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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.
Legislature v. IDA is no contest
The IDA should be very, very wary of trying to thwart the will of the Legislature. Important development decisions such as these, which have long-term ramifications for the entire county, should not be made by a board that was never elected by the people. Complete story »
Wind turbine noise: Temporary maximum limits draws complaints
HOLLAND – A staunch critic of industrial wind projects told Holland residents this week who are worried about a big wind turbine coming to a local farm that they could see tougher sound standards in the future. Annette Smith of Vermonters for a Clean Environment was hoping that the state utility regulators on the Public Service Board would heed concerns and complaints about noise and health impacts and lower the maximum level of sound allowed at homes near industrial-sized wind turbines. . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine opposition group present at Union County Fair
ALCESTER, South Dakota | The Union County Fair hosts everything from a 4-H rabbit show to a smile contest. This year it also includes a booth aimed at blocking an industrial wind zone in the area. Wind Energy Concerns about Rural Environment, or WE-CARE, is a nonprofit organization opposed to a proposed wind farm of 500 to 700 wind turbines in southern Lincoln and northern union counties. “Our point is, people see wind turbines and they think ‘green energy,’ but . . . Complete story »
Selectmen propose wind turbine mediation
Town officials agreed to pursue an alternate path to resolve the numerous wind turbine lawsuits filed against the town by offering mediation to the plaintiffs. On Monday night, July 25, Board of Selectmen Chairman Douglas H. Jones announced the board had just voted in executive session to authorize Town Manager Julian M. Suso, Town Council Frank A. Duffy Jr. and the town’s insurer, Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association, to participate in mediation with all parties in pending wind turbine litigation to . . . Complete story »
Upstate power play: Governor Cuomo’s renewable-energy push gets dirty
New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s renewable-energy ambitions are running headlong into the hard realities of maintaining a reliable electric grid. On July 8, the New York Independent System Operator, the agency charged with managing the state’s grid, provided comments on the governor’s plan to require utilities to get 50 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2030. The NYISO maintains that to keep the lights on, the state will have to spend heavily on new transmission infrastructure to accommodate more renewables, . . . Complete story »
Why utilities and environmentalists are teaming up against the solar industry
Environmentalists don’t always see eye to eye with Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s two largest utilities. But some of the state’s most influential environmental groups have joined forces with the utilities to support a massive conservation and clean energy plan, in the face of opposition from the solar and wind industries. Officials are close to finalizing the far-reaching plan, which would divvy up 10 million acres of federal land in the California desert between conservation, energy . . . Complete story »
Lawyer: Board could restrict how close skiers get to wind turbines at Balsams
Waugh said he reached that conclusion after meeting with a lawyer for Dixville Capital. (InDepthNH.org is a nonprofit watchdog news website at www.indepthnh.org) “But you certainly have the authority to impose any conditions you think necessary to protect the skiing public from any perceived dangers relating to the wind towers,” Waugh told the board. Waugh said Dixville Capital could give the board a safety plan that would describe how skiers would be protected if conditions are likely to create huge . . . Complete story »
High Court action looms over wind-farm project
The Ballyroan-based anti-wind farm group People Over Wind (POW) is considering its legal options of either serving a High Court injunction or seeking a judicial review on Coillte at its wind farm development in the Cullenagh Mountain. The move comes after POW claimed that Coillte began work on trenches in the Cullenagh Mountain to connect its wind farm to the national grid in the past week. POW claims that such works cannot proceed, if at all, until An Bord Pleanála . . . Complete story »
Dunne’s new wind stance draws criticism — and surprising praise
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Dunne on Friday put out a new wind-turbine siting policy statement that drew a bevy of criticism from renewable energy advocates – and praise from one of his competitors. “If a town says no to a large industrial wind project I would use all the power of the governor’s office to ensure that is the end of the project,” Dunne said in his statement. “I will ensure that no means no.” Supporters of wind energy strongly oppose . . . Complete story »
Morgan: Select Board seeks town plan to protect against wind projects
MORGAN – The town of Morgan isn’t waiting for confirmation that a developer wants to put up a large wind turbine in town. Townspeople voted almost unanimously last week to oppose industrial wind projects at a special meeting called by the select board. Now, the select board will press for an updated town plan to give the town a say with state utility regulators on siting. The meeting on July 18 drew more than 100 people who wanted to discuss the . . . Complete story »
