More windmills are appearing at the tops of mountains and highlands signaling that Pennsylvania is becoming a leader in clean, renewable wind energy. But some people aren't so happy about the towering figures and down in Fayette County, they are the subject of an ongoing battle.

General Pennsylvania

Firefighters responded to a report of a wind turbine fire at the first commercial-size wind farm in Schuylkill County, Locust Ridge I in Mahanoy Township, Thursday afternoon, according to reports from the Schuylkill County Communications Center.

Structural Failure Safety Pennsylvania

A storm is swirling around an 18-turbine wind farm outside Berlin, which is at the center of a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit. Project developers Lookout Windpower Holding Co. of Missouri and Freestream Capital LLC are suing farm owner Edison Mission Group of Irvine, Calif., and four other companies. The plaintiffs say they still are owed $10.5 million on the $11.5 million deal.

General Pennsylvania

A proposal to build the area's tallest wind turbines, visible from downtown Altoona to the Buckhorn, has been forwarded to the Logan Township Planning Commission for comment. Supervisors, who asked Thursday night if the taller-than-typical height would affect noise and visibility from the Horseshoe Curve, agreed that they want the planning commission to look at the latest proposal.

General Pennsylvania

Firefighters responded to a report of a turbine fire at the first commercial-size wind farm in Schuylkill County, Locust Ridge I in Mahanoy Township, Thursday afternoon, according to reports from Schuylkill County Communications. ...In service since March 2007, this G87 turbine is one of the original 13 turbines which was part of the Locust Ridge I.

Structural Failure Safety Pennsylvania

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army Corps of Engineers will formally review whether the endangered Indiana bat and migratory birds could be harmed by 30 big wind turbines proposed for ecologically sensitive Shaffer Mountain in northeastern Somerset County. ...The federal review, requested by three state environmental groups, is the first U.S. Endangered Species Act assessment of the impacts of wind projects in the Eastern U.S. on bats and migratory birds.

Impact on Wildlife Pennsylvania

About 40 residents of Brady Township and the surrounding area met at the Brady Township Community Building Monday to hear about some of the possible effects of a wind turbine project that is being developed in the area. Luthersburg residents Sharon and Gary Gilmore hosted the event and invited a speaker from Save Our Allegheny Ridges to speak.

General Pennsylvania

In 2007, Gamesa Energy USA agreed to allow the Windber Area Authority to oversee the impact the proposed 30-turbine Shaffer Mountain Wind Farm would have on the watershed. As part of the deal, the authority imposed certain conditions on the development. Now, as the state Department of Environmental Protection is considering Gamesa's permit for the wind project, the authority wants to make sure the state is taking those conditions into account.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Pennsylvania

The first year of a ground-breaking effort to study the interaction between bats and wind turbines at the Casselman Wind Power Project shows that turning off the turbines during low wind periods reduced bat mortality by more than 70 percent. Iberdrola Renewables, the owner of the Casselman wind farm, partnered with independent conservation group, Bat Conservation International (BCI), for wildlife data collection at the southwestern Pennsylvania wind power project.

Impact on Bats Impact on Wildlife Pennsylvania

An eight-page Deficiency Letter from DEP on March 17 cites unacceptable plans for restoration of disrupted streams, an undisclosed timber disturbance, improper labeling and scaling of the construction site drawing, inadequate documentation of approval by the Federal Aviation Administration, etc. Gamesa hasn't satisfactorily met its legal obligation to consult with the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. This is especially egregious because of the presence of state and federally endangered Indiana bats at the site.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Pennsylvania

A property owner was denied by the Schuylkill County Zoning Hearing Board to install two windmills on his property to generate electricity for his home and business on grounds he failed to prove the safety of the items. The decision was handed down at the monthly meeting of the board held Thursday evening at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

One Fayette County commissioner said that a recently overturned zoning hearing board ruling is evidence that the board doesn't always rule in line with county's zoning ordinance. ..."The court's ruling solidifies my long-standing concern of factual instances where ZHB decisions deviates from the county's zoning ordinance," Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink said.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

The company that pursued building wind turbines in Logan Township has a new plan with taller versions that are confined to the township's wind zone. Representatives for Gamesa Energy recently submitted revised plans for a wind farm of 19 turbines in the Chestnut Flats area zoned for that type of land use. The company previously proposed building 25 wind turbines, with 17 inside the zone and eight outside.

Impact on People Impact on Landscape Pennsylvania

Judge Ralph C. Warman, who heard the appeal filed by PPM Atlantic Renewable, sent the case back to the zoning hearing board. "Since the ZHB has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and render final adjudications in applications for variances, and upon consideration that the ZHB has failed to do so in this case, we remand this action back to the ZHB for further proceedings consistent with this opinion," Warman wrote.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

In the ruling handed down Thursday, Judge Ralph Warman reversed the hearing board's denial of a special exception for Iberdrola Renewables, formerly known as PPM Atlantic Renewable. Warman found that the zoning board "abused its discretion and committed errors of law" when it issued the denial. Warman ordered the zoning board to reconsider Iberdrola's request.

General Pennsylvania

Plans for development of a major industrial wind energy generating facility were revealed during a recent meeting of the Allegany Township Board of Supervisors in Potter County.

General Pennsylvania

North Middleton Township supervisors Harry Kelso and James Hare will research a a wind turbine ordinance and report back to the board, supervisors decided at a workshop meeting tonight. Kelso and Hare volunteered to develop recommendations for the ordinance, which supervisors first considered at last month's workshop meeting.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

Black Creek Township residents' concerns weren't eased by testimony Thursday from a wind power company that plans to construct 22 turbines on the Buck Mountain ridge. ...Resident Edward Vergari said the township should collect more information and mandate that all applicable state, county and local permits be secured by Penn Wind prior to zoning approval.

Noise Impact on People Impact on Landscape Pennsylvania

A Sunbury-based alternative energy company received approval to harness wind power in Black Creek Township, paving the way to set 22 turbines along the skyline of Buck Mountain on former coal mining land. During nearly three hours of testimony and public response Thursday night, the Black Creek Township Zoning Hearing Board heard Penn Wind LLC's request for a special exception to build four, 425-foot-tall turbines in the township.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania

Pending the study of zoning issues and other variables, the Butler Township supervisors voted Tuesday evening to place a moratorium on any construction of commercial and residential wind turbines in the township. The supervisors made the decision after about a 90-minute discussion involving township residents opposed to a proposed project to place 27 wind turbines, or windmills, in the township.

Zoning/Planning Pennsylvania