Wind Power News: March 2013
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.
Lawmaker pushes for wind turbine lawsuit bill
GLENMORE– A state lawmaker wants to make it easier to sue owners of wind turbines. Republican Sen. Frank Lasee of De Pere says families in the Brown County town of Glenmore are suffering from adverse health effects and lower property values. But the way the laws are written now, it is difficult for families to sue the owners of the turbines. Sen. Lasee says his new bill would help those who claim to suffer from physical or financial loss will . . . Complete story »
Vermont Senate: Study turbine impacts
It started as a moratorium, but it ended as a study. That’s the short-story version of a bill that initially had proposed a three-year ban on development of large-scale wind turbines in Vermont. Several amendments later, the bill – as approved by the state Senate Thursday – calls for a study of wind power’s impacts and the manner in which turbines are approved. But it makes no immediate changes to a controversial permitting process that some claim overlooks local interests. Nonetheless, advocates . . . Complete story »
Scituate says no to combining wind turbine studies
A Scituate board of health member said he is skeptical about a plan from wind turbine neighbors who want to conduct their own sound study concurrently with one commissioned by the board. The neighbors, who say the turbine is hurting their health, announced earlier this week they would hire an acoustical engineer to test the noise levels of the turbine. They want their study to be performed on the same nights as the study conducted by Tech Environmental, the firm . . . Complete story »
Kingston BOH misses yet another public hearing deadline, pushes date for flicker hearing back 21 days
In the first order of business at Monday night’s Board of Health (BOH) meeting, BOH-member Dan Sapir informed his board that they had missed yet another deadline to advertise an upcoming hearing on shadow flicker. The public hearing, which was planned for April 1, failed to meet a regulation (Chapter 40a, Section 11) that requires all public hearings be advertised at least 14 days in advance. The public hearing scheduled for April 1 was first advertised in The Kingston Reporter . . . Complete story »
Cheers & Jeers: ‘The hidden nature of deals’
Nancy Carney of Sharpsville sends this Jeer for wind farms: “I live in Liberty Township, in Sharpsville, and I oppose industrial wind turbines going up in any area of Tipton County. “At the BZA meeting on March 20, we were told that we were allowed two minutes for what we wanted to say. We were originally told we would have four minutes. I had prepared two speeches: one speech was prepared for four minutes, and another was prepared for three . . . Complete story »
Proposed bill to allow people to sue over wind turbine damages
Wisconsin State Senator Frank Lasee says he plans to introduce legislation that would give families that have been physically, emotionally or financially harmed by industrial wind turbines the legal right to sue for damages. As part of the measure, Lasee says his bill will enable anyone who is harmed by 500-foot industrial wind turbines the ability to sue the wind tower owner, as well as the owner of the land on which the tower is located, for loss of property . . . Complete story »
Turbine fight goes visual
Campaigners have gone visual as they continue to fight against a controversial windfarm application on the edge of Morpeth. An artist’s impression of one of the four turbines proposed for a site at the former Tranwell Airfield has been placed behind a photograph of St Mary’s Church in Stannington to show the difference in size. The parish councils of Meldon, Mitford, Stannington and Whalton are all opposed to the scheme and more than 300 objections have now been lodged against . . . Complete story »
Consider all options in state greenhouse-gas study
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is good for the Earth and the humans who live on it. Given that, it’s no surprise Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposal to study reducing greenhouse gas emissions had bipartisan (mostly Democratic) support when it won final approval of the Legislature last week. But limiting the scope of the study so it does not look at all viable options as well as the economic realities will produce an incomplete look at things. A Republican amendment to Inslee’s . . . Complete story »
City positions itself for possible appeal of wind farms
MANVERS TWP. – The City of Kawartha Lakes is positioning itself for a possible appeal if three wind farms are approved in the former Manvers Township. City solicitor Tony Sutcliffe tabled a report on appeal options for Sumac Ridge wind farm at Tuesday’s (Mar. 26) city council meeting. It is proposed for the former Manvers Township as are two other wind farms, with a combined 15 industrial wind turbines. Sutcliffe said that under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act, anyone, including a . . . Complete story »
Fears wind turbines will deter tourists
Lilliesleaf tourism operator Jane Cameron is supporting calls to save our landscape amidst fears too many wind turbines will affect tourism. Jane of Dimpleknowe holiday cottage and golf course has rented out two self catering cottages since 1975, with customers returning year after year. “It’s in our interests to keep the beautiful unspoilt landscape and protect the rural economy,” she said. Borders Network, a group opposing the ‘inappropriate’ siting of turbines, which Jane supports, this week claimed increasing numbers of . . . Complete story »
