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 shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Recommendations made for commercial wind and solar farm applications
If the Madison County board of commissioners follows the recommendations made Thursday evening by the county’s joint planning commission, fees charged wind energy companies for conditional-use permits and towers will be toward the high end of a sample of counties that responded to a survey. The county board asked the joint planning commissioners to make a recommendation for the fees. To get input, the joint planning commission directed the county’s zoning administrator to see what other counties were charging. Heather . . . Complete story »
Gage County extends moratorium on turbine permits
Gage County’s ban on wind energy permits will continue for at least another six months. The County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved extending the moratorium on permit applications for wind turbines that was initially passed in July. The board now wants the Planning and Zoning Commission to take a closer look at the regulations before again accepting permits. “The idea is to give planning and zoning a chance to look at anything else that they would want to discuss . . . Complete story »
Moratorium on Gage County wind energy projects extended
BEATRICE – The Gage County Board has approved a six-month extension of a moratorium on new wind energy projects in the county. That gives more time to the county’s planning and zoning commission to study possible revisions to regulations governing wind farms. The board voted 5-0, with two members absent Wednesday, to extend the moratorium through next April 15th. County Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand says that extra time will be needed to thoroughly consider various issues. The moratorium was scheduled . . . Complete story »
Brewer, Storer face off in debate
Some sparks flew over wind turbines and residency, as challenger Tonya Storer debated State Sen. Tom Brewer as the two vie for the Nebraska’s district 43 seat in the unicameral. Before a 40-person crowd in the Alliance High School Performing Arts Center, Brewer and Storer made their cases as to why voters of the heavily rural 43rd district should vote for them. Brewer is running for his second consecutive term. Throughout the forum, he fell back on his experience as . . . Complete story »
Gage County Planning Commission to discuss wind turbine regulations
BEATRICE – The Gage County Planning Commission will soon consider any other potential changes that may be needed to local wind energy regulations, following the county board’s move to increase setback distance to one-mile, between wind turbines and not participating rural homes. The commission plans to meet next Tuesday night. Gage County Board Chairman Erich Tiemann says sound levels are one of the other items that may get a second look. “One of them was decibel levels of the actual . . . Complete story »
Group continues legal battle to reverse Cherry County’s endorsement of Kilgore-area wind farm
Legal efforts to reverse Cherry County’s 2019 endorsement of a 19-turbine wind farm near Kilgore continue, more than a year after the project was submitted to county officials. County commissioners, the county itself and BSH Kilgore LLC filed answers Monday to a lawsuit by wind-farm opponents seeking to overturn an Oct. 29, 2019, County Board vote granting BSH a conditional use permit. Their filings followed an Aug. 14 order by District Judge Mark Kosizek to let that suit continue, albeit . . . Complete story »
Gage County Board approves one-mile setback limit, on wind turbines
BEATRICE – Northern Gage County residents won a long battle today, as the Gage County Board approved an amendment increasing the setback between wind turbines and non-participating rural homes, to one mile. Applause broke out in the hallway outside the supervisor’s room, as an overflow of interested citizens reacted to the board’s vote. The county’s current regulation has been three-eighths of a mile. The county board approved a plan to ask the planning and zoning commission to review issues of . . . Complete story »
County board approves wind turbine setback
After several hours of debate between many Gage County officials and residents, a resolution increasing setback requirements for commercial wind turbines was passed and adopted by the Gage County Board of Supervisors Wednesday morning, resulting in a round of applause from those in attendance. The amendment increases setback requirements from nonparticipating residences from 3/8 to one mile. Nonparticipating residents are those who do not have contracts in place with a wind company. The Gage County Planning and Zoning committee previously . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines bring health concerns
A big wind company would like to build a wind turbine facility in northern Gage County. They will cover our beautiful, God-given land; engulfing homes and rural areas giving residents little or no escape. They kill endangered birds (eagles and others) and bats. Lightning, fire, and ice can cause blades to break and go into the soil causing contamination and will no longer be able to be farmed. These wind turbines can also cause shadow flicker, ice flinging, and fires . . . Complete story »
Mile set back needed for wind turbines
The economic benefits of an industrial wind development that may be built, or the loss of the economic benefits from the new homes and families that would have moved to Gage County if there was not an industrial wind project is not what is being decided by the Gage County Board of Supervisors. Right now before the county board of supervisors is a text amendment written to set safe setbacks for all the of people of Gage county . The . . . Complete story »
