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Wind Power News: July 2016
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 turbines killed eagles in Kerry-Cork, says parks service
Wind turbine blades have been responsible for the deaths of at least three white-tailed sea eagles in the Kerry-Cork area, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has revealed in a report to An Bord Pleanála. More than €1.5 million has been invested in the white-tailed sea eagle re-introduction programme based in the Killarney National Park, and it was now “at a very critical stage”, the wildlife service added, urging that planning permission for a major upland wind farm by ESB . . . Complete story »
Winds of discontent blow over Lake Ontario towns eyed for turbines
YATES – The 71 wind turbines proposed near Lake Ontario would be taller than the Washington Monument. They would be the tallest in the nation, so they would be hard to miss. But local residents see the prospect of turbines differently, and that has broken long friendships and created deep rifts in the two towns where they would rise. “We’re in the fight of our lives here,” said John Riggi of Yates, who fears the character of his Orleans County . . . Complete story »
Wind companies file 112 new tax petitions against Tuscola County, townships
Subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources L.L.C. have filed 112 new petitions against Tuscola County and several townships, once again contesting millions in taxes paid and forcing local jurisdictions to sit on revenue from wind turbines. Tuscola Bay Wind L.L.C. and Tuscola Wind II L.L.C. filed the petitions with the Michigan Tax Tribunal against Tuscola County and Gilford, Akron, and Fairgrove townships at the end of May. The state court verified the petitions July 19. For the third year in a . . . Complete story »
None of these raise a red flag?
When you finish reading these comments and events of the past several months concerning wind turbines, ask yourself, “Don’t any of these issues raise a red flag?” If you feel that most, many or even just some of these raise red flags, then why would the present Almer and Ellington Township Board officials even consider installing 500’ tall wind turbines so close to our homes without more research? Wind lease owners must sign a confidentiality agreement whereby they can’t be . . . Complete story »
Almer planning board recommends wind ordinance changes
CARO — The Almer Township Planning Commission voted Wednesday to recommend a series of changes to its wind ordinance after months of debate and discussion on the subject. Almer Charter Township Planning Commission approved 5-2 -with members Jim Mantey and Jason Emery voting against – a resolution to send 10 recommended changes to the Tuscola County Planning Commission for review. The recommendations address various aspects of wind turbine-related projects, including setbacks and the complaint resolution process. Akron resident – and . . . Complete story »
Denmark officials continue to review Copenhagen Wind Farm plans
DEER RIVER – Denmark town officials are continuing their lengthy review of a five-year-old, 80-megawatt wind farm project here, one of few remaining that predate a state-led permitting process. Town representatives – particularly engineer Kris D. Dimmick of Bernier, Carr & Associates, Watertown – spent an hour and a half Thursday reviewing any issues with plans for the Copenhagen Wind Farm and requesting additional information from developers. “That’s your homework,” town Planning Board Chairman Kevin Gaines told Christopher Smith from Fisher Associates, at . . . Complete story »
The false promise to Vermont’s towns
Some members of the Vermont Legislature are bragging that the energy bill that they passed this past session increases the authority of Vermont’s municipalities in energy siting decisions. The legislation, known at various times as S.230, S.260, and Act 174, includes a process by which regions and municipalities can elevate the importance of their plans so that instead of receiving the meaningless “due consideration,” they can receive the impressive-sounding “substantial deference.” This falls far short of the demands of the . . . Complete story »
Suffolk Closeup: No progress on wind power projects
Lee Foster and her husband Cliff are farmers in Sagaponack and early and leading supporters of the Suffolk County Farmland Preservation Program, said in a statement to the Suffolk Legislature’s Environment, Planning and Agriculture Committee: “Why is it that farmland is so quickly identified as something else? As to the County Farm at Yaphank and this recent issue of transformation into something solar, there is an underlying misconception that farmland is in excess, unimportant and won’t be missed. Actually, farmland is irreplaceable … and worse, this particular resource is vested by soil, sweat, easements and history that can’t be replaced or reincarnated.” Robert Carpenter, executive director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, testified that the placement of solar arrays on 25 acres at the County Farm would set a bad “precedent” for farmland designated for preservation by Suffolk County. Complete story »
Wind ordinance review committee gets started
The committee tasked with reviewing Henry County’s existing Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) ordinance met for the first time Thursday to allow committee members the opportunity to introduce themselves and map out an approach to how they intend to accomplish the work before them. Henry County Zoning Administrator Darrin Jacobs, who has no vote but is serving as the moderator for the group, explained the purpose of the committee’s first gathering. “Tonight was just an organizational meeting to give committee . . . Complete story »
Expect your electric bill to go up for the next few years
The price that electric consumers in Maine and New England pay to make sure there’s enough power to meet future demand will more than double next June and more than triple in June 2018, before easing in 2019. For a typical Central Maine Power home customer who uses 550 kilowatt-hours a month and has a bill of roughly $70, paying for adequate capacity adds roughly $4 to their current bill. That will rise to $10 or so in June 2017, . . . Complete story »