Wind Power News: Complaints
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.
Novak faces subpoena; Wind farm targets private emails
After unsuccessfully trying to get copies of commissioner Dianne Novak’s personal emails with an open records request, a wind farm concerned about her possible role in aiding its opponents says it will subpoena those emails from her directly. Expedition Wind last month filed a lawsuit seeking more than $35 million from Peabody farmer Randy Eitzen and five other defendants. The defendants are plaintiffs who did not withdraw from a lawsuit filed last August against the county. Although Novak is not . . . Complete story »
Wagner men claim local wind turbines violate county commission agreement
That affidavit stated Prevailing Wind Park agreed to ensure wind turbines constructed in Charles Mix County met a number of criteria related to noise, lighting, shadow flicker and ice. Among the criteria specified were that noise levels from turbines were not to exceed 43 dBA without a waiver at residences of those who weren't participating in the project and that either control systems would automatically shut down turbines or Prevailing Wind Park would do so manually when ice conditions were identified. Powers and Petrik asserted in their affidavit that those noise and ice criteria are not being met, that some of Prevailing Wind Park's building permits for the turbines expired in January and that the county commission, based on its agreement with Pawlowski, has no authority to make Prevailing Wind Park comply with that agreement. Complete story »
Sheffield wind noise investigation concluded
SHEFFIELD – A probe into noise levels which allegedly exceeded its state-issued Certificate of Public Good (CPG) at the industrial wind project in Sheffield has been closed officially by the Vermont Public Utilities Commission (PUC). A recent order also approved a stipulation between the owners of the energy plant, Vermont Wind, LLC, and the neighbor who pushed for the investigation. The CPG allowing the wind project to operate was issued by the state body in October of 2007. Nearby homeowner Paul . . . Complete story »
Sheffield wind case: Timeline of years-long sound level fight
SHEFFIELD – A case before the Vermont Public Utility Commission (formerly the Public Service Board) over noise levels being allegedly exceeded from turbines at the industrial wind project in Sheffield has been concluded, and an agreement between the parties, Vermont Wind, LLC, and Sutton homeowner Paul Brouha of Sutton, has been issued. A timeline of the case, which dates back just over six years officially – but concerns were documented starting in 2011 – follows from the public record in the decision by . . . Complete story »
Vermont homeowner reaches settlement over wind project noise
SHEFFIELD, Vt. (AP) – A Vermont homeowner has reached a settlement for a complaint he made about the noise coming from a wind project near his house. Paul Brouha filed a complaint in 2014 alleging that the turbines belonging to Vermont Wind, LLC created noise in his home that exceeded regulations, the Caledonian-Record reported Monday. A settlement between Brouha and the company was reached Feb. 3, in which Vermont Wind agreed to stipulations that temporarily restrict when certain turbines can operate. . . . Complete story »
Toll taken by Hoosac Wind
On a Sunday in late April, Hoosac Wind was noisy into the early morning hours of the following Monday. I called the neighbor concern line for Iberdrola/Evangrid around 2 a.m. after not being able to sleep because of noise and vibrations from the project in our bedroom. Lois wasn’t able to sleep either and we both got up this morning very tired and feeling beat! This is three calls to the line by me since Feb. 20 with no response. . . . Complete story »
S.D. regulators tell wind farm to get ready for sound tests, amid COVID-19 travel restrictions
A 60-day window starts July 1 for a South Dakota wind-power farm to show that the combined sound from its 57 turbines doesn’t exceed 40 decibels at the homes of anyone who’s not participating in the project. The state Public Utilities Commission voted 2-1 on Wednesday to continue requiring verification from Prevailing Wind Park. The project is in Bon Homme, Charles Mix and Hutchinson counties. Section 42 of the commission’s permit for the project requires the sound level be checked . . . Complete story »
Fines rack up for wind farms that failed to meet deadline for new lighting technology
The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved another settlement with a wind farm developer that missed the deadline to comply with the state’s new requirement for technology that stops the lights atop wind turbines from blinking all night long. Regulators at a Wednesday meeting said they would eventually like to get feedback from wind farm operators about how well the lighting systems are working. The latest penalty of $5,000 comes after operators of the Emmons-Logan wind farm in Emmons . . . Complete story »
PUC pushes back sound compliance period to July 1 for Prevailing Wind farm
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission moved back the compliance period for the nearly $320 million Prevailing Wind Park project to July 1, but continued to require the company operating the wind farm to comply with sound requirements within 60 days. During a teleconference meeting Wednesday, the PUC denied the request of Prevailing Wind Park, which is operated by SPower to extend the compliance period from 60 to 120 days, but agreed to move back the start date to July . . . Complete story »
Developer asks for delay in sound compliance as Prevailing Wind Park turbines are completed
Nearly 60 wind turbines in Bon Homme, Charles Mix and Hutchinson counties are now operational, but the builders of the almost $320 million wind farm are asking South Dakota officials to delay sound compliance requirements due to coronavirus. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission will consider the request from Prevailing Wind Park in a teleconference meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Attorney Lisa Agrimonti, of Fredrikson and Byron law firm in Minneapolis, is representing the wind farm. Agrimonti wrote the PUC . . . Complete story »
