The lawsuit is the second one filed over the project. In July, a Massachusetts woman who owns property near the proposed wind farm filed suit against the county and EDF Renewables over the granting of right of way for the company to run underground electrical cables on her land. Saline County residents also have alleged a number of improprieties in the extension of the conditional use permit, including open-meetings violations and conflicts of interest.

Legal Nebraska

According to court documents, the defendants “have never submitted a valid application for a conditional use permit to construct and operate a wind energy project in Saline County.” Plaintiffs also allege the CUPs that were filed on behalf of the wind project are invalid, as development was supposed to be completed two years following the Board of Commissioners’ approval in 2016.

Legal Nebraska

“We believe the wind regulations need to be updated,” he said. “When we first did this five years ago the (turbines) were 380 feet tall. Now they’re talking 500-600 feet turbines and our 3/8-setbacks are way too close.” In addition to the setback restrictions, Allder said the amendment also changes how decibel levels are calculated. 

Zoning/Planning Nebraska

County planners tabled their review and pending recommendation on an application to build four commercial wind turbines south of Interstate 80 last week after hearing two hours of often emotional testimony from area neighbors who raised a number of concerns.

Zoning/Planning Nebraska

A multi-million dollar project that's been met with strong opposition from landowners, taxpayers and stakeholders in Cherry County for the past three years continues to fuel the fire.

General Nebraska

The Cherry County Commissioners made a motion to table any action on the wind turbine proposal and will take it under advisement. The board will meet next week and set a date to take action on the project.

Zoning/Planning Nebraska

A six-month moratorium for project development on the Milligan One wind farm in Saline County was discussed during the Aug. 20 Saline County Commissioners board meeting. 

General Nebraska

The group, along with a local landowner, sued the county last month to prevent board members Martin DeNaeyer and Tanya Storer from voting on the application. ...But in vacating his initial temporary injunction, State District Court Judge Mark Kozisek rejected the notion that those familial connections constitute a conflict of interest as defined by state law.

Legal Nebraska

The county’s repeated failure to adopt zoning regulations for wind energy causes concerned citizens to feel like they don’t have a voice. Ignored people quickly become angry people. They are forced to file lawsuits so they can finally be heard. LB 373 makes wind energy zoning mandatory. Creating new county zoning regulations is a very public process. It provides numerous opportunities for everyone to participate regardless of their position on the subject. No one can say their voice wasn’t heard.

Zoning/Planning Nebraska

Concerned residents of Saline County spoke during the July 9 commissioners meeting regarding conditional use permits and the project timeline of the Milligan One wind project. Since January, EDF Renewables has owned the wind farm project, with construction set to begin later this year.

General Nebraska

A judge on Monday temporarily blocked two Cherry County Board members from voting on a planned wind energy project in the Sand Hills, siding with opponents who argued that those board members have a financial stake in the project’s outcome.

Legal Nebraska

“All we’re looking for is that this matter be determined by people who don’t have a vested interest in the outcome,” said Jason Bruno, the Omaha attorney representing Preserve the Sandhills.

Legal Nebraska

"This route was picked as the cheapest for NPPD. But it is the most expensive for the health of humans and destructive to our natural habitat," the group said in a news release. The 225-mile high-voltage line will cut through the heart of the Sandhills, from Stapleton north to Thedford and east to near Clearwater.  

Legal Transmission USA Nebraska

In the civil suit, the petitioners say officials violated policy and law. They want the U-S District Court to order a review of the permits and take a harder look at the environmental impact, and what would happen to species like the Whooping Crane and the American Burying Beetle.

Legal Transmission Nebraska

GE Renewable Energy has identified and addressed the root causes of the two turbine failures earlier this year. The May incident is understood to be down to an issue experienced during a turbine reboot addressed with a software update. The earlier collapse at the Casa Mesa Wind Energy Center is being attributed to a fuse-related blade issue while the turbine was running in overspeed mode during high winds.

Safety Structural Failure Nebraska

Upstream Wind Energy tower 57, located northeast of Neligh, lay crumpled on the ground like a deflated air dancer Friday morning.

Safety Structural Failure Nebraska

Nebraska State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, Neb., has worked with his constituents to address those concerns and have even attempted to stop construction of the project in the fragile Sandhills. Brewer said he is “very disappointed in NPPD and the federal agencies making these terribly flawed decisions. They have steadfastly ignored the many concerns from hundreds of citizens, and the mountains of hard evidence and research presented to them.”

Transmission Impact on Landscape Nebraska

McKay, who lives on County Road R and 900 near Western, said the turbines are slated for setbacks of 1,200 feet when surrounding counties such as Fillmore and Lancaster have distance regulations at 2,300 feet. McKay said he does not feel safe with that distance, adding the noise created by the turbines would be a disturbance. 

General Nebraska

“Nebraskans should be outraged at the careless way in which the most beautiful part of our state will now be destroyed so a handful of wealthy (wind-power) investors can make money off an incredibly wasteful government program.”

General Nebraska

The Cuming County Board of  Supervisors voted 6 to 1 Wednesday to table a decision on  Bluestem Energy Solution’s application for a conditional use permit for a single wind turbine to be built in the county.  Steven Meister was the lone vote not to table a decision.  Board members want more time to gather information. No timeline was given.

General Nebraska