Wind Power News: U.S.
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Más presión por defender la agricultura
[More pressure to protect agriculture — Anxiety persists for the six detained for protesting construction of a wind energy facility on agricultural land in Santa Isabel.] El desasosiego que viven los seis detenidos por protestar contra la construcción de un parque eólico en suelo agrícola santaisabelino persiste. No obstante, al concluir ayer la segunda sesión de la Vista Judicial en Alzada, el abogado defensor Martín González Vázquez aseguró haber probado siete puntos ante Fiscalía y la jueza Gladys González Segarra. . . .
Ocurre masacre ambiental en Guayanilla
[Environmental massacre occurring in Guayanilla — About 20,000 trees have been felled in Punta Ventana y Verraco area of Guayanilla to make way for Windmar Renewable's wind energy facility. The action has occurred without intervention from the Department of Natural Resources or reporting from nation media. José Sáez Cintrón, spokesman for the Coalición Pro Bosque Seco, and Miguel Calas Mora, the biologist in charge of the nature reserve, confirmed that the damage caused by heavy equipment to the east of . . .
Big wind’s inconvenient truth
The installation of wind turbines too close to houses and personal property is a major headache for the wind power industry, but headache scarcely begins to describe their impact to nearby property owners and neighbors. My property and home are scarcely three quarters of a mile from a three 1.5 megawatt turbine wind farm that went online in November 2009 with blades stretching nearly 400 feet into the air. Large scale wind turbines represent a tiny and lucrative—thanks to federal . . .
Moratorium placed on wind farms
The Sweetwater County Commissioners approved a nine-month moratorium on Commercial Wind Farm Tuesday morning. Eric Bingham, director of land use in the county’s planning and zoning department, said the moratorium would allow the department time to bring county regulation on par with state wind farm regulations. The state requires county regulations to at least meet the minimum requirements passed by the Wyoming Legislature in 2010. Currently, Sweetwater County does not meet these requirements and any decision by the county for . . .
Huge crowd delays Quincy meeting on Moon Island turbine
QUINCY — An overwhelming turnout at a public hearing on Boston’s proposal to build a 400-foot wind turbine on Moon Island forced the hearing’s postponement until next month. The planning board voted to continue Wednesday’s meeting after about 100 people packed a city hall conference room. Dozens had to stand and several asked for louder microphones and better views of presentations. The meeting probably will resume March 7. The venue hasn’t been determined. The room was occupied mostly by Squantum . . .
Commission should listen to Bourne on wind project
The New Generation Wind Project proposes to erect four 492-foot tall wind turbines in a rural section of Bournedale. These turbines would be higher and closer to neighboring properties than the one in Falmouth that has caused such huge negative neighborhood impacts. The Patrick administration’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs recently took the unusual step of intervening in this local Cape matter, with a letter to the Cape Cod Commission claiming it had never heard of anywhere in . . .
Residents weigh in on wind ordinance
ANTRIM — In the third public hearing held Monday on a proposed large-scale wind ordinance, the Planning Board took feedback from residents on both sides of the issue, with comments focusing on tower height and noise restrictions. Jesse Lazar, vice-chair of the Planning Board, said there would be no further changes made to the ordinance before voting on March 13. However, should the ordinance pass, amendments could be made at future Town Meetings, and he encouraged residents to continue to . . .
Peru committee considers wind turbine noise levels
PERU — The town Wind Ordinance Committee discussed the issue of turbine sound at its Wednesday night meeting. The committee voted to have a safety setback from property lines, roadways and public areas that is three times the height of a turbine, which would most likely amount to 1,500 feet, Chairman Bill Hine said. When discussion switched to turbine sound, questions and concerns were raised. Ann Erickson, of Sumner, said she attended a meeting in Augusta with the Bureau of . . .
Second developer dumps wind turbine project
BLISSFIELD — A second developer involved in a wind-turbine project proposed for southern Lenawee County has bailed out. juwi Wind USA, the Colorado-based domestic subsidiary of a German company, has terminated a study of the 493-foot towers’ potential impact on aviation at Toledo Express Airport, and a company spokesman said Wednesday the reason is that juwi is withdrawing from the area. “We have terminated the study because we were going to receive a Declaration of Hazard,” said Aaron Peterson, the . . .
Judge says Austin has standing to appeal Dennis turbine
ORLEANS DISTRICT COURT — Orleans District Court Judge Brian Merrick on Feb. 3 confirmed Rosemarie Austin’s right to appeal the Dennis Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Committee’s decision to allow Aquacultural Research Corporation to build a 242-foot wind turbine on its property adjacent to Chapin Beach in Dennis. Claiming that the turbine would obstruct her view and devalue her property, Austin’s appeal sent the case to the regional Old King’s Highway Commission, which overturned the local decision. ARC appealed . . .
