Wind energy siting bill stalled in legislature
Cape Cod Times|Patrick Cassidy|August 4, 2010
A state law that would streamline the permitting of large land-based wind turbines has hit a snag. Separate versions of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act were passed in the House and the Senate, and a compromise bill did not clear the Senate before the end of the legislative session Saturday.
A state law that would streamline the permitting of large land-based wind turbines has hit a snag. Separate versions of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act were passed in the House and the Senate, and a compromise bill did not clear the Senate before the end of the legislative session Saturday.
A state law that would streamline the permitting of large land-based wind turbines has hit a snag.
Separate versions of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act were passed in the House and the Senate, and a compromise bill did not clear the Senate before the end of the legislative session Saturday.
The proposed state law would consolidate to one board all local permitting for turbines of 2 megawatts or more. Under the proposal, the appeals of wind energy project opponents would first go to a state agency and then to the courts.
A compromise bill could still be passed during the Senate's informal session but it would take only one senator to stop the bill's passage.
Opponents of the bill have argued that it would take away local control …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]A state law that would streamline the permitting of large land-based wind turbines has hit a snag.
Separate versions of the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act were passed in the House and the Senate, and a compromise bill did not clear the Senate before the end of the legislative session Saturday.
The proposed state law would consolidate to one board all local permitting for turbines of 2 megawatts or more. Under the proposal, the appeals of wind energy project opponents would first go to a state agency and then to the courts.
A compromise bill could still be passed during the Senate's informal session but it would take only one senator to stop the bill's passage.
Opponents of the bill have argued that it would take away local control and circumvent an appropriate appeals process.
Gov. Deval Patrick's administration has been pushing the legislation, arguing that it is necessary to short circuit frivolous challenges of wind energy projects. Patrick has called for the development of 2,000 megawatts of wind power in the state by 2020.
A spokeswoman for Patrick's secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, expressed confidence the bill would eventually get to the governor's desk for his signature. "The bill has been fully vetted and debated in both houses, and passed by substantial margins in several votes," Lisa Capone said. "We have confidence that the bill will become law in due course."