This is not an isolated example of human rights issues with large-scale solar projects, Hudlet told Climate Home: “The consultation process with indigenous communities has become more of a mandatory checklist” than a serious attempt to seek consent… “If we keep allowing companies to press ahead with such projects and only late in the process engage with communities there will be more land conflicts. Cases like this should be a warning signal to get it right.”

Impact on Landscape Impact on People Mexico

Sometimes it takes an outsider to appreciate what we here take for granted, to see what our eyes and our minds fail to grasp: the Flint Hills of Kansas are a national treasure. ...Gov. Kathleen Sebelius first promulgated such a moratorium in 2004, which was then continued and expanded by Gov. Sam Brownback. On July 28, 2020, Gov. Kelly issued her proclamation, thus continuing bipartisan protection of this endangered ecosystem.

Impact on Landscape Energy Policy Kansas

The commissioners made clear they want NextEra Energy Resources to be prompter in having local roads repaired at the Crowned Ridge project in Codington and Grant counties. Their comments were polite but blunt to Sean Harrington. He oversees project construction for the Florida-based company.

Impact on Landscape South Dakota

Aberdeenshire Council’s planning service recommended refusal on the grounds that the application is contrary to its Local Development Plan Policy and added that it would have a visual impact and could have an impact on aircraft and aviation. Councillor Ann Ross said: “I think that the scale of the additional turbines would almost make it an industrial site and the sense of encroachment. I think it’s the wrong development in the wrong location and I have to agree with the recommendation.”

Impact on Landscape Impact on Views UK

The promoting company affirms that the environmental impact does not exist and the landscape impact will be acceptable. In contrast, "we consider that both impacts will be significant for our town. The type of wind turbines to be installed requires a large volume of ground movement, which will impact habitat and birdlife. Matasejún would be surrounded on three of its four sides by wind turbines. The impact would create a significant increase in noise and light pollution. Turbine lighting would destroy the darkness of the area." 

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Impact on People Europe

Pat’s rural idyll was soon to come to an abrupt end. Mark Hill wind farm with 28 giant turbines to the north of Dochroyle Farm, was granted approval in 2008. It was quickly followed by Arecleoch wind farm with 60 turbines, in 2009 and Kilgallioch with 96 turbines, to the South of Dochroyle, in 2013. Pat’s home is now effectively surrounded by a ring of steel: 184 enormous turbines dominate the landscape on every side. On windy days, even when there is a light breeze, Pat says the audible noise of the turbines is like living next to a motorway. But the audible noise is only part of the problem. She says the infrasound, or low-frequency sound waves with a frequency below the lower limit of audibility, are so distressing that she has been driven to the edge of despair.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People UK

Renowned for its stunning scenery, pure air and sense of peace, a new Viking battle is disturbing island life on Shetland more than a thousand years after the first.

Impact on Landscape UK

The Bjerkreim Søndre cluster in Norway is the result of a 15-year contract by Facebook to acquire the full output of the 294MW facility. The turbines are sited at/around latitude and longitude of 58.437781, 6.089634 which appears to be a highly complex terrain that includes an abundance of rock formations and water areas. The impact on the natural environment of these 70 Siemens SWT-DD-130-4.2 MW turbines each standing around 600-feet tall on the landscape is impossible to fully assess. 

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Europe

In a surprise decision potentially spurred by late arriving opposition from the solar and wind industries, the western Joshua tree will have to wait at least another month to receive legal protection under the California Endangered Species Act.  ...The beloved, high desert species will once again be up for listing under the act in a meeting on a yet-to-be-decided date, sometime between Sept. 17 and 23 when the commission faces a deadline to act. At that time, the commission will almost certainly advance it to the next stage in the process, as all four members who are eligible to vote indicated on Thursday that they believed the petition to protect Joshua trees had already passed muster.

Impact on Landscape California

“Skipjack’s duty to reach out to stakeholders was not contingent on the stakeholders’ enthusiasm for the project,” according to the ruling. “Ocean City is an important stakeholder whose economy is vital to the state. Nor should Ocean City be punished for its lawful advocacy of a bill that would have required offshore wind turbines to be located at least 26 miles from shore.” As a result, the Public Service Commission ordered Ørsted to engage with its stakeholders more, including Ocean City, and provide updates every six months on the company's efforts. 

Impact on Landscape Legal Offshore Wind Maryland

How renewable energy projects in the Mojave Desert threaten local species — and how to fix that.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape California

About 50 people today waved signs with captions like "Too Big -- Too Close.” Demonstrators have been sharing their displeasure over the project for more than a year now. 

Impact on Landscape Impact on People Hawaii

This study examines changes in peat bogs resulting from peat extraction and grazing. The study also found that a far more significant impact to these land forms in the long term, with far greater and more rapid change has occurred as a result of windfarm construction. The authors write that "Although the installation of individual turbines over blanket bog often results in the extraction of peat in isolated locations, the associated infrastructure of tracks and electrical cable conduits has wider impact not only on the hydrology, but also on peatland geomorphology." According to the report "Windfarm installations have already significantly altered the functioning of some of these ecosystems, and without urgent protection some of the blanket bogs identified here may soon be lost. Action of a most urgent nature is needed from the governments of Cantabria and Castilla y León in order to retain what remains and restore these systems to important natural carbon sinks." The full report can be accessed by selecting the document links on this page.

Impact on Landscape Pollution Europe UK

ConnectGen wants to build the project, called Fountain Wind, on nearly 4,500 acres six miles west of Burney and one mile west of the existing Hatchet Ridge wind project. The new wind turbine proposal would be on leased timberland near the communities of Montgomery Creek, Round Mountain, Oak Run, Moose Camp, Big Bend and Wengler.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People California

Objectors’ concerns have centred on the impact of the project on local habitats and wildlife and on the size of Cleve Hill’s battery installation. There are fears that a fire could lead to "thermal runaway", causing a plume of toxic hydrogen fluoride gas to drift over the local urban areas in Faversham and Whitsable.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People UK

"From a management perspective, there are things we can do to help conserve native desert plants at solar facilities," Grodsky said. "But it's best to develop solar energy in marginalized lands like urban areas, places where ecosystems are heavily altered, rather than undeveloped desert."

Impact on Landscape USA

New York-based Save Our Shores issued this important message warning of the threat to the state's rural areas and the US Great Lakes under Governor Cuomo's aggressive renewable energy policy. The press release isprovided below and can also be accessed by clicking the document links on this page.

Impact on Landscape Offshore Wind New York

In a joint letter to the Prime Minister of Greece and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, 12 environmental NGOs and Scientific Societies call for the cancellation of wind farm development plans on 14 protected islets in the South Aegean.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Birds Impact on Landscape Europe

Mrs Olsen expressed her concerns about the Forest Wind Farm when a committee report on the project was tabled in parliament. In the report, she said “the sheer size and scale of Forest Wind’s proposal should ring alarm bells”.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Australia

No one is opposed to the principle of Kythera being energy autonomous. The issue is whether to turn a pristine island into an industrial wind farm. The current proposals would permit at least 100 skyscraper- sized wind-generators to be built, which would be visible from every corner of the island. Four production licenses have already been granted for 60 wind turbines (which would produce a total of 150 MW of power), and another 60 towers are in the pipeline.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on Landscape Europe