June 24, 2011
Connecticut

Colebrook wind farms skirted new state law

BY ALEC JOHNSON, REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN, www.rep-am.com 24 June 2011

COLEBROOK – A bill that becomes effective July 1 requiring the Connecticut Siting Council to develop regulations for wind turbines could have put the brakes on two wind farms approved earlier this month for Rock Hall and Flagg Hill roads.

The bill originally included a provision that would have required the council to stop its consideration of pending applications until regulations are adopted.

However, at the request of local legislators Rep. John B. Rigby, R-Colebrook, and Rep. Vickie O. Nardello, D-Prospect, that was changed. They were acting at the request of FairwindCT, the most vocal opponent to the turbines in Colebrook.

Nardello, the bill’s sponsor, at first wanted a moratorium on all wind projects in the state while the petition for Prospect was being vetted. Nardello said that after the council rejected the Prospect petition, she consulted with Fairwind and told them the legislation could remain as it was, which would require an immediate moratorium on wind development until regulations are passed; or it could be changed so pending projects would be excluded from the legislation. “At that point things weren’t decided,” Nardello said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/06/24/colebrook-wind-farms-skirted-new-state-law/