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Wind Power News: April 2011
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.
The answer is money
Brian Duncan, president of the Ogle County Farm Bureau, wrote in the guest column in the April 14 Oregon Republican Reporter. He asked in the lengthy column; “if set backs of a half mile are truly necessary to public health and safety as many have agreed, why are we allowing them to be sold?” I believe the answer is money. Wind energy will never stop our dependency on foreign oil. However, what it will create is electricity at least three . . . Complete story »
Winds of controversy
Retired Vermont dairy farmer Don Nelson says he has a simple “smell test” for the local wind energy project being promoted by a utility owned by Montreal-based Gaz Métro. It’s based on the premise that the natural beauty of Vermont is considered so valuable the state doesn’t allow advertising billboards on its highways. Weigh that against the project proposed by Green Mountain Power that would blast rock and bulldoze forest on the state’s famed mountain ridges to install wind turbines . . . Complete story »
Concerns must be addressed: MOE
Provincial officials say approvals can be withheld Municipal councillors from across Grey County were told Thursday that wind farm proponents must address their – and the public’s – concerns before the Ministry of Environment will approve the projects. The point was made repeatedly by Katharine Simpson, the senior program support coordinator with the ministry’s environmental assessment and approvals branch, at the warden’s forum. The first half of the annual get-together for municipal council members focused on renewable energy and the Green Energy . . . Complete story »
Some Ashburnham residents wary of wind-turbine plan
The proposed wind turbine on Ashburnham’s Blood Hill has neighboring residents worried about its effects, including noise, lowered property values and potential health problems, they said this week. Ginger Wall and her husband, Tom Wallerstein, brought their concerns to the members of the Ashby Board of Selectmen Wednesday night and said the site of the wind farm can be seen from their Whitney Street backyard. They are among a handful of residents in town who have joined together to voice . . . Complete story »
Wind farm foes rally at siting council office
PROSPECT – A local group opposed to a West Hartford company’s proposal to build two wind turbines off New Haven Road assembled Thursday afternoon outside the Connecticut Siting Council’s New Britain headquarters to demand some answers. About 60 residents attended the rally to demand to know why the siting council failed to substantially mention any findings based on testimony that Save Prospect Corp. filed, said Tim Reilly, Save Prospect president. “Our facts aren’t in there,” Reilly said. “We are quite concerned . . . Complete story »
Ripley Wind Project company buys out four homes
Four homes within the 38-turbine, 76-megawatt Ripley Wind Power Project have been purchased by owners Suncor and Acciona Energy, as a solution to resolve the ongoing issues some residents within the project have been dealing with since it was built in 2007. Acciona’s Paul Austin said the companies have worked with the Ripley stakeholders for some time, determining “it was it the best interest of the project, the companies and the community to purchase the homes.” Austin said by offering . . . Complete story »
State rejects KPCL’s proposal on wind farm
Bangalore: The State Government has rejected the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited’s proposal seeking permission to install a wind farm at the bio-sensitive area in Kapatgal in Chitradurga district. Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Minister for Forest and Environment C.H. Vijayashankar said the department had declared and notified Kapatgal hilly region and its surrounding forest area as “medicinal forest area” and barred industrial activities. Bio-sensitive regions Stating that the department was planning to declare several other regions as “bio-sensitive”, the Minister . . . Complete story »
Judge recommends county wind ordinance not be applied to Goodhue Wind project
Goodhue County’s wind power ordinance should not be applied to a project proposed by Goodhue Wind, a judge said Friday in her recommendation to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Administrative Law Judge Kathleen Sheehy said that she found good cause not to apply many provisions of the county ordinance, passed last October, to Goodhue Wind’s 78 megawatt, 52-turbine project. “It was really a comprehensive review, and she was very professional and even-handed in the way she developed it,” said Joe . . . Complete story »
Wind in protesters’ sails
Opponents of an eight-turbine wind farm at Broadmeadows were given cause for optimism this week when plans for a larger facility on the Minch Moor, south of Walkerburn, were rejected. Scottish Government appeals reporter Robert Maslin upheld last August’s decision by Scottish Borders Council to refuse the Minch bid by Vattenfall Wind Power. Mr Maslin based his conclusion on the “unacceptable landscape and visual effects … which clearly outweigh general support for onshore wind energy development contained in national policy”. . . . Complete story »
Wind focus at forum
Officials with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment are trying to assure local councils that they do have the ability to offer input into wind projects. And that input must be addressed by the proponents of those projects before the province will allow them to go ahead. But some people are still wondering how they can be sure their concerns will be adequately addressed. Staff from Grey County as well as Councillors from the nine municipalities took part in the . . . Complete story »
