Wind Power News: Pennsylvania
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.
Paint Township exploring wind farm ordinance, police coverage
A wind farm ordinance is still in the works for Paint Township as officials draw examples from neighboring municipalities. Supervisor Lewis Clark II said the township’s solicitor is looking at five other wind farm ordinances from municipalities, including Adams Township in Cambria County. Officials will pick pieces of those ordinances and use them to write their own. The interest in a wind farm ordinance first arose at a township meeting July 5. Clark said the supervisors are learning from neighboring . . .
Fight over turbine farm near Bethlehem reservoir continues
In rejecting a wind energy project near Bethlehem’s reservoirs, the Penn Forest Zoning Hearing Board has made a 31-page argument of technical, legal and environmental reasons on why turbines don’t belong along the wooded ridges that surround the prized Wild Creek watershed. But a written decision, released to The Morning Call this week under a Right-to-Know request, could be moot because the applicant, Atlantic Wind, believes the board missed a legal deadline to resume the hearing. Atlantic Wind, a subsidiary . . .
Paint Township exploring wind ordinance
The Paint Township supervisors said they are learning from their neighbors and are looking into a wind turbine ordinance to protect their residents. “We’re learning from Ogle Township’s issue with windmills,” Supervisor Lewis Clark II said during a meeting Wednesday. To the vexation of some residents, Chicago energy company Invenergy is studying hilltops in Shade and Ogle townships as places for possible wind farms. In April Invenergy representatives said the project was still months or years away from consideration. Clark . . .
Crews repairing wind turbine in Bear Creek Twp.
BEAR CREEK TWP. – Crews are at work repairing a wind turbine that was severely damaged in a fire last year at the Bear Creek Wind Farm. The turbine caught fire Nov. 10, and firefighters were unable to access it because of falling debris. As a result, firefighters let the blaze burn itself out, sending a thick cloud of black smoke billowing over parts of the Wyoming Valley. Workers seen in the area this week are busy replacing the turbine, said . . .
Power facilities planned for Blair; Environmental groups concerned over possible impact to area wildlife
By creating two pairs of connected reservoirs, a Doylestown company plans to construct power generators in Blair County capable of creating nearly a million megawatt hours per year. However, the projects, which would require the clearing of hundreds of acres along the Allegheny Front, could adversely impact area wildlife, environmentalists claim. “It sends up a red flag because they are going to be causing a lot of forest destruction,” said Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon Society’s president. “There is going . . .
Gas, wind companies fight over Hector land rights
COUDERSPORT – Local gas company JKLM Energy has challenged Walden Green Energy’s Big Level Wind in a civil suit with a public hearing slated for June 19 and 20. Most recently, on June 12, the court granted the plaintiff JKLM’s emergency motion for interim relief to cease ground activity around the proposed sites of turbines 2, 8 and 16, and in area located within 800 feet from said turbines. The court is fairly considering recognizes it will hear the rest . . .
Township intervening in wind case; Penn Forest makes decision after company files appeal
The Penn Forest Township board of supervisors has decided to intervene in Atlantic Wind LLC’s case to build a wind turbine farm in the township. At the opening of the board’s monthly meeting Monday, Supervisor Scott Lignore made a motion to ask township solicitor Thomas Nanovic to file the necessary documents to intervene into a suit recently filed against Atlantic Wind. Nanovic said the board made the decision because of the wind company’s attempt to remove the township’s zoning hearing . . .
Wind turbines in holding pattern; Next step for the proposed project will be determined by the courts
The next step in the effort to build a wind turbine project in Penn Forest Township is up in the air. On Wednesday night, the Penn Forest zoning hearing board denied Atlantic Wind’s application for two special exceptions to build up to 37 wind turbines on property owned by the Bethlehem Water Authority. The zoning board proceeded with the hearing even though Atlantic Wind failed to show. Atlantic Wind had filed notice the previous week that it deemed the application . . .
Wind farm denied; Penn Forest hears final testimony, announces decision
The chairs normally occupied by counsel and employees of Atlantic Wind sat empty as testimony resumed before the Penn Forest Township zoning hearing board on Wednesday night. That did not stop the board from hearing the last of the testimony from the objectors’ last witness and the closing arguments from attorneys Ted Lewis and Bruce Anders. Following the closing statements, the board closed the record on the hearings and took a brief recess to the office of the firehouse, where . . .
Penn Forest denies wind application
Penn Forest had denied the application of Atlantic Wind to build 37 turbines on Bethlehem watershed land in the township. Representatives of Atlantic Wind, claiming that the board’s inaction meant automatic approval, did not show up for the hearing. The board heard testimony from the objectors, recessed and came back with the denial of the application. Check back for updates to this story.
