In Cattaraugus County, the Legislature is on record as asking the IDA not to grant tax breaks to large wind farms. The county Planning Board said the wind turbines were not in keeping with the rural character of the county and would affect tourism which thousands of county residents rely on. ...However, Wiktor said the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) may be ready under Article 10 to force the IDA to grant tax breaks to help underwrite the wind farm.

Zoning/Planning New York

Edwards reminded the commission of the wind energy facility permitting authority the Wyoming Legislature gave counties in 2010. He said that is the most authority the Legislature has given the counties in terms of regulating anything. “Part of that reasoning is because it is such a local issue and affects local people much greater than everything else,” Edwards said. He added that the county cannot regulate things like mining and water quality, “but it does have the authority to fully permit and regulate wind energy facilities.”

Zoning/Planning Wyoming

The most vocal critic of Rocky Forge, however, proved to be Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton, who described the proposed wind farm as having “overstated benefits and understated costs,” and suggested, “maybe this isn’t worth it.” Martin, who represents the Blue Ridge District, stated that he supported wind energy but opposed the height increase. He also expressed exasperation that Apex still hasn’t secured passage to transport the massive turbine parts up the mountain, telling company representatives, “You’ve had four and a half years to get a right of way.”

Impact on Landscape Zoning/Planning Virginia

If wind turbines are allowed to tower up to 680 feet into the sky from a Botetourt County mountaintop, they would be higher than the tallest ones currently in the United States. But should the county’s board of supervisors approve a request from Apex Clean Energy to build up to 22 modern windmills as tall as a 50-story building, it wouldn’t necessarily set a new record.

Zoning/Planning Virginia

A three-day online public inquiry will take place over the planned compulsory purchase (CPO) of land, including part of Carnoustie’s famous golf links, for work associated with what will become Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.

Impact on Economy Offshore Wind Zoning/Planning UK

The people of the occupied Syrian Golan reiterated their rejection of the Israeli occupation authorities’ attempts to seize their lands and build wind turbines on them.

Impact on People Zoning/Planning Asia

With V, SD, M and KD of the council in agreement, the municipality will excercise its veto power on Monday thereby halting futher investigation of the Land and Environmental Court on building the Utposten 1 wind farm outside the Norrsundet.

Offshore Wind Zoning/Planning Europe

Revised arrangements have been put in place by Orkney Islands Council for consulting with the public on proposed plans for a wind farm development in Hoy...The project is part of a project which also includes proposed wind farm developments at Quanterness and on Faray in the North Isles.

Zoning/Planning UK

The commissioners are set to consider an ordinance and permit amendment that would allow Charlottesville-based Apex Clean Energy to move ahead with a wind farm powered by turbines of up to 680 feet tall.

Zoning/Planning Virginia

Orion Renewable Energy Group plans to start construction on the $150 million to $170 million wind farm, the first in Knox County, this year and hopes to have it operational by the end of 2021.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

Broyhill referred to a number of books, studies and documentaries she said show the wind energy industry isn't as promising as supporters say. Broyhill talked about deceptive negotiating tactics when companies seek access to landowners' property. She also doesn't consider wind farms too environmentally friendly, given the tons of concrete and steel required for their construction and the fossil fuels burned by trucks to transport and build the turbines.

Zoning/Planning South Dakota

On the agenda for the board's meeting is a moratorium that would prohibit "... all applications, installations and projects involving wind energy systems until such time that the Board has amended regulations in place to ensure the protection of the public health, safety and welfare ..." of Dakota County citizens. ...The subject of a moratorium arose earlier this year as the county amended its zoning ordinances pertaining to wind energy systems, board chairman Martin Hohenstein said.

Zoning/Planning Nebraska

Visual resource scientist and town of Ocean City consultant Robert Sullivan also submitted written testimony to the PSC last Friday. Sullivan’s testimony, based largely on years of experience and the direct findings of offshore wind energy projects in the U.S. and abroad, suggested the increased height in the turbines would almost certainly make the Skipjack project visible from the Ocean City coast. “I am certain that on many day, the project will be easily visible from many oceanside locations in Ocean City, particularly from the northern sections of Ocean City and especially so from the upper floors of buildings in Ocean City,” he wrote.

Offshore Wind Zoning/Planning Maryland

Auwahi Wind is seeking to build another wind farm with up to seven turbines and a generating capacity of 35 megawatts adjacent to its existing facility on Ulupalakua Ranch land on the leeward slopes of Haleakala. ...Auwahi’s current wind farm, which went online in December 2012, has eight turbines and a generating capacity of 21 MW.

Zoning/Planning Hawaii

After hearing a constant barrage of complaints from Logan County residents in the Fleming area about NextEra Energy’s Niyol Wind Farm, the planning commission voted 4-2 to table conditional use permit applications for up to 82 wind turbines in the area west and south of Fleming. The commission did, however, approve a permit for a meteorological tower to measure wind in the area.

Zoning/Planning Colorado

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors this week set the public hearing for its May 13th meeting. Deputy County Attorney Tyler Loontjer says the proposed ordinance drew from similar ordinances across the state.

Zoning/Planning Iowa

“Although greatly improved, not all the project’s potential impacts could be avoided,” Link continued, adding that the majority of the project area is still within the Northern Missouri Coteau where there is “a higher degree of displacement risk associated with the development in this landscape area, as compared to other areas within the state” because migratory birds like to stop there.

Zoning/Planning North Dakota

The local law was similar to the one approved on a similar 3-2 vote in January, doubling the setbacks of turbines to 3,000 feet, decreasing the height of turbines to 450 feet from 600 feet and limiting noise from wind energy projects like the proposed 340 megawatt Alle-Catt Wind Farm.

Zoning/Planning New York

Current Albany County regulations are outdated and not stringent enough to accommodate the increase in height and volume of projected turbines, and obviously will not protect our residents, historic landmarks, or state parks. Other Wyoming counties have adjusted their regulations to evolve with the changes in the industry in order to protect their residents and natural resources. Citizens of Albany County deserve that same protection.

Impact on People Zoning/Planning Wyoming

“It’s private owners contracting with a company to put in wind turbines on their property,” Emerson said. The county does not have zoning regulations that govern the area where the project is planned, he said, and therefore it’s role is limited to ensuring the agreements are fair and that the county and its residents are protected.

Zoning/Planning Kansas