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 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.
Atlantic Wind’s turbine appeal denied
Carbon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven R. Serfass has denied a land use appeal filed by Atlantic Wind LLC and the Bethlehem Authority, seeking to erect a wind turbine project in Penn Forest Township. This was the second of two proposed wind turbine projects to be decided before the court. In April, Serfass granted the appeal of two Penn Forest Township property owners who sought to stop the construction of 37 525-foot-tall wind turbines in the township. The second . . . Complete story »
Judge strikes plan to put wind turbines on Bethlehem Authority land
A Carbon County judge has sided with two property owners who appealed the construction of 37 wind turbines on Bethlehem Authority-owned property, arguing the structures would be too loud and ruin their property values. The judge also ruled that a special exception the turbine company, Atlantic Wind LLC, was seeking should be vacated because Atlantic Wind failed to show the project will comply with Penn Forest Township zoning codes. The judge’s ruling is the latest in drawn out legal proceedings . . . Complete story »
Carbon judge rules against Atlantic Wind turbines
A Carbon County judge has granted the appeal of two Penn Forest Township property owners who sought to stop the construction of 37 wind turbines in the township. Property owners Phillip C. Malitsch and Christopher Mangold filed the action in May 2017 against the township zoning board, Atlantic Wind LLC and the Bethlehem Authority. The authority owns the land where the proposed wind turbines were to be constructed. The two plaintiffs’ properties abut the Bethlehem property. In a 61-page opinion . . . Complete story »
‘Clean’ energy is not free
Laws of economics are akin to laws of nature – they can’t be violated. Folks who infer otherwise are, in my view, spreading fake news. “Free stuff” is never free! The Feb. 24 letter “The latest on clean energy” states: “Wind energy and solar energy are free, forever, once you build the infrastructure.” Of course, all energy sources, including fossil fuels and hydro, are God-given and free – until we go to use them. What is “forever” is the cost of resourcing . . . Complete story »
Hegins Township adopts curative amendment
VALLEY VIEW – After hearing 45 minutes of comments from the public Monday, supervisors adopted a curative amendment to Hegins Township’s zoning ordinance specific to wind energy. Several citizens who oppose a wind energy project proposed by Clean Air Generation LLC spoke up about the need for the township supervisors to protect residents’ and property owners’ best interests, the interests of Fort Indiantown Gap and the Schuylkill County Airport Authority, and also suggested the township’s amendment should closely resemble the one . . . Complete story »
Attorney wraps up testimony for windmill opponents
Attendees of the continuing hearing about Broad Mountain Power company’s wind farm proposal for the top of Broad Mountain in Packer Township were given a break of sorts, as opponents’ attorney Bruce Anders wrapped up the testimony for the opponents at the Feb. 6 session before Packer Township’s Zoning Hearing Board. He did so by presenting a list of his 235 clients – the objectors – and where they are located from the proposed site and turbines. With the list comes a . . . Complete story »
Schuylkill Co. commissioners OK zoning ordinance changes
POTTSVILLE – Public opinion and a legal deadline combined to influence the Schuylkill County commissioners to vote Wednesday to adopt a curative amendment to the zoning ordinance to regulate medical marijuana, natural gas compressors and wind turbines. The 2-0 vote – Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier was absent – creates specific zones in municipalities subject to county zoning rules where those facilities can be built, Assistant County Solicitor Glenn Roth said after the commissioners meeting, which attracted about 20 spectators. “It’s going to create . . . Complete story »
Pros, cons of curative amendment to zoning ordinance weighed
POTTSVILLE – Two distinct camps emerged following a public hearing Tuesday regarding a curative amendment to the Schuylkill County zoning ordinance. On one side were citizens who thanked the county for addressing what they said were needed zoning ordinance improvements to protect public safety. On the other were citizens who supported alternative energy efforts and who thought the curative amendment was heavy-handed in regard to wind turbines, but very light when addressing natural gas compressor stations and medical marijuana facilities. The . . . Complete story »
Civil engineer testifies at Packer Township wind farm hearing
Attorney Bruce Anders, representing over 200 opponents of the proposed wind turbine farm atop Broad Mountain in Packer Township, on Jan. 27 brought in civil engineer Phillip Malitsch to testify before the Packer Township Zoning Hearing Board. Malitsch, of Hanover Engineering’s Bethlehem office, presented a review of the proposed Broad Mountain Power project, going point by point through parts of the development that he thought could present problems. His top concern is about emergency services, in that “the township (should . . . Complete story »
Hegins Township revises amendment; draft available to public for review
Hegins Township supervisors will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, to consider revisions to the township’s curative zoning amendment. Many of those changes suggested by the supervisors are less restrictive than those proposed in the first draft, and fall more in line with what a wind energy developer had suggested as a fix. A copy of the 19-page, updated version of the amendment is available in the municipal office at 421 Gap St., Valley View, for . . . Complete story »
