 |
Wind Alert! 4-Apr-2017News and information from The WindAction Group facts, analysis, exposure of industrial wind energy's real impacts - www.windAction.org |
| Issue: 4-Apr-2017 |
| |
WindAction EDITORIALWind Energy and Aviation Safety, FatalitiesEarlier this year, a single engine plane collided with a wind turbine in Germany killing the pilot and shattering the aircraft. The appalling tragedy was reported as a rare occurrence, but few realize that in the U.S. alone at least ten people have lost their lives in fatal aviation accidents... → MORE Recent ArticlesWith wind issues on some May ballots, the debate heats upDenise Rice is the treasurer of Huron County Wind Resistance, which is raising money for awareness of its core issue: “Enough is enough,” Rice said of the 473 turbines throughout the county. “You can argue all kinds of points, but that sums it up.” → MORE Comptroller: Offshore wind farm to cost ratepayers $1.62BThe plan to build an offshore wind farm to provide energy for the South Fork has received approval by the state comptroller, with a listed price tag to ratepayers of more than $1.62 billion. → MORE Wind farm tax feud leads to financial crisis in Toole CountyOn March 23 the USA division of the wind energy company, NaturEner, announced it had donated $50,000 to the Sunburst School District to help the small Montana town avoid having to lay off one or more of its 21 school teachers. → MORE Province should halt turbine project: Environmental groupThe partial sinking of a barge that was to be used in the construction of the Amherst Island wind energy project is reason enough to stop the project, a Prince Edward County environmental group says. → MORE Concerned citizens draft alternative wind ordinanceA group of Henry County residents and property owners concerned about the local development of “wind farms” have drafted an alternative to the existing wind energy conversion system (WECS) ordinance. The group’s primary concerns are about the impact on quality of life, including the health and safety of local residents, property... → MORE Turbine neighbors are fed upCouncilwoman Karen Carlson, who said she receives at least two complaints about the turbines per day, visited West Log Bridge Road to see for herself what her constituents had been talking about....she could hear the noise emanating from the structures. “I can understand how it makes people crazy,” she said. “Honestly... → MORE Court of Appeals vacates PSC decision approving transmission lineIn a stunning win for Marion County landowners, the Missouri Court of Appeals vacated a Missouri Public Commission decision to grant necessary certificates to an Illinois company seeking to erect an electricity line through the western part of the county. ...The Court of Appeals interpreted existing state statute to mean... → MORE Wind farm concerns resurface at countyRobert Rand, an acoustician from Boulder, Colorado, supplied the BOCC with a copy of a professional review of the sound study conducted by Epsilon and submitted to the county in October 2016. In his review, Rand cited 12 instances where the study contained either errors or omissions. For example, Rand’s review... → MORE PSB schedules two more hearings on stricter sound standards for wind projectsIf the new rule is adopted as proposed, sound could not exceed 42 decibels during the day and 35 decibels at night. ...The new rules also require turbines to be at least 10 times their height from the nearest home. A 500-foot turbine, for example, would have to be 5,000... → MORE Branan: Wind hasn’t deliveredLegislation to cut off the subsidy on July 1 passed the Oklahoma House and a Senate committee, potentially saving the state billions of dollars, but lawmakers still must contend with an army of pro-wind lobbyists before casting the decisive votes. Our state has many other needs, from education to infrastructure repairs,... → MORE County says no to wind hearings“It’s a private industry or business that wanted to use the courtroom and there’s a whole bunch of security issues and legalities in being able to do that,” he said. “Legally, we can’t do that.” Commissioner William O’Gurek added, “We don’t want to be a hosting site for anyone who has... → MORE Windfarm worker plunges to his death from turbine near Glasgow just weeks after tragedy at Ayrshire facilityA Police Scotland spokesman said: “At around 10.10am, police and emergency services responded to reports of a 32-year-old man having fallen from a turbine at the Whitelee Windfarm. "He was pronounced dead at the scene and his relatives have been informed. → MORE Ocean City Mayor concerned about wind project's view impactOcean City Mayor Rick Meehan says he may have underestimated how big a "thumbnail" would be when it comes to gauging the visual impact of a proposed wind project off the coast. "They always talked about thumbnails," Meehan said. "Well, they're a little bigger than a thumbnail." → MORE Will CT catch or miss the boat on offshore wind energy?Connecticut has a love-hate relationship with wind power. Okay, so far it’s mostly hate. → MORE First reading of Walworth County wind turbine ordinance attracts more than 100 peopleOne ordinance change would require 2-mile setbacks for wind turbines, which officials say would prevent Tradewind Energy from building a 200-megawatt wind farm in northeast Walworth County. → MORE Ohio House OKs bill to replace renewable-energy mandates; Would have no penalties for non-complianceThe House voted 65-30 to pass House Bill 114, which would replace state-mandated thresholds of renewable energy with goals that would have no penalties attached for non-compliance. “It’s already happening,” said Rep. Bill Seitz (R., Cincinnati) as he argued that electric utilities are moving toward renewables anyway. → MORE Another township goes to court over wind energy in Tuscola CountyThe suit seeks to restrain Talaski and Zbytowski actions as planning commission members until the court takes action. Visiting Circuit Judge Kenneth Schmidt decided Talaski and Zbytowski could remain on the board with stipulation of a moratorium that no decision on wind energy development be made until Tuscola County Circuit... → MORE “Wind Turbines: Unsafe at any distance” Last December, one of the turbines at the Stoney Corners wind facility burst into flames and was completely destroyed. Black smoke darkened the sky and heavy winds spread ash and burning particles on fields and properties nearby. For days the acrid odor of smoldering composites lingered in the air and... → MORE Residents Push Back Against Wind FarmResidents opposed to a massive wind farm on the Cumberland Plateau spent Wednesday at the Capitol lobbying lawmakers and urging them to oppose the plan. → MORE Deuel County residents fill Clear Lake Community Room for another wind power ordinance hearingThe meeting, which closed in on three hours, ended with the commissioners narrowly voting to approve the property value guarantee, a 1,500 foot setback for participating landowners and six times the distance of the tower length or 3,000 feet setbacks from non-participating landowners. The ordinance will still get two readings... → MORE Oklahoma Senate panel approves rolling back wind tax creditOKLAHOMA CITY — Legislation that rolls back a state tax credit for the wind energy industry has been approved by an Oklahoma Senate panel. → MORE Conneaut wind turbine facing uncertain futureA wind turbine severely damaged by lightning late last month is facing an uncertain future on Conneaut’s lakefront. At Monday’s City Council meeting, City Manager James Hockaday said the turbine’s owner, NexGen Energy, wants a long-term renewal of its contract with the city before it will proceed with repairs. → MORE Group wants province to cancel wind power projectThe group fighting a wind energy project on Amherst Island is calling for the Ontario government to cancel the contract with the company and called on the province's auditor general to look into the project. → MORE Small Maine communities reclaim their say over wind projectsA total of 39 Unorganized Territory communities from western Maine to Down East have taken back the ability to nix wind power projects they don’t like. ...Backlash against the loss of zoning review by the Land Use Planning Commission prompted a 2015 law allowing communities to restore that regional authority... → MORE Bird groups sue to stop Lake Erie wind projectTwo leading bird conservation groups, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), have filed a lawsuit against the Ohio Air National Guard (ANG) over its plans to build and operate a wind turbine at its Camp Perry facility. → MORE Ayrshire pensioner says wind turbines have turned her life into "torture chamber"When she arrived 30 years ago, the area was untouched and as close to wilderness as you get in Ayrshire. A 19th century hill farm which once boasted 3000 acres of grazing for hardy sheep was paradise to flautist Pat Spence and her husband John. → MORE Rural residents protest planned construction of 16 to 20 turbines despite strong vote opposing itA year after it was approved by the province, residents of a London-area rural township are still fighting against a wind farm that’s going ahead despite an overwhelming local vote against such projects. ...“Everything about it is a slap in the face, especially when you look at what is happening... → MORE Governor's Commission rejects voters' judgment on more windmillsA report released by a commission created and appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed the state take steps to get 30 percent of its electric energy by 2025 through renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy. ...But the recommendation flies in the face of Michigan voters, who soundly... → MORE Lawmakers file bill to reject wind farms in North Carolina – againThe law would put a moratorium on the consideration of new permit applications for both onshore and offshore wind energy facilities, pending General Assembly studies on the impact of wind turbines on military operations. → MORE Alexander: TVA shouldn't raise Tennesseans' electric bills to buy power it doesn't need"TVA has concluded that it doesn't need more power for the foreseeable future. Therefore, its board should resist obligating TVA's ratepayers for any new large power contracts, much less contracts for comparatively expensive and unreliable wind power. Instead, TVA should continue to provide low-cost, reliable power to the region that... → MORE North Norfolk council taxpayers will fund expensive legal challenge, wind farm developers claim as appeal confirmedNorth Norfolk council taxpayers will fund expensive legal challenge, wind farm developers claim as appeal confirmed → MORE Military concerns spark proposed wind moratorium In North CarolinaCiting efforts to protect the state’s military installations, a newly filed bill in the North Carolina Senate is seeking a temporary moratorium on the construction of new wind projects. → MORE Second lawsuit filed with connections to Tuscola III wind projectThe suit essentially claims a systematic effort has been underway to “kill” the planned Tuscola III project, starting with the formation of the Ellington-Almer Township Concerned Citizens (EATCC) group, continuing with the election of several group members last November, and culminating with a one-year moratorium on wind projects and denial... → MORE Ogle Township supervisors get an earful on windmill issueWINDBER – Two weeks ago, debate over wind farm regulations in Ogle Township prompted supervisors to end a meeting after approximately four minutes. → MORE Town of Hopkinton passes wind turbine moratorium; councilman does not believe it will make a differenceThe moratorium was passed with a 2-1 vote, according to Town Councilman Steve Parker Jr. ..Parker said it was the other council members “beliefs” that a moratorium would “buy the town some time” to further research the wind farm. → MORE Opinions strong against Kossuth County wind ordinanceDennis Meyer referenced comments that were made in an article about the decision being about the money that will come into the county coffers. “You have given into the wind energy companies and allowed them to tell the county what works for them,” he said. “You have taken it totally... → MORE Wind farm boss says Necton residents’ homes are safe despite plans showing a substation on top of themA windfarm boss said homes in a Norfolk village are not under threat, despite plans appearing to show that a substation could be built on top of them. → MORE NextEra wants wind farm dispute out of federal handsAttorney Kimberlee Spady represents the plaintiffs and alleged in her petition that NextEra filed the forms, but did not include the latitude and longitude of each turbine or specify the distance from the nearest airport, among other things. The public notices published in The Hinton Record also didn’t include information... → MORE Owosso Township OKs moratorium on wind projectsMonday, the Township Board approved an ordinance that imposes a year-long moratorium on wind energy conversion systems, giving township officials time to review, adopt and amend local rules relating to wind farms. ...Apex Clean Energy representatives previously said the firm hopes to install 36 to 60 up-to-600-foot turbines across 16,000... → MORE Environmentalists, leaders question wind farm off Fire IslandOther than the cost, the effect on marine life and the Island's summer tourism are the main concerns for Massapequa civic leader Phil Healey when it comes to a project like this one. "Just the fact of how much our economy is based on recreational fishing, recreational tourism, people who enjoy... → MORE Recent DocumentsCamp Perry Wind Complaint Two leading bird conservation groups, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), have filed a lawsuit against the Ohio Air National Guard (ANG) over its plans to build and operate a wind turbine at its Camp Perry facility. Located in Port Clinton, Ohio, on the shore of... → MORE Rand: Critique of Noise Impact Report for NextEra's Golden West Wind Energy Center NextEra's Golden West Wind Energy Center sited in El Paso County, Colorado was required under the County permit to conduct a noise impact study after the project was placed in service in October 2015. Acoustician Robert Rand was asked by residents living near the turbines to review the noise impact... → MORE GVEA: Financial cost of interconnecting Delta Wind Farm Alaska's Golden Valley Electric Co-Op denies a proposal by DWF to connect a new 13.5 megawatt ("MW") wind facility arguing, among other things, that the cost of interconnection would be higher than the benefits of the project.A letter with supporting evidence was submitted to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. A portion of the... → MORE Invenergy: Property Value Guarantee Invenergy's proposal to construct a controversial 1,000 MW natural gas-fired combined cycle facility in Burrillville, RI includes a mandate to offer a property value guarantee to abutting property owners. Invenergy is steadfast in refusing to offer the same agreement to neighbors of its wind energy power plants. A portion of the PVG approved... → MORE Lack of sound science in assessing wind farm impacts on seabirds This paper argues that the methods and data used when estimating effects of offshore wind turbines on seabird population rates and the potential impacts on seabird populations are grossly inadequate. As a result, Environmental Impact Assessments cannot solely be relied on to report risks. The conclusions cited in the paper... → MORE Recent VideosCalhan Resident Nauseous from Wind Turbines: “I can’t enjoy outside anymore”Calhan resident Kory Feick becomes nauseous from the spinning motion of the wind turbines that surround her property on three sides. The nausea is so severe that she has a hard time going outside. → MORE |
| WAS THIS MESSAGE FORWARDED BY A FRIEND? Click here to subscribe now! The WindAction Group stands ready to assist communities faced with unwanted industrialization by providing residents as well as government officials with information to make informed decisions. Privacy Policy: Email addresses are used only for correspondence with our subscribers and will not be disclosed or distributed without prior permission. © Copyright 2017 Industrial Wind Action Group Corp. |
