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Wind Alert! 4-Apr-2016News and information from The WindAction Group facts, analysis, exposure of industrial wind energy's real impacts - www.windAction.org |
| Issue: 4-Apr-2016 |
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WindAction EDITORIALNew Hampshire adopts statewide wind siting rulesIn December, 2015, the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee (‘SEC’) adopted new rules governing the siting of energy projects in the state, including wind energy facilities. The new rules represent the culmination of 2+ years of intense focus by stakeholders with widely varying interests. In that time, the SEC conducted... → MORE Recent ArticlesShadow flicker adds to wind farm health issuesThe Golden West Wind Energy Center in Calhan, Colorado, consisting of 145 453-foot tall industrial wind turbines, became fully operational in October 2015. Since then, residents living within the wind farm project’s footprint have reported physical and psychological effects from the turbines. → MORE Short SitedSo despite all Anderson’s lofty talk of saving the world from global warming, these renewable energy projects have always been about the money. Throw up a bunch of renewable energy projects, hustle the tax credits and subsidies, and charge ratepayers exorbitant fees for intermittent power. Communities and mountains be damned. → MORE Good neighbors don't trespassIn granting Certificates of Public Good and their associated establishment and measurement of noise standards for wind turbines inside neighboring homes rather than at property lines, the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) has essentially awarded wind developers an uncompensated nuisance noise, health, and safety easement across private property even though... → MORE Court stops Kinangop's Sh15bn wind power plantMunyao said the project is likely to violate the petitioners’ rights to a clean and healthy environment and affect their livelihoods. The court established a substantial change has occurred since the project was launched in 2005. → MORE Birds of prey: migration of raptorsAccording to Brett Ewald, a biologist and naturalist of Lakeshore Nature Tours, Western New York is the top raptor migration flyway in eastern North America. Raptors migrate from the south to the north to breed in the spring. → MORE After wind proposal, Temple buys time with a moratoriumA moratorium on industrial development approved by Temple residents last month is intended to give the town more time to create a comprehensive plan. → MORE Inside the golden bubble: Monitoring the sound of frustrationThe Northeast Kingdom senator was also irritated because he felt supporters of industrial wind had brought political pressure to bear. Their lobbyists, Rodgers said, looked like smiling Cheshire Cats after the monitoring proposal was dropped Thursday. → MORE Kingston Board of Health revisiting flicker regulationAfter more than a year, the Board of Health wants to revisit a shadow flicker regulation for Kingston wind turbines. → MORE Clean, green and catastrophicThere are signs of green economic turmoil everywhere → MORE Ruth Davidson launches Rural Manifesto with windfarm pledgeThe Tories – who are currently vying for second place in the polls with Labour – have committed themselves to giving communities the “right to decide” on windfarm developments in their area. Massive wind schemes throughout the north and north-east of Scotland have sparked a widespread backlash from local residents, concerned... → MORE $200K in lost energy savings later, Bayonne's wind turbine is spinning againThe bearing that broke was supposed to last 20 years, but only lasted three. ...The part needed to repair the turbine is estimated to cost $298,000, Boyle has said. → MORE Planners have rejected a plan to build four wind turbines on land near MethvenBut Perth and Kinross Local Review Body upheld the planning department’s refusal, citing concerns over the impact of the turbines on tourism and on scenery because of their size and proposed layout. A total of 17 people, believed to live close by, wrote in support of the scheme, with 117 objecting,... → MORE Sheppard raises concern on possible wind farm developments in Clay CountyOpponents of additional wind farm projects in Clay County may have gained a powerful ally: Sheppard Air Force Base. Two high ranking base officials told attendees of a Thursday town hall meeting in Henrietta that the installation of a proposed wind turbine farm in the area could interfere with base radar... → MORE Chateaugay school board blocks tax break for Jericho Rise wind farm project“The tax exemption made available by Section 487 of the Real Property Tax Law shall not be applicable within the boundaries of the Chateaugay Central School District with respect to any solar or wind energy system constructed subsequent to the date of this resolution,” the board resolution states. → MORE GMP's Kingdom Community Wind versus the Clean Water ActBased on the lack of enforcement of the permit conditions to monitor their experimental stormwater management systems at Green Mountain Power’s Lowell Kingdom Community Wind project, Vermont is well on its way to violating its own stormwater management rules, their obligations as a U.S. EPA delegated agency, and the Federal... → MORE Bird conservation group seeks tougher siting rules for wind farmsHutchins conceded that, “Wind is not taking as many as feral cats." But he said it’s important to consider the species involved, and whether the losses are robins from the backyard or endangered whooping cranes making a stop along their migration route. ...Only Hawaii requires that bird deaths be tallied by... → MORE PSC hearing about western N.D. wind farm sees over 150 people in attendance, goes on for more than 12 hoursMore than 150 people gathered before 8 a.m. Wednesday at Dickinson City Hall prepared for a long discussion about the proposed 87-turbine Brady Wind Energy Center in southern Stark County in southwest North Dakota. → MORE County adopts wind regulationsBoard member John Hill reiterated safety concerns previously expressed during numerous public hearings ...“As far as the study on the sound and the effects on humans, I guess at this point I’d rather be on the conservative side with the lower dBA. At some point in time you might look... → MORE Renewables are incapable of replacing hydrocarbons at scalePolicymakers intent on imposing a swift end to the era of fossil fuels, such as President Obama and Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are either unaware or indifferent to the colossal scale, futility and economic risks of a forced transition from energy-dense fossil fuels to the... → MORE WIND: Local residents regarded less than butcher's meatA Polish study, validated by the scientific community in July 2015 ( "The Effect of Varying Distances from the Wind Turbine on Meat Quality of Growing-Finishing Pigs" Karwowska.M. & Al) comes to establish the correlation between the quality meat of pigs and the distance between the wind at their fattening. → MORE State set to deny extending Cape Wind permitsA state board on Tuesday issued a tentative decision denying the extension of permits that would allow Cape Wind to build an electricity transmission line to connect its proposed offshore wind farm to land, further complicating the beleaguered project's already grim prospects. → MORE Devon couple’s idyllic home ‘ruined’ after becoming sandwiched between two wind turbinesFollowing the installation of a second 130ft (40m) turbine at a farm 310m away, Gareth and Pam Down, can now see masts through the front and back windows of their home at Lower Punchardon Farm, near Winkleigh. In fact, there is almost no escaping the spinning blades, which are even visible... → MORE Spain’s Abengoa files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in U.S.Abengoa’s financial woes trace back to Spain’s boom years, when the company began to build such projects for itself, fueled by cheaper bank loans and a desire to expand. The company took on billions of dollars of debt in anticipation of a growth rate that didn’t materialize. → MORE Dixfield board votes to place wind ordinance on June ballotThe Board of Selectmen voted 3-2 Monday evening to place an amended wind energy facility ordinance before voters June 14. → MORE Sucking wind in the fight for renewable energyThe hard reality is that the anti-wind backlash in New York and elsewhere exposes wind energy’s practical limits. Wind may be popular among urban voters, but landowners in towns like Yates and Somerset aren’t going to accept lots of new turbines. Not without a fight. → MORE Turbine project gets second wind in South DakotaBlindauer is worried about the imposing size of the structures, which would likely be the same size as the 446-foot turbines proposed in Davison County, she's more concerned with the potential impact on the value of her property. Blindauer also said she was asked to consider installing a tower on... → MORE Wind funds used to buy neighbours’ silenceBut landowners who have been offered upfront payments of $25,000 and $8000 a year say they have been told to keep the existence of the contract and its details secret. Sue Dean said she had been given to the end of this month to sign an agreement with WestWind, but had... → MORE Woodford holding wind farm accountableIn an attempt to push the company into action, the committee hired an independent firm, Patrick Engineering, in November 2015 to do a cost study and write a decommissioning plan. The action is allowed under the special use permit with Minonk LLC paying the cost of the study. A copy... → MORE Facing grid constraints, China puts a chill on new wind energy projects"The main cause of idling turbines is an overcapacity in China's power generation," said Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University. "China's power supply currently surpasses its demand by 20 to 25 percent. All the electricity producers in the country are going through... → MORE Arkansas delegation denounces DOE clean line approvalSection 1222 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 establishes specific conditions that must be met before this authority is used, and we expect the Department to release all details of their review so that our staff and Congressional investigators will be able to continue the process of oversight. → MORE Orleans plans six-month moratorium on wind-related applications“We just want to make sure everything is up to code and be prepared for taller wind turbines,” Mr. Rarick said, adding that he believes other towns affected by Iberdrola’s project should also approve moratoriums. He said the board plans to reach out to other towns, advising them to consider... → MORE Settlement filed in dispute over bird safeguards at wind farmSDG&E agreed to help finance the Rim Rock project and purchase the power, but later sued NaturEner USA arguing it had been mislead about the threat to raptors. That prompted NaturEner to file a breach-of-contract counter suit against SG&E. The conditional settlement agreement to end the litigation was filed Feb. 11. → MORE Tuscola Commissioners hear from residents frustrated about wind energyCommissioners in Tuscola County spent hours of their Thursday morning meeting listening to Almer and Ellington Township residents frustrated by the perceived lack of attention paid to them by their respective township planning committees regarding the zoning of wind turbines. → MORE How to Kill an Industry Germany’s massive push into renewable energy has a dark side. As green policies drive up the cost of power, entire industries are shrinking. ...The losers include once-stalwart utility giants like E.ON and RWE that are struggling with rising debt and falling shares. Manufacturing companies, from chemicals maker BASF to carbon... → MORE European clean tech industry falls into rapid declineOliver Joy, spokesman for the European Wind Energy Association, told the Guardian: “The outlook for 2016 is not as rosy and we’re likely to see a dip in installations this year. Beyond this, the future for onshore wind is not clear as an uncoordinated patchwork of policies across Europe continues... → MORE Group files complaint against wind producers over green marketing claims“As far as what we know today, there is no so-called renewable project in this state that has not sold its RECs out of state,” IRA spokesman Michael Sanville told Vermont Watchdog. “That being (the case), there should not be any company within the state that’s advertising any of their... → MORE NextEra files plans with FAA for new wind farmThe applications were filed less than 24 hours after video and audio recordings of a March 14, 2016, Almer Township Planning Commission meeting, show a NextEra representative saying the company couldn’t provide details about specific locations because it was “still working on its plans.” → MORE Wind farm opponents applaud votes in Orange, CanaanOpponents of a proposed $140 million wind-energy plant say they are pleased that Canaan and Orange residents voted earlier this month to restrict or oppose new wind power plants in their towns. → MORE Contract with wind farm developer calls for millions in escrowThe co-developer of a wind farm planned for northern Ford County and southern Kankakee County said that an escrow agreement approved by the Ford County Board last week calls for the developers to provide several million dollars in financial security to Ford County to cover repairs and improvements to public... → MORE County attorney investigating possible cap on turbinesThe board of commissioners voted 4-3 Tuesday to authorize its attorney, Stephen Allen, to advise whether it’s legal to set a cap on wind turbines in the county. John Nugent, the board’s legislative chair, brought the motion for a vote. → MORE Wind power: funding body spends $3.3m on research into turbines' health impactNational Health and Medical Research Council defends decision after grants attacked as waste of time An Australian research council has given two grants worth $3.3m to research the impact of wind turbines on human health despite concluding last year there was no evidence turbine noise was harmful. → MORE East Africa’s biggest renewable power projects face land challengesIn Kenya the future of the country’s most ambitious wind power projects hangs on the balance thanks to fierce disputes with local communities that are now casting a dark shadow over the future of Kinangop wind power (KWP) project and the Lake Turkana wind park (LTWP). → MORE Health repercussions due to windmills being kept under wraps?There are a long line of reports that wind turbines are causing health problems to those who live nearby. → MORE Wind turbine sought at Camp PerryKimberly Kaufman, Black Swamp Bird Observatory executive director, told The Blade she learned about the decision during a recent meeting with Camp Perry leadership. She said her group will once again seek legal help from a national advocacy group, the American Bird Conservancy, to block the project. → MORE Balancing need for 'green' with people's concernsThe flat fields and scenic farms have been replaced by mechanical monsters with arms spinning in the wind. They dominate the landscape visually, impossible to ignore. ...What’s clear, at least to me, is that something has to change. People are being hurt by these wind developments. Their concerns should not... → MORE Wind developer awaiting Rush Co. judicial reviewApex Clean Energy continues to gauge the interest of Henry County landowners interested in placing a wind turbine on their property as it awaits a judicial review of a decision made last summer in Rush County. → MORE Reevely: New Eastern Ontario wind farms a betrayal, mayors near Ottawa sayWind farms were imposed on rural Ontario, study says. The Ontario government has betrayed rural municipalities by approving new wind farms in places that have explicitly voted against them, mayors say — including just east of Ottawa. → MORE Opposition to Somerset wind turbinesI am tired of hearing from leaseholders that they should be able to do what they want with their land. I can’t put a small one story shed within 15 ft. of the property line with my neighbor but they should be able to put a 600 ft. industrial structure... → MORE Recent DocumentsPetition for Judicial Review of BPA Interconnection Approval: Whistling Ridge Energy Project Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Save Our Scenic Area have petitioned the court to review Bonneville Power Administration’s ("BPA") June 24, 2015 Record of Decision (“ROD”) approving the interconnection of the Whistling Ridge Energy Project to BPA’s electricity transmission system, based on BPA’s analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). This... → MORE Apex Clean Energy: Tort claim against Rush County, IN As of March 4, 2016, Apex filed a Notice of Tort Claim Pursuant to Indiana Code 34-13-3 (Indiana Tort Claims Against Governmental Entities and Public Employees Act). To summarize the notice, Apex claims that the commissioner’s official action on September 8th, 2015 to cease and desist all negotiations with Apex... → MORE Recent VideosOklahoma and Big Wind: Residents Speak Out!Homeowners describe their experiences with Oklahoma wind turbines 2016.Apex Clean Energy constructed the Kingfisher wind facility within 1500-feet of homes. The project consists of 120 turbines for a total installed capacity of 300 megawatts. After exhausting all attempts to work with Apex, the residents filed a lawsuit seeking protection from adverse health... → MORE |
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