A Sanilac County judge will not force a township planning commission to hold a public hearing this summer on a wind company’s special land use application. Exelon had filed the complaint 10 days after the planning commission voted to table a public hearing on Exelon’s application for a special land use permit for its planned development, Michigan Wind 3.

Legal Michigan

SB 437 would maintain Michigan’s 10 percent cap on customers who can participate in electric choice, but place greater restrictions on alternative energy suppliers to provide capacity and on customers who participate. 

Energy Policy Michigan

Judge Teeple said he didn't feel that the plaintiff had been denied due process and denied the request from Excelon Wind. There was applause in the packed courtroom when the Teeple announced his decision during Monday's civil docket. 

Legal Michigan

The group of residents from Almer and Ellington want their respective townships to dump Spicer Engineering – similar to the way Sanilac County’s Moore Township did recently. They claim the Saginaw-based firm is a little too cozy with wind developer NextEra Energy Resources L.L.C., which plans to build the $200 million Tuscola III wind project in Almer, Ellington and Fairgrove townships.

General Michigan

Last Thursday, Michigan Wind 3, owned by Exelon Generation, filed the civil complaint against the township supervisor, planning commission chairman and clerk, claiming the postponement is illegal. The company is asking for an immediate ruling by the circuit court judge, ordering the township to hold the June 14 hearing. 

Legal Zoning/Planning Michigan

A company planning a 68-turbine wind farm in Sanilac County has taken a township to court, demanding its planning commission hold a June 14 public hearing on the company's special land use permit.

Legal Michigan

Bridgehampton Township has delayed a decision on a special land use permit for a large wind farm development. The township planning board canceled a June public hearing for Exelon special land use permit at its Tuesday meeting. It tabled the hearing until after a referendum vote in August.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

The county is considering lawyering up in response to a list of more than 50 residents asking to be excluded from an area being primed for a batch of 50 to 70 wind turbines. County attorney Stephen Allen this week said county commissioners should hire outside legal counsel to determine whether allowing that many residents to opt out would create spot zoning.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

The turbine exceeded designed rotation speeds — 14.4 rpm (revolutions per minute) -- and at that speed, blade tips are moving at about 200 mph, according to Exelon. It created an imbalance as blades picked up speed. At the time of collapse, rotation speeds reached 18 rpm, officials said. “At that high of an rpm, the thing just basically shook itself apart.”

Safety Structural Failure Michigan

After a hydraulic pump was shut off automatically due to high winds during a winter storm that day, an 'over speed event' occurred as the revolutions per minute of the blades far exceeded what the structure could handle. 

Safety Structural Failure Michigan

On Wednesday, Exelon Wind Generation plans to explain what caused a wind turbine to fall in February ...Exelon officials are scheduled to present a “root cause analysis” Wednesday.

Safety Structural Failure Michigan

“We looked at the pros and the cons,” Haggerty said. “We’re trying to find a medium ground that everybody can live with and we felt we had found it with the current (setback) distances.” Haggerty and two other township trustees hold leases with Exelon.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

After a lengthy discussion, an Almer Township Board meeting took a strange turn on Tuesday night when Planning Committee liaison Brian Schriber told the Board he felt they didn't need to enact a moratorium on special use permits for wind turbines as recommended on a 6-1 vote of the planning commission. A motion was made to follow Schriber's suggestion and passed with abstentions from Township Supervisor Jim Miklovic and Trustee Michael Putnam. 

Zoning/Planning Michigan

Residents met in Lincoln Township this week to voice opinions on DTE Energy’s application for a new wind energy overlay district. A planning area covers more than 39,000 acres and 61 square miles across four townships: 22,080 in Lincoln and 5,760 each in Sigel, Dwight and Bloomfield. DTE says it expects the currently unnamed project to be between 100 and 150 megawatts and 50 to 70 wind turbines.

General Michigan

County planners want more time and input before taking action on DTE Energy’s plan to build 50 to 70 wind turbines in Huron County.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

These photos clearly demonstrate how wind turbines alter the views and landscape of a community. The towers were sited by NextEra as part of the Tuscola Bay Wind and Wind II facilities. A total of 134 turbines were erected in 2012 and 2013 for a maximum output of 220 megawatts. 

Impact on Landscape Michigan

Tussey said he and other members of the concerned citizens group believe it was that pressure that led township officials to quickly enact what the concerned citizens have called a weak ordinance. They say what was adopted in Ellington Township was more about how many turbines can fit into one space and less about health, safety and overall impact on the community. “That pressure led them to not research the details of the ordinance.

Zoning/Planning Michigan

Documents filed April 1 at the Huron County Clerk’s Office show RES Construction Inc.’s lien is for $3.3 million and Fisher Contracting Co.’s is for $4.1 million. ...Algonquin representatives and county planners meeting discussed the liens. ...officials say an affected property owner wanted to build a shed but couldn’t due to the lien.

General Michigan

Seals on the turbine were coming out of bearing holders, Smith said, comparing it to a vehicle with a bad wheel bearing. He said he’s not sure if the bearings on the turbines are faulty or defective. “GE knew but did not tell us,” Smith said of turbine manufacturer General Electric, adding he got an email from NextEra Energy stating a cleaning crew is coming.

Pollution Michigan

All members of the Lincoln Township Board of Trustees signed a letter dated March 16 in opposition to the proposed overlay. “We feel that Huron County has done our part as far as Green Energy. We feel that no additional turbines should be allowed in Huron County,” the letter succinctly states.

Zoning/Planning Michigan