric grid," he added. "The result will be a more reliable and robust electric grid, cleaner air, a more diverse fuel supply, and the creation of many renewable energy jobs."
In Wednesday's order, the MPSC also designated Region 1, which includes parts of Allegan County, as an additional wind energy resource zone.
Wednesday's order also gives affected parties 21 days to reach agreement on a voluntary cost allocation methodology for the transmission upgrade projects needed to develop wind generation in Region 4, as designated.
"The current method used does not adequately address the unique circumstances of transmission needed for renewable energy development and equitable sharing of associated costs within Michigan," reads a news release the MPSC issued Wednesday. "If an agreement is reached, then the necessary actions will be taken by the parties at the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (MISO). If the parties are unable to reach a cost allocation treatment amongst themselves, the MPSC will pursue another process to resolve the matter."
Concurrent with Wednesday's order, the MPSC also gave the Michigan Legislature its report on the impact of setback requirements and noise limitations in wind zones in Michigan, which recommended that decisions about setback distances and noise levels be made by local planning and zoning authorities.
"My response is it's a relief because now we don't have to worry about - at least for now - that the state's going to come in and take over our zoning," Lundberg told the Tribune on Thursday. "It puts the local planning and zoning issues squarely on our own shoulders, which is good."
The MPSC announced it also will expand the role of the Wind Working Group, which will review current scientific information on the process for determining setbacks.
Wednesday's order notes that a zone designation at this time does not exclude other zones from being considered in the future, nor does it make a fact finding regarding any non-designated area's potential for wind development in the future.
The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth. Information from past public hearings regarding wind energy issues, as well as other information, is available on the agency's website, www.michigan.gov/mpsc.