November 11, 2016
Pennsylvania

No action on changes to wind energy ordinance

By Judy Dolgos-Kramer | November 10, 2016 | www.tnonline.com

In August, Marcus Laurence of Hickory Run Forest asked the supervisors to consider enacting a tougher wind energy ordinance.

Last month, Laurence presented the board with a 13-page updated ordinance for consideration.

Laurence addressed the board on Monday evening, asking if they had reviewed the document and requested direction regarding getting the document before the township’s planning commission.

Township solicitor Thomas Nanovic agreed with Laurence that he did not think that the township’s fee schedule would apply to his request, but Nanovic said the document appears to be “very technical” and detailed and would require the services of an engineer in the minimum and possibly an expert in the field to review it, as well as himself.

Nanovic indicated that those costs could be Laurence’s responsibility.

When Laurence pushed for an opportunity to move the matter forward, Nanovic said the board was hesitant to proceed while the current application of Atlantic Wind is before the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas.

“We had thought that it would be best to wait out the current application before taking any action,” Nanovic said. “It isn’t a good idea to make changes when passions are running so high.”

Laurence countered by saying that his group would prefer to have the changes in place sooner rather than later in case Atlantic Wind should withdraw their current application and revise it and reapply.

Nanovic balked at the idea.

“That would appear that the township were amending on ordinance to exclude a particular applicant, and that would not be OK,” Nanovic said.

Laurence corrected himself saying that it was their intention to stop any “similar” applications from anyone, including Atlantic Wind from applying in the future.

Nanovic said that the board would have to discuss possible implications further before making any decisions.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/11/11/no-action-on-changes-to-wind-energy-ordinance/