| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind Power News: May 2010
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Wellfleet selectmen raise objections to wind energy bill
WELLFLEET – The Wellfleet selectmen, who on March 30 killed the possibility of an industrial wind turbine in town, voted on Tuesday to send a letter to state Sen. Rob O’Leary and state Rep. Sarah Peake, urging them to kill House Bill 4687, the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act. They were warned about this act several weeks earlier by two citizens who had opposed the Wellfleet turbine, and Selectman Ira Wood drafted the letter which the board then agreed to send . . . Complete story »
Oregon wind farm violates state noise regulations
People living near the Willow Creek wind farm in Morrow Country felt the winds shift in their favor this week. Tuesday night The Morrow County Planning Commission found the plant in violation of state noise regulations. OPB’s David Nogueras has more. The Willow Creek farm is made up of about 50 turbines. The project went online in January 2009, but the complaints began soon after the giant blades began to turn. Dan Williams of Boardman told the Associated Press that . . . Complete story »
Sick residents claim wind farm 'torture'
A small group of wind farm opponents has mounted a protest on the steps of the Victorian Parliament, complaining of health problems caused by turbines. The Waubra residents say the 128-turbine wind farm in their community causes sleep deprivation, headaches, high blood pressure and heart palpitations. They formed a small rally on the steps of Parliament a week after the opposition announced its election policy for greater controls of wind farms. Donald Thomas, 51, lives on a farm at Evansford . . . Complete story »
Planners say wind farm is too noisy; Commission gives Willow Creek six months to comply
After hours of testimony and months of deliberation and delay, the Morrow County Planning Commission decided the Willow Creek wind farm is in violation of state noise standards at nearby homes. Like every development in the case so far, however, the commission’s vote was not simple. While first deliberating the subject at its Tuesday night meeting, commissioners seemed at odds, confused by the parade of acoustical experts and lawyers who previously spoke for and against the wind farm. “I have . . . Complete story »
Expert warns of turbines' effect on 'soundscape'
HAMMOND – A sound expert told the Wind Advisory Committee that Hammond’s “rural soundscape” will be changed with the construction of wind turbines and that it would be foolish to take any wind developer’s sound level plan as gospel. Clifford P. Schneider, Cape Vincent, who retired from the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Fish and Wildlife Division, told the committee that he became interested in measuring wind turbine sound in 2006, after he was appointed to Cape Vincent’s Town Council. With . . . Complete story »
Wind power or hot air? Don't sacrifice WNC's ridges to industrial greed
At a November forum on wind power at UNCA, a young staffer from a regional activist group puffed that he had dedicated his life to fighting mountaintop-removal coal mining, blustering that he wasn’t about to let “these NIMBYs” who oppose industrializing Western North Carolina’s ridge tops stand in his way. As a child of coal country, I share his anger over mountaintop-removal mining. But as a renewable-energy advocate with significant wind experience, I find his passion for utility-scale wind power . . . Complete story »
Senator sees wind farm 'rip-off'
The three children in the back seat were misbehaving instead of enjoying the spectacular beauty of Nantucket Sound as the car hummed slowly along a Cape Cod road. Actually, the youngest, Kyomi, stayed out of the ruckus. Cindy and Neal were tussling and I finally turned around to yell at them. Pow! I ran right into the back of a car that stopped suddenly. Happily, no one was hurt and there was no major damage. I made a solemn vow: . . . Complete story »
East Longmeadow Town Meeting votes against 'going green'
EAST LONGMEADOW – Voters rejected a stretch energy code that would require stricter regulations for contractors building new homes or additions during the continuation of the annual Town Meeting held Monday at East Longmeadow High School. Residents attended the continuation of the May 17 town meeting after the meeting was halted when there was no longer a quorum. Residents voted on Articles 21 through 30 during the meeting rejecting all four articles that would designate the town as a green community. . . . Complete story »
Massive wind turbine under fire from above and below
Architects and developers often run into objections, and the scheme to install a massive wind turbine on Corstorphine Hill is no exception. But the ambitious plans have found themselves under fire from above and below ground over claims they will interfere with everything from planes to badgers. The owners of a Cold War nuclear bunker on the site have applied to build a 190ft turbine to raise money for the bunker’s restoration and eventual reopening as a tourist attraction. The . . . Complete story »
Tyranny of the turbine
I am a farmer in southwest Minnesota, and live very near an intersection of the Northern Border natural gas pipeline and a major electricity transmission line. Three hundred megawatts’-worth of wind turbines have already been installed here, and at least 300 MW more are in the permitting and development stage (HCN, 12/21/09 & 1/4/10). I am now in deep conflict within my own noggin. I thought that I would welcome the turbines. I now hate them while at the same time . . . Complete story »
