Wind Power News: Americas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch 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.
Douglass Township Planning Commission hosts contentious wind meeting
DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP – For the second time in two weeks, Douglass Township officials hosted a heated meeting centered on the township’s wind ordinance. More than 70 people attended Wednesday evening’s Planning Commission meeting, mostly via Zoom. The meeting immediately got off to a contentious start when Planning Commission chairman nominations were being accepted for the new year. Two nominations were offered – one for Jack Jeppesen (who was chairman last year) and one for Todd Wells. Doug Poulsen, a Douglass Township Board . . . Complete story »
New studies show pronghorn avoid wind turbines. But more work is being done to determine the exact toll and wind development expands.
“We know there is a negative effect, and we would fully expect that to translate that animals don’t eat as much, they don’t put on as much fat, they don’t survive the winter as well and have as many young, all of those are logical,” Kauffman said. “But our methods end up being somewhat crude when we try to connect that to reduced survival or population growth. They’re small incremental changes. And that’s one of the challenges we’re trying to overcome in a six-year study.” Complete story »
Borrello argues against freshwater wind turbines
Approval of a clean air and water amendment to the state constitution took a local turn earlier this week. State Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, voted against the amendment, which passed the state Senate in a 48-14 vote. While Borrello said he agrees with the aspirational goal of protecting clean air and water, he worried about unintended consequences of such a constitutional amendment, including a myriad of litigation. Rather than argue the amendment, Borrello used the opportunity to argue against . . . Complete story »
Cuomo’s unrelenting charge for green
An article in the Observer was headlined, “Cuomo pushing for renewable energy to help economy and to fight global warming.” While Chautauqua County has been going green for the last few years with the installation of wind turbines and solar fields, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is making a larger push state-wide. Cuomo proposed a $26 billion public-private sector partnerships to build nearly 100 renewable projects. He states that our program provides a diversity of projects, styles and locations. Sixty-eight of . . . Complete story »
Wyoming could lead US green energy push with wind power
When Jim Clayton* still worked in a coal mine, he would head to a nearby bar to settle his accounts. The pub effectively became his office. When after 22 years in the industry he quit his job and decided to run the pub instead, it was easy to choose a new name for the place. These days, The Office has become a hangout for many of those earning a living in the coal, oil and gas industry in northeastern Wyoming. . . . Complete story »
MidAmerican sues the county, saying the ordinance threatens wind projects
The battle over wind turbines continues to rage in Madison County, where supervisors have approved restrictions on wind and solar development that opponents say strip landowners of their rights and jeopardize new and existing renewable energy projects. In action critics contend was taken hastily and without sufficient public notice or comment, the supervisors voted 2-to-1 in December to cap the number of turbines in the county at 51 – the current figure. “This is a de facto ban on wind in . . . Complete story »
Water well investigation finally moving forward
The provincial government is getting proactive more than a year after it made an announcement to test the water quality of privately owned wells in North Kent, but one affected resident wants to see more community involvement. On Thursday, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton announced the government established a panel of five individual experts, appointed by the Minister of Health, to lead a water well investigation following long-time concerns from residents that their water is contaminated with Kettle Point black shale. . . . Complete story »
Bloomer Township Board tables wind/solar ordinance vote
BLOOMER TOWNSHIP – The Bloomer Township Board was set to vote on a wind energy ordinance Monday as recommended by its Planning Commission, but they voted instead to table it for another month. The Township Board met for its regular monthly meeting via Zoom. Besides township officials and the Daily News, no other audience members were present. The township’s Planning Commission previously held a public hearing in August 2020 regarding solar and wind energy zoning ordinance amendments, which was then recommended . . . Complete story »
MLA unhappy with wind power initiative
BAR HARBOR – A Gulf of Maine offshore wind power initiative Maine Governor Janet Mills rolled out late last year has raised concern in the lobster fishing community, with Maine Lobstermen’s Association Executive Director Patrice McCarron telling The Islander that “the area identified by the state of Maine for a potential offshore wind farm is prime fishing bottom for Maine fishermen.” Mills first announced plans to explore offshore wind development last June, when she signed a bill requiring the Public Utilities . . . Complete story »
Washington County supervisors desire public input on wind energy
The Washington County Board of Supervisors continued discussion of enacting a wind energy ordinance during their most recent meeting. The board previously discussed but took no action on the assessment of wind energy conversion property ordinance during their December 22nd meeting, which would be the first of two ordinances they would consider regarding windmill development. Supervisor Jack Seward Jr. stated in this week’s meeting that he doesn’t know of any county in Iowa that hasn’t passed a wind energy ordinance, . . . Complete story »
