Wind Power News: Pennsylvania
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.
We're off to see … the wonderful scam
An amazed Dorothy looked at the big, gleaming, gold, onion-shaped cupolas atop the Holy Ascension Orthodox Church. ”Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more,” she said. ”We must be over the rainbow!”
Then Dorothy looked past the cupolas, to where huge and ungodly structures dominated the horizon. ”Never mind, Toto,” she said. ”We’re still in Kansas after all.”
Actually, they were not in Kansas, and they certainly were not in the Land of Oz. They were in the Schuylkill . . .
Board rejects eight wind turbines
The Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board Monday followed a directive by Fayette County Judge Ralph C. Warman and granted approval for a wind turbine project for Georges and Springhill townships — sort of.
Following a 25-minute executive session, the zoning board unanimously approved a motion that granted special exceptions for 14 proposed wind turbines but denied special exceptions for eight wind turbines.
The board also denied a variance from setback requirements for the eight turbines on which variances were requested. All . . .
14 wind turbines approved for Georges and Springhill townships
Fayette County’s zoning hearing board on Monday issued a split decision on an Oregon company’s request for special exceptions for 22 wind turbines, granting 14 of the requests while rejecting eight others.
The board granted height variances for all of the turbines — each proposed tower is to be 262.5 feet tall, or 12.5 feet higher than was allowed under a county ordinance in effect at the time of Iberdrola Renewables’ application.
The board then denied setback variances and special exceptions that . . .
Special exemption for wind turbines in Fayette eliminated
Fayette County commissioners on Thursday approved an amendment to the county zoning ordinance that eliminates the need for a special exception for wind turbines.
Commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of the amendment, with Angela Zimmerlink dissenting.
Prior to yesterday’s action, a special exception and approval by the zoning hearing board were required to erect wind turbines on land zoned for agricultural and industrial use.
With passage of the amendment, wind turbines are now a permitted use in those areas, eliminating the need for . . .
Windmills receive county support
In a split decision on Thursday, the Fayette County commissioners voted to amend the county zoning ordinance to allow windmills/wind turbines as a permitted use in certain zoning districts, eliminating the need for wind energy companies to seek approval from the zoning hearing board.
Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites voted in favor of the change, and Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink voted against it.
The change will allow wind turbines in the zones of A-1, agricultural rural, M-1, light industrial . . .
Windmill application debated
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — The Butler Township code enforcement officer was in the hot seat Wednesday night as attorneys grilled him on the steps he took in issuing a zoning permit regarding a proposed wind farm project.
In particular, attorney Anthony Urban, Fountain Springs, asked again and again if written descriptions of the project, a plan to construct 27 electricity-generating windmills, proposed by Broad Mountain Development Co., a Rich family company, accompanied the permit issued Feb. 4, 2008.
He represented the 44 residents . . .
Windmills receive county support
In a split decision on Thursday, the Fayette County commissioners voted to amend the county zoning ordinance to allow windmills/wind turbines as a permitted use in certain zoning districts, eliminating the need for wind energy companies to seek approval from the zoning hearing board.
Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites voted in favor of the change, and Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink voted against it.
The change will allow wind turbines in the zones of A-1, agricultural rural, M-1, light industrial . . .
Fayette zoning board delays decision on wind turbines
The Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board will wait until June 29 to render a decision on an Oregon company’s request for a special exception and variances for 22 wind turbines, despite a judge’s order compelling it to grant the approvals.
The delay followed a court-ordered public hearing Wednesday on the request by Iberdrola Renewables.
The board originally indicated it would take up to 45 days from yesterday’s hearing to make its decision, but it backpedaled after two attorneys warned the longer delay . . .
Wind turbine ruling delayed
The company granted approval this year to construct an electricity-generating wind turbine project in Fayette County when a judge overturned a decision denying the request by the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board will have to wait a bit longer for the board’s ruling.
Despite objections from attorneys for the wind turbine company and a landowner participating in the project, the zoning board voted Wednesday to rule on the request within 45 days.
Zoning board solicitor Gretchen Mundorff said under the statue, . . .
Supervisor talks about windmill farms
“We need to protect the whole town.”
That was the statement from Barton Town Supervisor Leon “Dick” Cary with regard to the municipality’s drive toward enacting legislation aimed at regulating windmill farms.
The town council currently had a first draft of a document entitled “a preliminary compilation of wind energy facility ordinance language, using elements selected from existing town laws and related recommendations.”
This preliminary document was developed by a subcommittee of the town’s planning board. That main focus of that subcommittee was . . .
