Wind Power News: U.S.: ''
Proposed underwater power line would connect Upstate to NYC via Erie Canal, Hudson
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Developers will begin seeking regulatory approvals today to build a 260-mile underwater transmission line along the Erie Canal and Hudson River to carry electricity from Upstate nuclear plants, wind farms and other generators to New York City. The project would cost nearly $1.5 billion. It would involve burying two 6 inch-diameter cables in trenches at the bottom of the waterways to carry 1,000 megawatts of power between Marcy, near Utica, to a terminus in either Brooklyn or . . . Complete story »
Powering into the future
The transplanted Texan who recently took over New York state’s high voltage electricity system has become a key player in ensuring the state meets the ambitious renewable energy goals of the Cuomo administration. The man is Bradley Jones, a mechanical engineer by training, who in October became CEO of the New York Independent System Operator, the 500-employee entity in North Greenbush that oversees the state’s high-voltage electric grid from its 64,000-square-foot control room, making sure the lights stay on in . . . Complete story »
Turbine parts leaving New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD – Trucks weighing more than 140 tons and half as long as a football field will rumble through some city streets this week with the first journey scheduled for Sunday night. The trips, scheduled to start at the Marine Commerce Terminal in the South End, and end in Plymouth, represents a historic, and to some a controversial, undertaking. The vehicle will carry wind turbine parts that have been sitting at the terminal since July to their destination: A wind . . . Complete story »
Court: Iowa eminent domain laws must be strictly followed
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday that county officials failed to follow state law when preparing to condemn more than 2,000 acres of farmland to build a lake, a decision that puts government agencies on notice that mistakes in eminent domain cases could be costly. Owners of the farmland near Osceola challenged the Clarke County Reservoir Commission’s plan to condemn the property to build the 800-acre lake to provide a new drinking-water source for the area. The high court’s ruling . . . Complete story »
Shore wind project scrapped amid political roadblocks
The developer of a wind energy project planned for Somerset County has abandoned the proposal, citing the continued opposition of Southern Maryland lawmakers concerned about protecting the work of the naval air station in their region. The decision to halt the project comes as the General Assembly considers legislation that would permanently bar wind turbines from a large swath of the Eastern Shore. And another bill would let Kent County officials block tall turbines there. Citing “unanticipated hurdles and roadblocks,” . . . Complete story »
Federal double standard on endangered species laws?
The federal government is not shy about prosecuting those who violate threatened and endangered species laws. But under a new Obama administration policy, wind farm operators are getting 30-year permits to kill protected species. The government fined marine biologist Nancy Black $12,000 and sentenced her to three years probation for feeding a whale in Monterey Bay. Just last month, US Fish and Wildlife cited 26-year-old tree trimmer Ernesto Pulido for violating the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act for disturbing a . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine nightmare at remote Alaska refuge may cost millions
The bird-friendly wind turbines that were to power the offices of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in far Western Alaska are in a pile on the ground on the Alaska Peninsula. And more than 600 miles to the northeast in Anchorage, engineer John Lyons, project manager for a renewable energy project turned nightmare, wishes he’d never heard of a Texas company called Tangarie Alternative Power. “Tan-gary,” as Lyons pronounces it, was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s pick to supply . . . Complete story »
Wind farm firm puts application on hold to address safety issues at Groton site
ALEXANDRIA – The Spanish wind-energy company seeking to build a 75.9-megawatt, 23-turbine wind farm in Alexandria and Danbury has “paused” its application to the state to focus on its existing wind farm in Groton. Meanwhile, the state’s Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) – which asked Iberdrola Renewables for more information in January about the proposed wind farm, called Wild Meadows – set a schedule of hearings that could result in suspension of the operation license for the company’s Groton Wind development. The primary issue . . . Complete story »
Offshore wind advocates want feds to delay leasing tracts off New Jersey coast
The state is at risk of losing the benefits of a robust offshore wind industry, executives in the sector warned Gov. Chris Christie and legislative leaders, according to a letter they delivered to the governor on Friday. In the two-page letter, the renewable-energy advocates urged the governor and lawmakers to lobby the federal government to delay leasing offshore wind tracts along the Jersey coast, an action expected to occur sometime this year. The stance – by two of the offshore developers . . . Complete story »
Massachusetts wants Quebec electricity
Massachusetts is interested in Quebec’s electricity, but a lack of infrastructure is limiting the possibility of obtaining more of it, the state’s governor said Friday. ”It will require some new transmissions (lines),” Deval Patrick said after a speech to an international relations group in Montreal. ”That isn’t easy to bring this in the United States. As a region, we’ve been looking for alternative scenarios.” Patrick said building infrastructure that can transmit more power is a major challenge in the United . . . Complete story »
