Wind Power News: Nebraska
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 reproduced here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Feds clear hurdle for R-Project
Federal and NPPD officials “have steadfastly ignored the many concerns from hundreds of citizens and the mountains of hard evidence and research presented to them,” said [Sen. Tom] Brewer, whose 43rd Legislative District covers much of the route. “Nebraskans should be outraged at the careless way in which the most beautiful part of our state will now be destroyed so a handful of wealthy (wind-power) investors can make money off an incredibly wasteful government program.” Complete story »
State should establish guardrails for county government
Local control. It is a sacred philosophy in Nebraska. It’s the best way to handle things that are peculiar and unique to a given place, like a town or a county or a school district. Most of the time, the more local government is, the better it is. This week I had back surgery, so I asked my legislative aide to attend a county planning commission meeting in Valentine. The subject of the meeting was a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) . . . Complete story »
Commissioners hear updates on wind farm project at May meeting
Logan Winston, project developer for EDF Renewables, updated the Saline County commissioners on the Milligan 1 wind farm project at their May 28 meeting. Winston said the company is currently completing land agreements and wetland environmental studies within Saline County. Turbines are to be installed just outside of Milligan. Up to 99 wind turbines will be erected over the course of the next year. According to Winston, conditional use permits are being obtained for possible construction in Fillmore County. “We . . . Complete story »
Cuming County board tables vote on wind turbine
The Cuming County Board of Supervisors voted 6 to 1 Wednesday to table a decision on Bluestem Energy Solution’s application for a conditional use permit for a single wind turbine to be built in the county. Steven Meister was the lone vote not to table a decision. Board members want more time to gather information. No timeline was given. Several people who live near the proposed site in Grant Township testified against the proposal at Wednesday’s board meeting citing concerns . . . Complete story »
Landowners can refute need for R-Project
Recent passage of LB155 provides landowners opposed to Nebraska Public Power District’s R-Project through the Sandhills a new means of challenging the powerline in court. The inclusion of the term “rebuttable presumption” gives an opportunity to challenge in court whether the use of eminent domain to provide access to private property for construction of a powerline for a privately developed wind turbine project is a public use. Since this law has been enacted and NPPD has not received any approval . . . Complete story »
Brewer’s eminent-domain bill sent to governor
Property owners would win the right to challenge land seizures for renewable energy projects in court with the Legislature’s unanimous passage Monday of state Sen. Tom Brewer’s 2019 priority bill. Lawmakers also would assert their authority to protect the Sandhills and other environmentally sensitive areas under Legislative Bill 155, which won 44-0 final approval. The measure, which now goes to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his signature, had been one of two Brewer-introduced bills pitting renewable-energy advocates against Sandhills residents fearful . . . Complete story »
Sandhills eminent domain bill moves to governor for signature
An amended version of a bill that would allow landowners a foot in the courthouse door if eminent domain is threatened was sent to Gov. Pete Ricketts Monday. The Legislature passed a bill (LB155) that had been changed as part of a compromise. It addresses the use of eminent domain for private industrial wind farms. The bill doesn’t do what was originally intended, but it opens the ability to fight an eminent domain issue and whether it is in the . . . Complete story »
Proposal setting requirements for decommissioning wind turbines stalls in Legislature
Like all power-generation facilities, wind energy turbines have a lifespan, and at the end of that time, the companies that built them are required to decommission the sites. There is no minimum requirement for what decommissioning entails under Nebraska law, however, leaving those agreements up to the wind energy providers and landowners who agreed to have turbines erected. Sen. Bruce Bostelman’s bill (LB700), which was debated for three hours Tuesday, suggested baseline decommissioning standards for renewable energy-generation facilities built in . . . Complete story »
Wind power cleanup stalls; Medicaid expansion plan questioned
In the Legislature Tuesday, wind power supporters blocked a proposal to require developers remove the concrete bases for turbines when they’re taken down. And senators continued to question how Gov. Pete Ricketts administration plans to expand Medicaid. Sen. Bruce Bostelman introduced the proposed requirement on wind developers. Bostelman said there are currently 985 wind turbines in Nebraska, and another 2,130 planned. Bostelman said he was looking ahead to when they reach the end of their 20-25 years of useful life. . . . Complete story »
Rural citizens fight good fight on wind
It is with gratitude that I thank the watchful citizens of rural Nebraska who are reading updated wind energy research, traveling to the State Capitol and asking questions about responsible wind use for Nebraska. While I am too busy with my work and family, they are sacrificing financial gain and time to protect our water and land resources and preserve habitats and ecosystems that need to be preserved if humans are truly going to reduce our carbon footprint. In the . . . Complete story »
