The Commission had earlier been approached by Aaron Branam, project manager for EDP Renewables of North America LLC, regarding changes to the county’s land use plans pertaining to wind energy regulations. The commissioners were unanimous in their decision to not change the regulations, citing the welfare of the county’s citizens, environmental impacts, and land values as factors in their decisions.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

County Planning Director Sid Fox said a zoning permit is usually required to start construction on a wind farm, but said due to the fact the two were simply requesting to dig holes to beat the colder weather and to meet the requirement for the production tax credit, they did not need the permit.

Taxes & Subsidies Tourism Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Commission chairman Wally Johnson said that the new regulations will have a long-lasting impact and effect on Sweetwater County. He says the county took its time to get the regulations right because once wind farms are built they are there forever.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The county first passed a moratorium to give staff time to draw up wind farm regulations, a requirement to fall in line with state laws. But the county’s rules are as of yet unfinished, and the moratorium was set to expire in late June.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Costello said the proposed amendments are based on small wind energy system regulations in other counties throughout the state and region. "They take into account current standards that are pretty much nationwide," he said. "It's nice to consider the rights of the person who wants to put up a wind tower, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the neighbors."

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Citing the need for more information, the Albany County Commissioners have sent a proposed amendment to the county's regulations on small wind energy systems back to the county planning and zoning commission.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Person after person, many of who were members of the Northern Laramie Range Alliance, spoke against wind energy development in Converse County ...Kenneth Lay read a statement that said, in part, "I'm here today with many other citizens because the action you are considering is one of the most important in our recent history. It's important because industrial scale wind energy generation is transforming Converse County and not for the better."

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Campbell County now has zoning regulations for wind farms, but the rules may not apply to the company planning to build the first wind farm in the county.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The Campbell County Commission has decided to take three more weeks to discuss wind farm zoning regulations before voting on emergency wind rules that it thinks will ensure safe and responsible wind energy development in Campbell County. The commissioners want to pass the wind farm regulations soon so they will be in place before construction starts in August on the first wind farm in Campbell County.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

A House committee has advanced a bill to give counties permitting authority over wind farms and set minimum development standards for wind projects. The Minerals Committee approved the measure Friday morning and sent it to the full House.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The Wyoming Legislature might soon consider creating minimum standards for wind development statewide, a move that might have implications for future Cowboy State wind farms that could supply power to Colorado utilities. ...A Wyoming legislative task force on wind energy has recommended regulating wind development across the state because a lack of regulation could impact both quality of life and the environment, according to a task force report issued Nov. 1.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Amendments to Natrona County's wind energy regulations should avoid the disputes between landowners and developers that erupted earlier this year, county Development Department Director Blair Leist said Tuesday. "We have done what we could to make sure that doesn't happen (again)," Leist said.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Rocky Mountain Power is progressing with plans to build a 74-turbine wind farm north of Medicine Bow and aims to begin producing electricity by November of next year, a company official said Wednesday. Representatives of the Utah-based utility presented plans for the 111-megawatt Dunlap I wind project to Wyoming Public Service Commission staff members.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

PacifiCorp was granted a conditional use permit for its Dunlap Ranch Wind Energy Project by the Carbon County Planning Commission on Monday. The Planning Commission voted unanimously, after a public hearing, to grant the permit to allow PacifiCorp to build the wind farm on mostly private land about eight miles north of Medicine Bow.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

There may be a place for local decision-making on wind farm siting, but the situation now is confusing for wind developers. Throw in the fact that wind turbines on federal land require additional analysis and approval by the Bureau of Land Management, and you have multiple levels of permitting that most certainly contain some inconsistencies.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The commissioners tabled the important vote on the county's first substantial wind energy project after more than four hours of public discussions at Rock Springs City Hall during the Tuesday night meeting. Tasco Engineering Inc. of Lehi, Utah, is seeking a conditional use permit to expand its proposed White Mountain Wind Farm. ...Commissioners said they wanted to be "very, very careful" and review all of the information presented during the formal public hearing before making a decision.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

Neighbors opposed to Chevron Global Power Co.'s wind farm northeast of Evansville on Tuesday lost their attempt to have a judge review and invalidate the Natrona County Commission's approval of the permits for the project. ...The neighbors are considering their next moves and fuming at the decision by Natrona County District Judge Thomas Sullins.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The Natrona County Commission has had three years to consider how to regulate commercial wind farms here. ...But there were no county guidelines for construction of wind farms three years ago. In fact, the county commission didn't approve its wind farm regulations until last September. ...after more than a dozen public meetings over the last two years, neighboring property owners have petitioned a 7th District Court judge to invalidate the permits approved by the county commissioners.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The proposed wind power project on the top of White Mountain has generated tremendous interest locally in wind energy. Local residents were able to hear a variety of view points on the topic last Wednesday, at a wind forum hosted by the Sweetwater County Commissioners. Mark Kot, Sweetwater County Planning and Zoning Director, and organizer of the event, opened by saying this was neither a forum on the White Mountain project, or a public hearing.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

A state board has approved a special-use lease for a $4 billion wind farm in Converse County, the latest -- and biggest -- of several wind power projects in the area. Before their vote Thursday, the State Board of Land Commissioners heard a complaint about a lack of information provided by Clipper Windpower Development Co. officials to its new neighbors. ...The total project will encompass 109,740 acres, including 7,614 acres of state land.

Zoning/Planning Wyoming