LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

State, counties clash over solar and wind regulations 

Credit:  By Josh Ayen | WANE | Mar 1, 2021 | www.wane.com ~~

County planning commissioners across the state, including here in northeast Indiana, have grown concerned in recent weeks over a state bill centered on solar and wind energy regulations.

The bill in question is H.B. 1381, which passed the Indiana House by a vote of 58-to-38 in mid-February. H.B. 1381 establishes statewide standards for commercial wind and solar energy projects. Local permit authorities, such as a planning commission, would not be able to impose more stringent restrictions that are listed in the bill.

Last Friday, the Allen County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution opposing the House bill, saying, “decisions regarding wind and solar development are best made by the citizens living in the community, rather than by the wind and solar industry or State officials who live outside the community.”

County commissioners in Kosciusko and Wells Counties have voiced similar concerns. In a Facebook post, the Wells County Area Plan Commission wrote that the county’s current ordinances on commercial wind development and solar energy could be removed less restrictive measures outlined in H.B. 1381. New Haven Mayor Steve McMichael also shared his opposition to the bill on Facebook.

“County and municipal government should be allowed to make local land planning decisions, not the statehouse,” McMichael wrote.

Eric Hesher from Avilla-based Renewable Energy Systems is one of multiple companies that work in the renewable energy industry that would be impacted by this bill. Hesher believes there needs to be some balance between what is determined at the state and county levels.

“Statewide standards for commercial wind and solar projects can be beneficial for the long-term growth of renewables in Indiana,” Hesher said.

However, Hesher added that needs to be balanced by the unique circumstances that each county encounters.

“There’s some counties that haven’t spent time with developing a lot of policies,” Hesher said. “In the end I think counties need to be able to determine what’s the final say in their own communities.”

H.B. 1381 is currently being reviewed by the Indiana Senate. If passed, the bill will head to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk to be signed into law.

Source:  By Josh Ayen | WANE | Mar 1, 2021 | www.wane.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon