Wind Power News: U.S.
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
SOS turns up volume on its wind farm protest; Wind farm opposition calls on Cuomo to help protect Niagara air base
Save Ontario Shores, the grassroots organization fighting the possible siting of an industrial-scale wind farm near the Lake Ontario shoreline in the Barker-Lyndonville area, has paid for two billboards near Niagara Falls Boulevard and Walmore Road to support its cause. The billboards call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to protect the nearby Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station on Lockport Road in Niagara Falls. Save Ontario Shores was founded in January of 2015, after word got out about preliminary plans by Apex . . .
Energy company proposes wind farm in Eastern N.M.
A Minnesota-based energy company that provides electricity for much of Eastern New Mexico wants to build a wind farm southeast of Portales that would produce 522 megawatts of power. The proposed Sagamore Wind Project in Roosevelt County is part of an ambitious wind-energy plan by Southwest Public Service Company, a wholly-own subsidiary of Xcel Energy, that also includes a proposed 478-megawatt wind farm in Hale County, Texas, and an agreement to buy 230 megawatts from two existing wind farms in . . .
Deeper setbacks needed for wind turbines
I wonder if any of you on the editorial board would like to live near a wind turbine which produces noise which can be heard inside your home over a radio or TV, flicker caused by turning blades, loss of property values, health issues, danger from stray voltage, shearing blades or turbines catching fire. Would you like a company to infringe on your property without permission or compensation? Should this change in setbacks occur, it would allow wind companies to . . .
Parishville Town Board passes local wind law establishing wind turbine setbacks and sound output limits
PARISHVILLE – The Parishville Town Board unanimously passed a local wind law at a meeting last night, establishing wind turbine setbacks and sound output limits. The proposed wind farm has divided the Parishville and Hopkinton communities as residents verbally spar over how far wind towers should be placed from homes, allowable sound decibels produced by the towers and environmental and health concerns. “There were no changes to the law” made at the meeting, according to Councilwoman Keri Tremper. The plans . . .
Apex responds to SOS billboard, plans their own
LYNDONVILLE – Progress toward a planned 200-megawatt wind turbine network in Yates and Somerset has slowed, but not for fear of impacts to the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Lighthouse Wind is working through the pre-application process under the state’s energy system siting policies, Apex Development Manager Taylor Quarles said. More than 20 stakeholders are developing stipulations for information that must be completed before a state-appointed committee decides to approve or reject the project, and that has gone slower than anticipated. . . .
It is now up to selectmen
Tuesday’s Barnstable Superior Court ruling by Judge Moriarty ordered the shutdown of both wind turbines. It is now time for selectmen to end the ongoing wasteful expenditure of taxpayer money (hundreds of thousands of dollars to date) on legal action to try to revive the wind turbine project. Selectmen have the opportunity to act on the recommendation of their own Wind Turbine Option Process (WTOP), which cost $399,000. Selectmen Doug Jones was a liaison and attended most, if not all, . . .
Texas company planning wind farm in Douglas County
BROADLANDS – A Texas company is planning to build a wind farm in Douglas County. Chris Matthews, project manager for Houston-based EDP Renewables, said the company is in the early stages of planning the wind farm, which he said will be located just south of Broadlands. “We selected Douglas County because the wind resources are good in this region,” Matthews said. The project, to be called the Broadlands Wind Farm, will be a 200-megawatt facility, he said. Matthews estimates that from . . .
Debate over wind turbine setbacks prolongs adoption of new siting rules
MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules on Thursday met for the second time in as many weeks to hammer out what needs to be in the final rules for the regulation of sound from industrial wind turbines. During the meeting, the most contentious issue was the setback provision, which sets the distance between turbines and homes at 10 times the height of the turbine. Also discussed were proposed decibel sound limits of 39 dBA (A-weighted decibels) at night . . .
Ogle County school decides to remove controversial wind turbine
When Eswood Elementary in Lindenwood, IL, got a wind turbine in 2012, it was supposed to cover its energy costs. Instead, its caused a whirlwind of problems. “It’s just been frustrating,” said Superintendent and Principal of Eswood Joe Schwartz. “I would have liked to take this job five years ago and had it working and if it worked properly, it might have been a benefit to the school.” Since its installation, the turbine hasn’t produced any electricity. When a lightning . . .
At clean energy tour, dialogue dominated by wind turbine opponents airing grievances
Pittsfield – It was just three weeks ago that President Trump made his controversial decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord. The president justified his decision by saying that the agreement would hurt economic growth. The move was met with outrage from climate activists, business leaders and even members of the president’s cabinet including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Since then, 11 states including Massachusetts have vowed to meet the standards of the climate accords on . . .
