Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:34
We all like to think that Maine really is the way life should be; beautiful mountains, wild coastlines, and good old-fashioned people. The kind of people who would do anything for a neighbor, and who always strive to do what’s right, no matter what the cost.
No one wants to think that Maine is the kind of place that could ever harbor the type of corruption and intimidation that made Chicago so famous during the early part of the 20th century. . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:28
The wait is over. Now, we’ve been officially told. In Ontario, wind turbines are not a health problem.
That’s the word from Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health. Some people living within the vicinity of wind turbines have been reporting dizziness, headaches and sleep disturbance. The complaints prompted King’s office to conduct a review of previously published studies mainly from abroad, and current legislation here.
When she put them together, she concluded Ontario’s nearly 700 wind turbines are not . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:22
Let’s talk about wind power in Lake Erie (“GE to build wind turbines for test run on Lake Erie,” May 24).
Projects like this would never get off the ground if it weren’t for massive tax breaks and government subsidies. But even then, wind power would still be so costly that FirstEnergy wouldn’t touch it if it weren’t for the legal requirement that Ohio utilities buy 12.5 percent of their energy from “renewable sources,” like wind, by 2025.
The main argument for . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:17
Last Thursday morning some 60 people gathered at St. Andrew Parish Center to hear from several island residents on matters related to the proposed Block Island wind farm. Billed as an informational session, the meeting was arranged by Patricia Doyle, who had attended the House hearings in Providence on May 12.
Doyle said she was “so moved by the process of the hearing,” learned so much about government in action and was so impressed by testimony given that she wanted to . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:10
When the well-being of Falmouth residents is at possible risk, it is appropriate to proceed with caution. This is what our neighbors to the north are echoing to their government officials. Halt the turbine whirlwind!
The industrial-scale enterprise being deployed in our town and throughout our commonwealth is being conducted similarly. Full knowledge and investigation of the health implications have not been given due diligence. Municipalities and state legislators are creating industrial wind turbine bylaws that do not protect communities.
It is . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:55:05
Researchers have begun the first electronic tracking studies ever done in Maine to determine whether migrating birds might be disturbed by floating wind turbines off the coast.
They’ve implanted satellite transmitters inside four common eiders in Casco Bay and are keeping tabs on their movements.
The female ducks are staying close to their island nesting grounds for now. Later in the year, the transmitters hopefully will show whether they winter with groups of sea ducks farther out to sea, possibly in areas . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:54:52
Recently, it came to light that a wind farm is proposed on Poor Mountain. On the surface, this proposal seemed like a good idea to aid in our reduction of coal-based energy, which can be devastating to our environment.
I believed this idea, having not researched beyond the mainstream green value of this concept. Thankfully, a neighbor dug into this to see the outcomes in other areas where these farms have been installed. After reading his research, I felt compelled to . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:54:38
A plan to build a windfarm in rural Aberdeenshire has failed to win crucial backing from council officials after running into strong opposition from neighbours.
Aberdeenshire planning officers have recommended councillors reject proposals for a series of 300ft turbines across two-and-a-half acres of land near Auchnagatt.
Local farmer David Smith had originally planned to build nine masts, but this was scaled down to four last year after complaints from residents.
Now the number of turbines has been dropped to three, but the . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:54:08
Re: No proof wind turbines hazardous to health: report, May 21.
This “study” on wind turbine noise and health effects was a review of selected documents. It did not involve speaking to a single person experiencing health effects. When sleep is disturbed, health suffers.
The Ontario government must really be worried that there are now more than 50 communities in Ontario protesting the rapid installation of industrial wind turbines in regards to the effects on health. Why not do a simple sleep . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:53:38
A government planning inspector has been brought in to try to settle a wind farm row.
Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee has already rejected Severn Trent Water’s plans for a 196ft (60m) wind monitoring mast at Aston Hall, Aston-By-Stone, near Stone.
But Severn Trent has appealed against the planning refusal and an inspector will now be visiting the site next month.
The firm wants to use the temporary equipment for two years to see whether the location would be suitable for three . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:53:24
Hobart City Council is considering building a wind farm and wants other Tasmanian councils to back the plan.
The potential wind farm would cover the council’s $3 million power bill and reduce the city’s reliance on coal-fired power.
Hobart City has written to all Tasmanian councils asking them to join the project.
Acting Mayor Helen Burnett says tenders have been called for a report to investigate the viability of the project.
“To consider the residential amenity, the environmental impacts the suitability of a wind . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:53:20
The City of Sydney is expected to turn its back on an important part of state and federal efforts to tackle climate change by withdrawing from the GreenPower scheme and instead pursuing its own renewable energy projects.
The council is expected to endorse a motion at tonight’s meeting to not renew its GreenPower purchase contract and instead create a $2 million a year renewable energy fund to finance such projects directly.
”Rather than just offsetting our electricity emissions, this strategy invests the . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 11:53:09
Lawmakers are examining the leadership of the Minerals Management Service, a bureau of the Department of the Interior. The Interior Department is charged with enforcing environmental and safety rules for energy exploration.
On April 28 Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced his decision at a joint Massachusetts State House news conference with Gov. Deval Patrick voting to go forward with the Nantucket wind turbine project. The same day of this decision, more than 5,000 barrels of oil had poured into the Gulf . . .
Updated: 2010-05-31 00:21:09
A windfarm company has been accused of “prolonging the agony” of residents living near to a proposed turbine site in north Northumberland, after submitting an application for a test mast.
Energy giant E.ON’s latest bid involves a 60-metre anemometer at West Ancroft, north of Lowick and west of Holy Island, to collect wind data.
But it has already submitted a formal planning application for eight 115-metre turbines on the site, which is expected to be determined in the summer.
And furious locals say . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 19:40:31
Work on erecting wind data masts in Shetland has been suspended after a peaceful protest by opponents to a massive windfarm proposal in the isles.
Sustainable Shetland said developer Viking Energy Partnership contravenes a planning condition which would prevent them from erecting three 70 metre high masts during the bird breeding season.
Viking Energy Partnership, a company owned by Scottish & Southern Energy, the Shetland Charitable Trust and four local shareholders, said the local authority’s planning department had granted planning permission in . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:37:53
OCOTILLO — The open, wind-swept terrain here makes it an ideal area for Imperial County’s renewable energy projects, but residents have varying views about the modern development.
“I think it’s a really good idea bringing jobs and boosting the economy a lot out here,” Ocotillo resident Rodger Meier said about renewable projects.
Among the most visible renewable energy projects would be the proposed Ocotillo Express windmill farm. The project would bring 240 windmills near the Ocotillo area in about five years.
At . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:41
OCOTILLO — Ocotillo is the “red-headed stepchild” of Imperial County, said some of the residents, who added they would rather secede into San Diego County than deal with proposed developments around the town.
With the proposed solar panels to the east, Wind Zero project to the south and Sunrise Powerlink and wind farm to the north and west, residents, like James “Jimbo” Rowland, say they feel they are being surrounded and pushed out.
“We’re the town that nobody wants,” Rowland said. “They . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:35
Plans by communities and landowners to build small wind farms could soon be driven by a government loan fund that would pay for planning applications, the Sunday Herald can reveal.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead is understood to have tasked civil servants with developing proposals that would enable communities and other small developers to make planning applications to their councils without having to risk hundreds of thousands of pounds in the process.
Based on ideas put forward by Mackie’s ice cream chairman and . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:31
ELLENSBURG — At 70 feet in the air, Marilyn Carr’s private wind-power turbine on her Fourth Parallel Road property southeast of Ellensburg sometimes attracts attention. Carr, a retired Kittitas Valley family physician, gets a phone call once in a while from someone wanting to come to her Badger Pocket home to take a look at the tallest, private small-wind generator in Kittitas County.
The 70-footer is also believed to be the first private wind unit to go up in the county.
That . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:26
ADAMS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Two men working on wind turbines in Adams Township become the target of a sniper earlier this month, now another incident Friday causes panic. Everpower workers called police on Friday to report two men with guns. When police got on scene they discovered two turkey hunters with rifles. Police said they weren’t a threat but it’s showing how shook up these workers are.
Earlier this month a man driving a blue pick up truck took shots at . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:20
Over the past week or so, two reports from Ontario have spurred a fair amount of notice and comment among those following wind development issues. First, the provincial health office responded to the public’s concerns about health problems reported by some wind farm neighbors, framing its answer carefully and narrowly: ”According to the scientific evidence, there isn’t any direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects,” said Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, as reported by . . .
Updated: 2010-05-30 12:03:01
The decision on whether to give the go ahead for Enertrag UK Ltd to locate a wind farm at Chase Farm, Baumber, is due to be made at a three-week-long public inquiry beginning on October 5.
East Lindsey District Council, the Ministry of Defence and Baumber Wind Farm Action Group (BWAG) are expected to oppose the plans at the meeting in Minting Village Hall.
ELDC unanimously objected to the application, to site eight 125-metre-high turbines at Chase Farm, at a planning meeting . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 17:33:13
HURON COUNTY — Citing a loss of property value and quality of life as a result of the Ubly area Michigan Wind I development, 16 Huron County residents filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the wind project’s various companies.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed May 11 in Huron County Circuit Court against John Deere Renewables, Deere & Company (John Deere), Noble Environmental Power, LLC, Michigan Wind I, LLC (Noble Thumb Windpark I) and RMT, Inc., the plaintiffs are . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:51:23
The first local lawsuit over wind turbines is shaping up in Amherstburg if the town issues a building permit — as expected — for the $25-million GenGrowth South Side project.
Mick MacCorquodale said Friday he’s retained a Windsor lawyer to file objections to the issuance of the building permit by the municipality.
MacCorquodale’s home is near the five turbines proposed.
Coun. Rick Fryer said he and other members of council have been told the GenGrowth building permit will be issued by chief building . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:48:44
It’s a cold night in a quiet town, a wide black sky cut by the warm yellow of a lit building.
Thick jackets are worn by most of those inside Penshurst’s Senior Citizens clubrooms, who pull chairs together and wait for the meeting to start.
For all of the benefits linked to wind farms — jobs, clean energy, extra income for landholders — there is also increasing talk of their downsides.
Depression, nausea, heart palpitations, sleepless nights and ringing in the ears are . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:48:03
A Schuylkill County judge on Friday rejected a Gilberton company’s appeal of the Butler Township Zoning Hearing Board’s rejection of its plan to build 27 windmills along the top of Ashland Mountain.
In a 17-page opinion, Judge Charles M. Miller ruled Broad Mountain Development Co. LLC did not show the board erred or abused its discretion in revoking its zoning permit for the wind turbines on 1,110 acres.
The decision at least temporarily ends the proposed construction in Butler Township of the . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:47:55
Opponents of a proposed wind farm off the Scarborough Bluffs have adopted the old Bob Dylan folk classic, with their own spin, as a rallying cry: ‘the answer is not blowing in the wind.’
About 150 residents from the Guildwood area gathered Thursday evening to map out a strategy against the province’s plan to install wind turbines about two kilometres south of the bluffs, in Lake Ontario.
Under the banner of Toronto Wind Action, the group held a forum called ‘Finally the . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:47:43
Dozens of underwater listening devices are set to be installed in the Moray Firth to monitor the effect that offshore wind-farm developments may have on dolphins.
A two-turbine demonstration wind development already operates in the firth and other projects are planned in the area as the growing renewables sector takes off.
The waters are home to Scotland’s only resident population of bottlenose dolphins, as well as seals, porpoises and whales.
A team of Aberdeen University biologists, based at Cromarty lighthouse, has applied to . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:47:09
Outrageous. Reactionary. These are two words that come quickly to mind when reading the proposed amendment to the town of Dartmouth’s wind turbine by-law.
As readers of this newspaper will recall, Town Meeting members of Dartmouth recently approved the funding for acquisition and installation of two industrial-sized wind turbines. A lawsuit was filed just prior to the vote and is still pending, questioning, among other things, whether the town violated its own bylaw in certain respects.
In effect, the lawsuit alleges, in . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:46:47
BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho — Idaho is known for its wind, and the potential for energy-producing wind farms in the Gem State has been well documented.
For some though, the sentiment among some locals is “Not in my backyard!”
That’s exactly what’s happening in one rural area of Eastern Idaho.
Homeowners living near 115 North near Ririe are banding together in hopes of preventing a major wind farm project from being constructed on land near their homes.
“We moved out here from Houston to get . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:46:22
Watten Community Council’s decision to back the developers of the Spittal Hill Wind Farm has angered those opposing the proposal.
Speaking to the John O’Groat Journal this week, chairman of the Spittal Windfarm Opposition Group John Brown said he was surprised to learn that the community council had changed its stance.
It was reported in last week’s paper that much-needed investment could be injected into the Watten area thanks to an agreement between the developers of the Spittal project and the village’s . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:52
I am responding to Kevin Borgia’s letter on May 15 titled “Wind energy calculations confirm capacity.” Here we go again with the wind industry’s smoke and mirrors.
I’m not sure where he gets the 33 percent efficiency, because every wind map of Illinois says that at 150 feet above the ground, the average wind speed is about 14 mph, which is a class 2 area that means “fair to poor.” Also, a wind farm frequently is shut down.
However, it really matters . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:42
A second large-scale windfarm planned for the wider Tay Estuary is under threat after a major electricity firm pulled out of the project (writes James Williamson).
German energy giant RWE has withdrawn from the proposed Inch Cape development, which would see 180 turbines generating enough power for an estimated 620,000 homes.
The firm had been part of a partnership awarded exclusivity for the area early last year, but now say the size and scale of other commitments have forced them to drop . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:37
Wirral planning authority meets on Tuesday to deliberate on a giant wind turbine proposal that has provoked an avalanche of opposition in the Heswall area.
Planners recommended that the Oldfield Road scheme, involving construction of an 18m high structure in an area of special landscape value, should be thrown out.
They concluded that proposed introduction of “this alien stand-alone feature” would create an intrusive development in an open setting and its siting along the Heswall Dales skyline would detract from the . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:30
A Canadian company will seek to temporarily block a new state law that requires utilities to buy renewable energy only from firms that generate power within Massachusetts.
Bill Taylor, senior vice president of U.S. power for TransCanada, said his company plans to ask for an injunction against the made-in-Massachusetts law because it could “damage” his energy firm at a time when utilities are seeking bids for new electricity contracts.
The injunction request in U.S. District Court in Boston will occur “shortly,” . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:25
Nova Scotia Power should limit the use of its confidential stamp on documents, says the provincial regulator.
In a decision on the use of confidential documents released Friday, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board made it clear it was upset with the number of documents filed by the power utility that were being marked confidential without proper substantiation.
“Board decisions must contain sufficient information so that a reader can clearly understand how the board reached its decision,” the board wrote.
It also . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:45:15
The state has agreed to a partial settlement in a lawsuit challenging regulations meant to spur the clean energy industry in Massachusetts.
Last month, TransCanada Power, a Canadian energy company with operations in Westborough, sued five Massachusetts energy officials, including energy and environmental secretary Ian Bowles. The complaint questioned two state mandates: that utilities negotiate long-term contracts to buy renewable power from Massachusetts providers and that electricity suppliers buy power from local solar energy providers or pay a fee.
Under the US . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:44:41
The current Ontario government’s headlong rush into massive subsidization of various forms of renewable energy, including wind power and solar energy, is likely to reveal the law of unintended consequences from these precipitous policies unless we take a deep breath and calmly and rigorously re-evaluate these policies before committing billions more dollars from consumers and taxpayers to them.
Such a re-evaluation would sharply focus on three key factors: a) the costs of renewable energy; b) its contributions to reducing CO2 (greenhouse . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:41:43
PONTIAC — Horizon Wind Energy has filed an application for a 167-turbine project in northern Livingston County that could power 90,000 homes.
This is the third new wind farm now under consideration by the county, which already has one operating. If the others are built, more than 500 turbines will dot the county’s landscape.
Houston-based Horizon wants to build the Top Crop Wind Farm over 32,000 acres in Sunbury, Nevada and Esmen townships. The project would create 60 full-time and 582 temporary . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:41:20
The City of Kerrville has been planning for years for development along Interstate-10. Now comes word from the Public Utility Commission to make room for a possible power line, instead.
It could cost the city half a billion dollars in revenue.
Kerrville Mayor David Wampler said, “No one likes to see these lines come across their property, but in particular coming through the middle of a municipality, that’s our front porch or our gateway.”
The City of Kerrville isn’t impressed with one of . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:41:14
The legislative Task Force on Wind Energy has begun the task of considering potential changes to Wyoming’s eminent domain law in dealing with so-called collector systems.
Those are the power lines required to connect wind farms to larger transmission lines that connect Wyoming-generated electricity to the western grid.
The task force met in Casper on Thursday.
It heard from one landowner who stands to earn money from leasing property for wind farms say his immediate and distant neighbors who might only see power . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:41:10
The question of choosing the right permitting fees for wind farms in county jurisdiction has been returned to the Burleigh County Commission; it will be revisited at its Wednesday meeting.
Earlier this month, the county planning commission failed to reach a consensus on what the new formula should be, but discussed a policy that requires county inspections of towers.
As it stands, the fee remains status quo. Nextera Energy, the first company using the county wind policy, would . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:40:06
The state and a Canadian company have reached a partial legal settlement over the state’s aggressive new renewable energy requirements.
The deal, which resolves one of the two main issues in a lawsuit against the state, would basically allow TransCanada Energy Corp. to count its existing energy contracts against new requirements aimed at boosting use of solar power in Massachusetts.
TransCanada, which filed suit against the state earlier this year, has feared that it might have to renegotiate current energy contracts with . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:39:45
Oklahoma’s wind industry could be set to lose valuable tax credits if a new law is passed by the state’s governor Brad Henry.
The Senate Bill 1267, which calls for the scrapping of a number of tax credits, has been approved by the Senate. It will reportedly save $25million, with $600,000 of that earmarked for the zero-emission facility tax credit.
The zero-emission tax credit was passed in 2005 and has been acknowledged as promoting around 900MW of projects build in the state. . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:39:22
The Public Service Commission received two applications for new wind farms Friday.
NextEra Energy is looking to build Ashtabula III north of Valley City, where they have already built two wind farms. NextEra has expanded to project and it will now include about 40 wind mills.
Another wind project in McIntosh County would send energy to Tennessee. Set to be built outside of Ashley, the wind farm would have 87 turbines.
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:39:13
Fears have been voiced of a precedent being set after a giant wind turbine was given the go-ahead in the heart of the Suffolk countryside despite fierce opposition.
Hollywood composer Trevor Jones tabled a planning application to install the 18m tall structure at his home in Low Road, Dennington, near Framlingham. The scheme has now been given the go-ahead by Suffolk Coastal District Council, subject to a number of conditions.
The decision has caused outrage within the local community, who say . . .
Updated: 2010-05-29 11:39:03
Don’t weaken Dartmouth’s process for siting turbines
The wind turbine bylaw amendments to be voted on at the Dartmouth spring Town Meeting state that a special permit would no longer be needed to install wind turbines on either town-owned or town-leased land, regardless of who owns the turbines, as long as 50 percent of the electrical output, or its value, will benefit the town.
There are suitable parcels of land that could be used by wind turbine developers all over Dartmouth. This . . .
Updated: 2010-05-28 20:00:03
ASPEN, Colorado — A new initiative by Holy Cross Energy could spur development of solar and wind farms in the Roaring Fork Valley and possibly hydro and biomass plants.
The Holy Cross board of directors voted at its monthly meeting in May to put out two requests for proposals — one seeking production of up to one megawatt of solar photovoltaic power and another seeking up to 10 megawatts of non-solar energy generation.
Holy Cross currently has nearly 1.5 megawatts of locally . . .
Updated: 2010-05-28 19:35:30
Another transmission line between the Canadian Maritime provinces and Maine is likely, but the economics of getting power to the border must be favorable, and that could depend on New England’s renewable energy credits, according to a local attorney and former energy industry official.
Thomas Welch, a former member of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, is now an attorney in Portland, Maine, with the firm Pierce Atwood and worked with local utility Central Maine Power Co. on a proceeding in which . . .
Updated: 2010-05-28 18:11:14
Part 1: Wind proposal dividing communities, May 4, 2010
MORRISON – Imagine dozens of wind turbines, standing 400 feet tall, stretching across the farm fields of southern Brown County.
They’d be spinning, day and night, for at least the next 30 years.
Some believe it’s a picture of progress.
“Of course it is. Wind has been used since the beginning of time,” said Glen Martin, a landowner in the town of Morrison.
Others see it as a major misstep.
“What do you do when the wind . . .
