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Wind Power News: North Dakota
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission 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. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Grand Forks County drops wind farm moratorium
The Grand Forks County Commission has lifted a moratorium on wind farm applications after tweaking a series of local siting requirements. The revised document includes moving the setback for wind turbines from one-quarter to one-half mile. The changes also define the tower height setback from property lines and right-of-ways. Another provision involves the so-called shadow flicker – or the amount of time rotating wind blades can cast shadows on nearby dwellings. The max time would be 30 hours per year . . . Complete story »
Hearing set on proposed wind farm in Logan, McIntosh counties
The hearing is at 9:30 a.m. at the Wishek Civic Center, 715 1st Ave. South, Wishek. The hearing provides an opportunity for members of the public to contribute to the PSC’s official record. Any comments from members of the public must be received at the hearing to be part of the record. Complete story »
74-turbine wind farm proposed near Wishek
A new wind farm is planned near Wishek in south-central North Dakota. The state Public Service Commission has scheduled a hearing in late June for Badger Wind, a project under development by Orsted Onshore North America. The commission is tasked with permitting wind farm locations. The wind farm would be built west of town and consist of 74 turbines for a capacity of 250 megawatts. Its output would be comparable to powering 70,000 homes, according to the company. The developer . . . Complete story »
Wind energy company pleads guilty to killing eagles
The wind energy company ESI Energy Inc. (ESI) must pay more than $8 million in fines and restitution and serve a five-year probation after pleading guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to a statement released by the United States Department of Justice. In the U.S., ESI is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc., one of the largest providers of renewable energy, per Reuters’ Barbara Goldberg. The company deliberately elected not to apply for proper permits for “any . . . Complete story »
Ruling on eagle deaths divides wind power industry
The sentencing of a wind energy company this week in the deaths of at least 150 eagles has brought renewed focus to the complicated relationship between wind turbines and birds. A subsidiary of NextEra Energy, the world’s biggest generator of wind and solar power, pleaded guilty to three deaths of bald and golden eagles in Wyoming and New Mexico. It also acknowledged that more than 100 other eagles had been killed across 50 of its 54 wind farms, primarily during . . . Complete story »
Wind operator to pay $8M in pact over killing eagles
A leading wind farm operator has agreed to pay fines and other fees totaling just over $8 million, plus potentially spending millions of additional dollars, because its operations were linked to the deaths of at least 150 eagles over about a decade. Partly at issue was whether the energy producer should have applied for permits before its operations killed the birds, or if the business should have taken other actions. The legal case points up the fact that responsible wind . . . Complete story »
Energy company to pay up to $35 million after turbines killed eagles
An American wind energy company has admitted to killing at least 150 bald and golden eagles, most of which were fatally struck by wind turbine blades, federal prosecutors said. ESI Energy pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) after eagles died at three of its facilities in Wyoming and New Mexico, according to a statement from the Justice Department. The MBTA prohibits killing, capturing or transporting protected migratory bird species without a permit. . . . Complete story »
GF Co. Commission puts pause on wind farm applications
The Grand Forks County Commission has unanimously approved a moratorium of up to 90-days on wind farm applications in the county. Currently, the county has no wind farms, but a company called Whiskey Creek is inquiring about a potential site in western Grand Forks County. Some residents are concerned about noise from the wind turbines…and are asking the commission to change its policy, which says a turbine must be at least a quarter-mile away from a home. Some have proposed . . . Complete story »
US firm fined $8m after 150 eagles die at its wind farms
A US-based wind energy firm called ESI Energy, has been slapped with an $8m fine after at least 150 eagles died at its wind farms across eight states over the last 10 years. The company has also been given five years of probation. ESI Energy, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, has pleaded guilty to three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The company acknowledged the deaths of golden and bald eagles since 2012 at its farms in Wyoming, . . . Complete story »
Renewables company pleads guilty, must pay $8 million for wind-turbine deaths of 150 eagles
A renewable-energy company subsidiary pleaded guilty on federal criminal charges Tuesday and ordered to pay $8 million in fines and restitution for killing more than 150 eagles at wind farms in eight states. In addition ESI Energy, a subsidiary of renewables giant NextEra Energy, received five years of probation on three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act stemming from the deaths of nine eagles in wind farms in Wyoming and New Mexico. Golden and bald eagles at 50 . . . Complete story »
