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Wind Power News: April 2015
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.
Wind project has producers split on benefits, costs
Some see giant wind turbines as an obstruction. To Norm Rasmussen, they’re “majestic.” As Lincoln County officials write rules for wind towers into their zoning ordinance, landowners are split over whether a wind energy project is right for them. The proposed Dakota Power Community Wind project is still in the testing phase, but it has met much opposition already. If approved, hundreds of towers would cover much of southern Lincoln County. They would connect to a new transmission system being . . . Complete story »
Lighthouse Wind opponents urge action at gathering
BARKER – Too big. Too close. Standing next to a model of the 570-foot turbines proposed for a 200-megawatt wind energy project in Orleans and Niagara counties, members of two groups opposed to industrial wind farms warned and urged residents to take an active role in fighting Lighthouse Wind. Both Save Ontario Shores, which formed to fight the project, and Great Lakes Wind Truth spoke to a crowd nearing 200 people that had filled the fire hall in Barker, a village . . . Complete story »
MD of Pincher Creek takes on wind turbine lights
The municipal district councillors want to discuss wind turbine aviation warning lights with federal regulators. Reeve Brian Hammond amended a letter from council to the federal transport minister, Lisa Raitt, and MP John Barlow, to include both a request for a review of wind turbine lighting regulations and an appeal for a meeting with the minister or senior officials. “I appreciate very much council’s willingness to look at this issue and consider it as one of some significance,” Hammond said. . . . Complete story »
County delays wind decision
Monday’s Commissioner Court meeting was one of the rare occasions when additional seating had to be brought in to accommodate the additional guests. Though it was a short agenda, the reason for the crowd became obvious when they reached discussion of possibly passing a proclamation opposing a wind farm in Mason County. Judge Jerry Bearden opened up the floor to the guests and allowed them to share their positions with members of the Court. John Olson, who had provided the . . . Complete story »
Message to the Natural Resources Committee Regarding LD 911 and Scenic Impact
This is the message I sent to the Maine Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee, including the photos. It is NOT too late to email or call the Committee members to do the right thing and pass LD 911, which includes a greater scenic impact zone for the ever larger wind turbines and putting cumulative impact into the law as criteria. Here is the link to the Committee: http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/jt_com/enr.htm My Testimony: As you consider LD 911 in your committee work . . . Complete story »
Developer ‘still interested’ in Horse Creek wind project in Clayton
CLAYTON – Though the developer of the Horse Creek Wind Farm project ceased planning efforts more than two years ago, it remains interested in possibly reviving its proposal. “We still have meteorological towers and land leases there, so we remain interested in that community,” Paul N. Copleman, spokesman for Iberdrola Renewables, said Tuesday in an email. “New York has a proven track record of successfully integrating new renewable energy sources, so we are generally optimistic.” Mr. Copleman could not provide further . . . Complete story »
Time to end the Production Tax Credit once and for all
If we want to build a healthier American economy, Congress must stop supporting special interests at the expense of our nation’s economic potential. The Production Tax Credit is a prime example of just how much this self-destructive pattern hurts competition, enables waste and works against the middle class. Created in 1992 as a temporary provision to encourage investment in nascent forms of energy, the PTC has ballooned from a short term boost to aid innovation into a massive handout for . . . Complete story »
Wind power players gather in Falmouth
Clouds have gathered and a little of that pre-storm feeling of electricity is in the air, but whether the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts will grow into a hurricane of turbine-spinning development or simply blow over, with barely a breeze, remained uncertain at a Wednesday meeting of wind power players in Falmouth. But if steel gets in the water, as offshore wind developers say, it could be a very big storm. “There’s a significant amount of power potential,” said Bill . . . Complete story »
Wind farms the worst idea since Cash for Clunkers
Remember Cash for Clunkers? That 2009 government program that spent $6 billion to save $1 billion? Imagine walking up to a person and saying, “I want to save some money; I’ll give you six dollars if you give me one dollar back.” Genius. Leave it to Congress to devise (and enact) such brilliance. There are dozens of government programs like these – all failures. The reason why is easy to understand: the government has no money of its own. It can . . . Complete story »
Outlander author Diana Gabaldon condemns “insane” plan to industrialise Rannoch Moor with vast wind farm
The author of the historical drama, has now intervened by condemning the plans for the Talladh a Bheithe wind farm, near Loch Rannoch, claiming it would be “insane” to damage tourism in this way. Outlander author Diana Gabaldon has condemned plans for a wind farm near Loch Rannoch where scenes for the new epic TV serialisation of her work were filmed. If approved, the Talladh a Bheithe wind farm would see 24 wind turbines, each 125m tall, together with 12.8km . . . Complete story »