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    These postings are provided to help publicize and provide examples of the efforts of affiliated groups and individuals related to industrial wind energy development. Most of the notices posted here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch.


    posted:  September 7, 2018
    Action alerts, Iowa, WildlifePrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    Request to “take” endangered, threatened, and protected bats and bald eagles

    In accordance with the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) in support of an application from MidAmerican Energy Company (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) for the federally endangered Indiana bat, federally threatened northern long-eared bat, and federally protected bald eagle; also included in the permit would be the little brown bat and tricolored bat. The take is expected to result from operation of wind turbines in 22 counties in Iowa. Also available for review is the Service’s draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), which was prepared in response to the application. We are seeking public comments on the draft HCP and DEIS.

    We will accept hardcopy comments received or postmarked on or before October 1, 2018. Comments submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001 (see ADDRESSES) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 15, 2018.

    The Service will announce future meetings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, mailings, and/or online postings at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/rockisland/te/MidAmericanHCP.html.

    ADDRESSES:

    Obtaining Documents for Review: The documents this notice announces, as well as any comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for public inspection online in Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037 at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001.

    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

    We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001. This generally means that we will post online any personal information that you provide (see Public Availability of Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). We request that you send comments by only the methods described above.

    Reviewing EPA comments on the draft HCP and DEIS: See EPA’s Role in the EIS Process under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Schorg or Kraig McPeek, by phone at 309-757-5800.

    https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-18989

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    The Service has received an incidental take permit (ITP) application from the MidAmerican Energy Company in accordance with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant has prepared a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) in support of the ITP application and is seeking authorization for take of the federally endangered Indiana bat, federally threatened northern long-eared bat, and federally protected bald eagle, in addition to the little brown bat and tricolored bat. Little brown bat and tricolored bat are not federally protected, but they are currently being evaluated for protection under ESA. The applicant has chosen to include these as covered species, and they will be treated as if they were ESA listed. The ITP, if issued, would authorize incidental take of these species that may occur as a result of the operation of wind facilities in 22 Iowa counties over a 30-year permit term. The draft HCP describes how impacts to the covered species will be minimized and mitigated. The draft HCP also describes the covered species’ life history and ecology, biological goals and objectives, the estimated take and its potential impact on covered species’ populations, adaptive management and monitoring, and mitigation measures.

    The Service has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in response to the ITP application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). We are making the draft HCP and the DEIS available for public review and comment.

    Background

    Section 9 of the ESA and its implementing regulations prohibit the “take” of animal species listed as endangered or threatened. Take is defined under the ESA as to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect listed animal species, or to attempt to engage in such conduct” (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA, the Service may issue permits to authorize incidental take of listed species. Incidental take is defined by the ESA as take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity.

    Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA contains provisions for issuing incidental take permits to non-Federal entities for the incidental take of endangered and threatened species, provided the following criteria are met: (a) The taking will be incidental; (b) the applicant will minimize and mitigate, to the maximum extent practicable, the impact of such taking; (c) the applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate funding for the plan will be provided; (d) the taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and (e) the applicant will carry out any other measures that the Secretary of the Interior may require as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the HCP. An applicant may choose to cover nonlisted species in the HCP, and these species will be treated as ESA-listed species.

    Proposed Action

    We propose to issue a 30-year permit for incidental take of the Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, bald eagle, little brown bat, and tricolored bat if the MidAmerican HCP meets all the section 10(a)(1)(B) permit issuance criteria. The permit would authorize the take of these species incidental to the applicant’s operation of wind projects.

    Applicant’s Project

    MidAmerican Energy currently operates 22 Projects in Iowa, consisting of 2,021 turbines that vary by type and project. Detailed descriptions of the projects are found in section 2.0 of the HCP. All projects and turbines are within the range of the northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, tricolored bat, and eagle. Four projects have turbines within Indiana bat range (375 turbines). MidAmerican has developed a conservation program to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for impacts to covered species. Bald eagle-specific avoidance and minimization measures will include carrion removal in the vicinity of projects and livestock operator outreach. Reductions in scavenging opportunities are expected to reduce eagle use near wind projects. Bat-specific minimization measures were informed by extensive species presence-absence surveys, migration telemetry studies, and mortality monitoring. Minimization measures will include blade feathering below manufacturer’s cut-in speed at all projects from March 15 through November 15 from sunset to sunrise. Additionally, 4 projects (265 turbines) that are expected to have the highest risk to covered bat species and all bats will be feathered below 5.0 meters per second (m/s) July 15 through September 30 from sunset to sunrise when temperatures are below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Blade feathering consists of turning turbine blades parallel to the prevailing wind direction to reduce rotation of the turbine rotors, which in turn reduces the likelihood of bat-turbine collisions. MidAmerican will conduct an annual monitoring program at each project throughout the life of the permit to confirm take permit compliance.

    MidAmerican has committed to fully offsetting the impacts of the taking for all covered bat species through habitat restoration, preservation, and enhancement, as well as restoration and preservation of at-risk occupied artificial roost structures. Measures to offset the impacts to taking of bald eagles will include funding local or regional eagle rehabilitation, a toxic substance education and abatement program, and protection of key eagle nesting or foraging habitat.

    National Environmental Policy Act

    In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Service has prepared a DEIS, in which we analyze the proposed action and a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action.

    Seven alternatives are analyzed in the DEIS.

    The environmental consequences of each alternative were analyzed to determine if significant environmental impacts would occur.

    EPA’s Role in the EIS Process

    The EPA is charged with reviewing all Federal agencies’ EISs and commenting on the adequacy and acceptability of the environmental impacts of proposed actions in EISs. Therefore, EPA is publishing a notice in the Federal Register announcing this DEIS, as required under section 309 of the Clean Air Act. The publication date of EPA’s notice of availability is the official beginning of the public comment period. EPA’s notices are published on Fridays.

    EPA serves as the repository (EIS database) for EISs prepared by Federal agencies. All EISs must be filed with EPA, which publishes a notice of availability on Fridays in the Federal Register. You may search for EPA comments on EISs, along with EISs themselves, at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/​cdx-enepa-public/​action/​eis/​search.

    Public Availability of Comments

    We will post on https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001 all public comments and information received electronically or via hardcopy. Written comments we receive become part of the administrative record associated with this action. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety.


    posted:  September 7, 2018
    Economics, Impacts, Iowa, Law, Presentations, SafetyPrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  Coalition for Rural Property Rights

    Pros and Cons of Industrial Wind – presentation outline

    Pros

    1. Money – Warren Buffet’s MidAmerican Energy will receive $10 billion in tax credits for building wind turbines (Des Moines Register May 30, 2018}
    2. Avoiding less than 1% of worldwide CO₂ (AWEA, Wind Energy Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Statista, Global CO₂ emissions)
    3. Jobs. Wars and natural disasters make jobs, too.

    Cons

    1. Expensive – Wind turbines are not viable without Production Tax Credit and tax abatement.

      “Safe Harbor” is the mechanism that allows companies to claim the full PTC no matter when the project is started by having invested 5% of the total project cost in equipment or development. MidAmerican is invoking “safe harbor” for Wind XII.

    2. Wind turbines do not avoid a meaningful amount of CO₂ – far less than 1% of worldwide CO₂ emissions according to the American Wind Energy Association. The following link shows that people’s activities emit 35-40 billion metric tons of CO₂ every year. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276629/global-co2-emissions/
    3. Destroys world-class, non-renewable farm ground.
    4. Blades made of non-recyclable toxic materials (70 metric tons according to the specs of a Vestas V110-2.0). 57,000 US turbines will create 8,550,000,000 lbs of waste from blades alone.
    5. Impedes efficient aerial applications.
    6. Tile Damage
    7. Road Damage
    8. Shadow Strobing
    9. Ruins Views
    10. Noise – rural nighttime decibel level is 25, a Vestas V120-2.0 is rated at 110.5 decibels by the manufacturer.

      MN Administrative law judge recommends the Public Utilities Commission deny Invenergy’s Freeborn County Wind project unless they can prove their sound study.

      The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded observable effects of nighttime, outdoor noise levels of 40 dBA or higher will lead to diminished health. This also occurs when levels inside homes (especially bedrooms) rise above 30 dBA or contain non-steady and/or low-frequency noise.

      The American Wind Energy Association and Canadian Wind Energy Association–sponsored literature review entitled “Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects” acknowledges [that] wind turbine noise, including low frequency noise, may cause annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance and as a result, people may experience adverse physiological and psychological symptoms.

    11. Electromagnetic and Frequency Interference
    12. Vibration
    13. Air Turbulence
    14. Wake

      An excerpt from an Invenergy Neighbor Agreement, giving the developer an “exclusive easement on, over, under and across all of the Owner’s Property to permit Generating Units or other wind energy conversion systems on adjacent property or elsewhere to cast shadows or flicker onto the Owner’s Property; impact view or visual effects from the Owner’s Property; and cause or emit noise, vibration, air turbulence, wake, and electromagnetic and frequency interference”

    15. Health Impacts (from noise, vibration, air turbulence and wake)
    16. Decline in Property Values – See the studies of Mike McCann, expert appraiser but with number of people fighting to not live next to a wind turbine the decline of property values is almost a given. In counties that are educated on industrial wind only 5-10% of the people in a proposed project area will actually participate.

      In Iowa’s Clay/Dickinson Counties only 54 residences out of 244 in the proposed project area signed contracts. In Palo Alto County only 24 residences out of 268 in the proposed area signed contracts. In Sac and Ida Counties only about 5% of the people who signed will live next to a wind turbine. In Kossuth County the wind companies are trying to raise the height limit for turbines because they can get so few people to sign.

    17. Safety Concerns – Fire, ice throw, blade throw, trespass zoning

      GE’s ice throw equation is 1.5 X (hub height + rotor diameter)

      Turbine manufacturers Vestas and Nordex require a 1650 feet radius to be secured from a turbine in distress. The height of the turbines they are referring to do not exceed 350 feet in total height.

    18. Inadequate decommissioning plans

      MidAmerican – $13,000 per turbine
      Jonathan Knauth PE – $170,000 per turbine (2011)
      ISU’s Tom Wind PE – $200,000 per turbine (2012)

    19. Bird and bat kills

      USGS Economic Importance of Bats in Agriculture

      Wind companies given the right to kill 4200 Bald Eagles per company.

    20. Hurts community relationships

      Clinton County Missouri vs NextEra: https://www.wind-watch.org/video-clintoncounty.php

      Iowa Code 331.301 General powers and limitations: A county may, except as expressly limited by the Constitution, and if not inconsistent with the laws of the general assembly, exercise any power and perform any function it deems appropriate to protect and preserve the rights, privileges, and property of the county or of its residents, and to preserve and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort, and convenience of its residents.

    Requirements of the Iowa Utilities Board – Iowa Supreme Court Appellate Case Docket 18-0487

    1. Proving need.
    2. Holding proper informational meetings.
    3. Creating an official docket where the public can voice their objections.
    4. If there are many objections to hold a proper hearing.
    5. Environmental studies required.

    Some of the top wind opposition informational sites –
    National Wind Watch
    Stop These Things
    Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition
    Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions
    North American Platform Against Windpower
    Mothers Against Wind Turbines
    Waubra Foundation
    European Platform Against Windfarms


    posted:  April 17, 2018
    Environment, Health, Indiana, Information, Noise, WildlifePrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  Tipton County, Indiana, residents

    Wildcat Wind Complaints

    Click here to download all of the above in a single PDF.


    posted:  March 27, 2018
    Events, Health, OntarioPrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  Mothers Against Wind Turbines; West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group

    Understanding Stray Voltage and Industrial Wind Turbines

    Saturday April 21st 2018
    1pm to 5pm – doors open @ 12:00pm
    Covenant Christian School
    6470 Regional Rd 14
    Smithville, Ontario

    Free Event – Donations Graciously Accepted

    Speakers
    David Stetzer: IWT Fingerprint, Tuned Filters, IEEE Standards & Regulations, Hydro Regulations, How Stray Voltage Affects Us All
    Carmen Krogh: Preliminary Results: The Vacated Home Research Study

    Wind Turbines, Stray Voltage & Harm Reduction
    Interactive Panel Discussion with David Stetzer, Carmen Krogh, Alan Whiteley & Barb Ashbee

    Dine-With-Us Option: A full course, pay-per-plate offering is available for the evening portion of this event. Alan Whiteley will be our featured speaker.
    Time: 6pm
    Dinner Cost: $20/plate
    Dinner Includes: Salad, Chicken (pancetta cream sauce), roasted potatoes, vegetables, dessert and tea/coffee.
    Please email strayvoltagedinner@gmail.com or 905-562-7159 (Mary) to confirm your attendance for the Dine-With-Us paid dinner event.
    Please RSVP by April 11, 2018

    Dave Stetzer has been an electrician by training, education and experience for over 30 years. In 1975, Dave founded Stetzer Electric, Inc. and remains the president of the company to this day. Since the firm’s inception, Dave has specialized in power control in industry, municipalities, and motor control centers. For more than the past decade, Dave has focused more attention on power quality analysis and troubleshooting, which led to the founding of Stetzer Consulting. Dave Stetzer is a senior member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electrical Engineers), an expert witness in litigation suits in ground currents and power quality, co-author of peer reviewed papers in journals, producer of the documentary ‘Beyond Coincidence: The Perils of Electrical Pollution’, consultant for Ministers of Health in Kazakhstan, Middle East and Government Health Officials in Russia. He continues to be a sought after, integral contributor in research projects around the world.

    Carmen M Krogh is a full time volunteer and published researcher regarding health effects and industrial wind energy facilities. She shares information with communities; individuals; federal, provincial and public health authorities, wind energy developers; the industry; and others. An author and a co-author of peer reviewed articles and conference papers presented at wind turbine noise scientific conferences. A retired pharmacist whose career includes: senior executive positions at a teaching hospital (Director of Pharmacy); a drug information researcher at another teaching hospital; a Director of a professional organization; a Consultant at the Bureau of Human Prescription Drugs (Health Canada); and a Director (A) at Health Canada (PMRA). She is the former Director of Publications and Editor in Chief of the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS), the book used by physicians, nurses, and health professionals for prescribing information in Canada.

    Alan J Whiteley has been an attorney for over 30 years, is accredited by the Upper Canada Law Society, and has a consistently high rating with the Martindale-Hubbell Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers. He has been the Editor of University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, negotiated government defence contracts, and served as counsel to the Security Intelligence Review Committee (Canada). His experience includes serving as counsel for the arbitration of international commercial disputes as well as having served as counsel for internationally-based aerospace and airport organizations. He is legal counsel for the County Coalition for Safe and Appropriate Green Energy (CCSAGE) based in Prince Edward County, and in this capacity has undertaken to challenge various aspects of Ontario’s Green Energy Act via a Judicial Review. Mr Whiteley will be participating on the panel discussion and offering observations on the hurdles to be overcome to obtain legal remedy from experiencing negative effects of IWTs.

    Barb Ashbee and her husband were happy and healthy before a wind turbine project started up around their home causing serious adverse health effects that drove them to leave. Testing in their home showed out of compliance noise, infrasound and electrical pollution. It was a battle to get any meaningful information or assistance from the government. After hiring a lawyer, they settled with the company, were able to relocate and their symptoms subsided after moving. Almost 10 years later, the anger and dismay at what the government is doing to citizens has not lessened as the toll rises. Barb continues to advocate for resolution for victims impacted by wind energy and has communicated with and attended countless government and community meetings over the years.


    posted:  March 21, 2018
    Economics, Emissions, Environment, Essays, Health, Impacts, Information, Law, Noise, Property values, WildlifePrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  Coalition for Rural Property Rights

    Industrial wind turbines are being proposed in your community

    Industrial wind turbines are being proposed in your community.

    It may seem like a great opportunity but many people regret signing contracts, others regret not having fought them off and others have fought them off.

    These are the issues you should educate yourself on.

    1. Property values

    2. Electromagnetic and frequency interference

    3. Shadow flicker

    4. Noise

    5. Trespass zoning/safety

    6. Health concerns

    7. Farmland destruction

    8. Neighbor contracts

    9. No regulation, no due process, no protections

    10. Killing of wildlife

    11. Road destruction

    12. Suffering for the “greater good”

    12. Money

    Top sites to begin research. No, these folks are not funded by fossil fuels though the wind companies love to say it. All of these sites are purely volunteer, just doing what we believe to be right.

    Iowa’s own: Coalition for Rural Property Rights
    National Wind Watch
    Stop These Things
    Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition
    Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions
    North American Platform Against Windpower
    Mothers Against Wind Turbines
    Wind Concerns Ontario
    Waubra Foundation
    European Platform Against Windfarms


    posted:  January 19, 2018
    France, Impacts, Press releasesPrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  Fédération Environnement Durable

    Éolien: La révolte des territoires ruraux

    Aujourd’hui, en France, certains promoteurs éoliens tentent d’imposer leurs projets par la force, contraignant les riverains à créer des zones à défendre (ZAD) afin de préserver leur qualité de vie et d’empêcher le saccage industriel d’une nature rurale encore préservée.

    Depuis plus de 6 mois, dans plusieurs régions, des habitants de villages ruraux résistent aux forces de l’ordre envoyées par les autorités pour faire passer des convois acheminant des éoliennes par des petites routes de montagne ou de campagne, des chemins vicinaux, qu’il faut détruire, élargir, goudronner.

    Ces citoyens tentent d’empêcher des bulldozers de détruire des haies, d’arracher des arbres, de saccager des sites naturels. Ils refusent que des pelleteuses creusent de gigantesques cavités où seront déversés des milliers de tonnes de béton armé.

    Depuis plusieurs mois certains de ces résistants sont trainés devant les tribunaux comme des coupables de droit commun, alors que ces initiatives de désespoir sont le résultat de l’immense mépris des responsables du gouvernement et de l’indifférence du Ministre de l’Environnement Nicolas Hulot.

    Deux exemples emblématiques font la une des médias régionaux, deux collectifs anti-éoliens qui luttent jour et nuit depuis des mois :

    Le collectif des riverains de Bouriège qui résistent sur le pont du REC dans l’Aude

    L’Amassada de l’Aveyron qui refuse les 1000 éoliennes programmées, et le méga-transformateur d’EDF à Saint Victor de Melvieu

    La Fédération Environnement Durable regroupe un millier d’associations de toutes les régions de France. Elle n’utilise que des moyens légaux pour lutter contre l’envahissement de l’habitat rural par l’éolien industriel.

    Elle approuve le bien fondé du refus des projets éoliens concernés et lance une alerte : à terme, ces conflits risquent de conduire à des affrontements désespérés de plus en plus violents.

    La Fédération Environnement Durable estime que le gouvernement en portera l’entière responsabilité en voulant imposer le développement de l’éolien industriel par la force, et par des mesures de régression du droit de l’environnement par l’effet de la simplification des procédures juridiques.

    Paris le 18 janvier 2018

    Contact Presse :
    Jean-Louis Butré
    contact@environnementdurable.net
    06 80 99 38 08


    posted:  January 15, 2018
    Meetings, NoisePrint storyE-mail story

    Source:  INCE Europe

    Wind Turbine Noise 2019: June 12-14, 2019, Lisbon

    The Eighth International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise will be held in Lisbon, June 12-14, 2019.

    The conference will be held at the Altis Grand Hotel, Rua Castilho, 11, which is within walking distance of the popular areas of Baixa, Chiado and Bairro Alto. Our two main conference spaces are “Europa” and “Londres”.


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