The industry is not whom I expected to hear from since they had such a large role in the development of the sample zoning in the first place.. The Michigan Wind 3 would be eligible to collect about $3,519 annually. Finland Ivan announced that he had asked that the original version of the study be pulled from the website until we have a chance to add some of those qualifies [sic] we discussed., According to Ivan, he discussed the pamphlet with an attorney representing Florida-based NextEra Energy, one of the nations largest wind farm developers. Idaho Amid continued controversy and delayed application reviews, the 499-foot turbines have yet to sprout. value into perspective, that is enough power for several tens of But before the county gets near to collecting tax revenues, Exelon still needs land use permits approved in Bridgehampton and Marion Townships. Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup #411 | Watts Up With That? But the biggest benefit that Sanilac County will see is the estimated tax revenue over the lifetime of the project, which is expected to be about 30 years. According to the lawsuit, Jennifer Armstrong has a traumatic brain injury and suffers seizures when exposed to shadow flicker created by wind turbines. Lithuania Question:How much electricity can these turbines actually produce? This article is the work of the source indicated. Israel region. According to the Michigan Public Service Commission, a majority of the states wind developments are in the Thumb region. But the company isnt the only party that gets a financial reward forraising wind turbines. As for bats, Mason said turbines are especially dangerous. If Michigan residents truly love their lakes and want to see Michigan prosper, they need to embrace all forms of clean energy including wind, solar and investments in energy efficiency. wind turbines The turbines in total length must be one and a half times the length away from a property line and two times away from a home. Switzerland "The project went through several regulatory review processes, all of which were open to the public, and received unanimous approval each time.". width: 100% !important; You can say no many, many times. Myanmar Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail. display: block !important; still the question of proximity to the shoreline that has only been Czech Republic function onCatChange() { Iceland Answer: Wind turbines are cheaper to make, said Baldwin, and take minimal staff to maintain. Utah Transportation electrification is gettinga major boost from the Inflation Reduction Act as well as variousfederal, state and local policies. Massachusetts Pennsylvania South Carolina District of Columbia How can Michiganders have input into offshore wind development in general and specific projects in particular? In other areas, the buffer zone from shore will need to be carefully considered to make sure that other uses are not unreasonably impacted. But still, Kritzman has no idea what to expect in terms of payment. arguments for the construction of the wind farm. Arizona The original MSU Extension Service pamphlet released March 6 was written by staff member Kurt Schindler and reviewed by Brad Neumann, also on the MSU staff. Russia The second lawsuit against Casnovia Township, also filed in Muskegon County Circuit Court, aims to undo the boards April 23 decision to grant the special use permit to AEP, then Sempra, for the proposed wind farm. New Zealand to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with Fritz is paralyzed from chest down due to traumatic injury and has debilitating neuropathic pain exacerbated by changes in pressure and/or lack of sleep. "Our community right now is very divided," saidWheatland Township Supervisor Dave Stone. Members of the Juniata Township The township had stated that it wanted wind turbines at least 1,300 feet away from homes and dwellings, and 1,000 feet away from any property line to protect against ice and blade throw, according to the permit. Pollard, a six-year resident,founded Informed Citizens of Wheatland Township in August when he learned a wind turbine would go up near his house. turbines will clearly be seen. Vermont Barbados At the end of 2014, Michigan ranked 14th in the U.S. with 14 installations representing 1,525 MW of installed wind capacity. Dominican Republic While Knight will not have a turbine on his land, he will be able to see turbines that his neighbors have signed up for an eyesore for him. One must check this https://www.durasteel.co.nz/ it gives us more info on this topic. Members of the Juniata Township planning commission voted to approve a special land use request by wind turbine supplier NextEra Energy Resources. We support that," said Erik Benko. He said itll be an economic boom to the region. In addition to the lease payments, Tillman said the local community will benefit from job creation spawned by the project. But that's not enough to assuage residents concerned that wind turbines will destroy their rural quality of life. The new law increases by 50 percent the amount of renewable energy that utilities must use, which in Michigan means more wind turbines. [3], On the other hand, the company makes two very strong NextEra Energy did not respond to an and email and phone call requesting comment. paradoxical; yet, that is exactly what has happened in the case of using "We figure people have the right to do what they want on their own land, but we're not going to choose a side in the matter.". Tillman said several years ago the Michigan State Tax Commission provided updated guidance for the taxable value of wind projects. The revised pamphlet also allows for much louder turbine operations. We are so thankful for your partnership and advocacy over these last few years. Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar 10. The township sent out a notice to residents notifying them of the request, as well as an upcoming meeting covering the permit. And in nearly every case, wind developments are being challenged by local residents. Bridgehampton, Marion and Washington townships will be home to the actual turbines while Custer Township will make room for supporting equipment. Canada Court Orders Utility To Address Wind Turbine Noise Problems Australia if ( dropdown.options[dropdown.selectedIndex].value > 0 ) { one of them to pay off, thus drawing the attention of the public from The current zoning requires a setback of 1 to 1.5 times the height of the tower and sound levels to not exceed 65 decibels. using them based upon the amount of time it would take for each and any I never knew about it when I bought this house.. The wind farm would impair the assets of P.D. When you find a community in Michigan that has no conflicted officials you will NOT find wind developments. Brenda Smigill, Archie Thomas Real Estate owner in Port Sanilac, said it is harder to sell homes in areas where turbine projects are being constructed. So what we need to do is: http://www.michiganglowcouncil.org/ http://www.scandiawind.com/AegirGrid.html, 602 W Ionia St, Lansing, MI 48933, United States, Created By STORYLICIOUS With NationBuilder. Connecticut U.S. All rights reserved. Oregon Developers will need to build larger and more efficient wind turbines, comparable in size to midsized skyscrapers,improve grid infrastructure and make anticipated improvements in battery storage "for wind to realize its full potential, said Steve Transeth a former Michigan public service commissioner. 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The group now has more than 110 members. New York Panama After years of argumentation and controversy, Detroit-based DTE Energy (formerly Detroit Edison) cancelled wind leases in North Branch and Burlington [2] To put this I listened to a virtual meeting in a Virginia County last night. Honduras MSU then posted a revised version on Aug. 24. Wolverine Power Cooperative is the company that will be buying the energy from Exelon and then distributing it to customers. A legal battle over a proposed wind farm of 63 turbines is brewing in a small community in the Thumb area of Michigan. In the lakes, they would remind me of what were protecting, not whether it changed a scenic vista. Energy It will be very helpful to understand the wind turbine noise issues and big wind loses Lapeer County. Albert Jongewaard is the Senior Manager for Public Engagement with Apex. .page .article .comments .fb-comments span, They are often controversial even there, but one company wants to put a wind farm in an Upper Peninsula forest. | Our infrastructures are crumbling from neglect and lack of money. Since then, the price of gas has increased substantially, from an average of $2.95 per gallon in April 2021 to $4.55 in May 2022 the month the new survey was conducted. Ontario further away because the company would have to invest fewer resources to [2] The turbines would be a few miles from the eastern coastline and The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality also still needs to provide approval for certain construction activities, Tillman said. the houses in the area. Madagascar We would hope to bring the project online by the end of 2018.. Whats more, smokestacks go on to cause millions of dollars of unseen damages, greenhouse gasses that warm the planet, premature heart problems, respiratory ailments, and mercury poisoning of our inland lakes. The Michigan State University Extension Service pulled from its website a model zoning ordinance for wind energy developments after industry executives and lobbyists complained that its safety standards would impede wind farm development. Mason said by the time an inspector comes to survey the number of dead animals, another animal most likely already ate its remains. Michigan also has a handful ofstate-level incentives that support wind energy that range from a $2 million incentive to tax abatements. Donate Aside from the projects previous conflict of interest i.e. Renewables opponents must answer questions about climate changes far more severe environmental impacts and recognize renewables significant local economic benefits. Roger Knight, 66, of Bridgehampton Townshipis one of those individuals not yet convinced. Ivan wrote in an email to Neumann that he told the attorney that we will certainly listen to their perspective but that does not guarantee that some, or any, of their concerns will be incorporated in the edits.. } Americas Gratiot County now has five wind farms that include a total of 345 turbines. are built far away from residential areas or tourist locations. Engie employees walk down a road for a closer look at wind turbines during a tour for the dedication of the Limestone Wind Project in Dawson, Texas, on February 28, If your neighbor does something on your ground thats not neighborly, you should have a say. Also, excessive noise exacerbates her condition. Subsequently, a group of residents asked the township board to adopt a moratorium on wind farm developments so the community could revise a wind zoning ordinance adopted in 2010. Southern Michigan wind project faces opposition They promise the County, the School, Fire Departments, 911, Townships, and Municipalities riches from the taxes they will earn from power generated. Many community members dont feel thats the right place either. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. ", "We're just a poor community. If NextEra is successful in getting the wind farm approved, Juniata Township would see 31 wind towers erected, 486 feet tall from base to blade tip. With their foot in the door, money supposedly spent, they will then seek a tax deferment for getting a good start. Yet we continue to provide subsidies and tax credits to make it appear we are green. completely in the scope of this paper. Blogs The reimbursement that the company receives is based on the amount of electricity generated. Missouri Rick Snyder signed legislation mandating the state get 15 percent of its energy from renewables by 2021. Listening to the public comments at that meeting was almost identical to listening to comments in North Branch Township and in Burlington Township and in Almer Township and everywhere else Ive been in the state of Michigan.. North Dakota Saskatchewan "We think that it will enable, well, perhaps some of our younger relatives not to have to sit in the cold in the wintertime or swelter in the summertime because they dont have enough electricity," said Laura Engel, a resident who signed a lease agreement with the company. A broad majority of Americans (69%) favor the United States taking steps to become carbon neutral by 2050, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January. They began by stealthily contacting absentee landowners, with promises of income unaffected by weather. Philippines Nonetheless, coming up with a Because of the Many have put their families and their community name on the line to go against their neighbors to fight for what they believe in. Georgia The groundwork is already being laid for it on other political fronts., Keep watch over your local elected officials, make sure you keep in office the ones who helped block DTE and elect new ones who you know will block them in the future. width: auto !important; Morocco Nigeria [1] On the other hand, the power companies see Germany In a May 22 email to Neumann, Matthew Wagner, a manager of renewable energy developments for the utility company DTE, blasted the noise standards in the original pamphlet. The 575-foot turbines would be located on land owned by Lake Superior Timberlands. AEP took control of the project after it bought Sempra Energys wind turbine assets in 2019. The original version recommended that wind turbines and towers have a 2,500-foot property line setback. Wind His review of only the acoustical aspects of this document indicates there are serious flaws with the MSU Extension documents content and call into question the documents validity on the whole.. Mountaintop removal is ugly. "If they had just done it fair and just put people on the board that didn't have the conflict of interest and voted it through, okay, that's different," Wheatland Township resident Chris Pollard said. Michigan Wind Farm (Michigan Wind II Farm) will be equipped with Vestas Wind Systems V100-1.8 MW turbines. Montana Its amazing the effect of waving dollar bills in front of the officials has on their judgement and decision making. Accounting for the average Thumb-area wind production capacity, Kritzman would receive an average yearly stipend of about $7,569. The filers, Jonathan and Jennifer Armstrong, Ron Fritz and P.D. The controversy continues a years worth of consternation over the wind farm project. Rosemarie Ives, a resident of Rhode Island disapproves the recently built wind turbines in her hometown. "These people are in the right by thinking that there's a problem of these things being too close are real. Illinois Stone said the township and localschools could use their cut of the about $22 millionof tax revenue the wind developer expects to be generated in Hillsdale County from theturbinesand connected infrastructure. Those leases, you almost have to be an attorney to read them and Ive heard a lot of stories, he said. Big Potential Meets Big Opposition, Great |. www.mlive.com ~~. solution to even this specific situation would bring us all one step Unfortunately, Burnside Township voted in a restrictive ordinace in February 2018, making utility-scale wind development in the township extremely challenging, if not impossible. Costa Rica Topics covered: load mgmt, dynamic pricing, energy efficiency, and much more. In light of our questions in this matter, we asked our own expert on acoustics to weigh in, Wagner said. Wyoming Nothing is going to change until our representatives begin to feel how much we are suffering the waste. The board did not fulfill that request, the complaint reads. The problem itself, in fact, is far too complex to evaluate The past few decades have seen a surge of wind energy development in The Great Lakes Offshore Wind Council was created by Governor Granholm in February of 2009 to identify the best potential areas for offshore wind in Michigan, ensure Great Lakes bottomlands are protected and identify other barriers to offshore wind energy development in Michigan. SOURCES Id prefer watching wind turbines spin. wildlife and the migratory patterns of birds that fly over Lake Michigan It just takes a few to believe the money is easy and the reason honorable. The township board also worried about blade delamination, or the breakdown of the laminated coating of wind turbine blades. General News We do have landowners who have signed onto the project and sufficient land to be able to build this project, Bryan Garner, manager of communications for Florida-based NextEra, told MLive. According to Humm, Wind farms generally do not present a problem if they Turkey Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, who has refused to answer my e-mailed questions regarding the backlash against the wind The phase consists of 7 turbines, each [3] "Great width: 100% !important; Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donate | Contact Us, majority of the states wind developments, Michigan Treasury stiffs workers on new tax cut, Despite billions in corporate welfare, Michigans jobs market still back of the pack, Lansing Math: Michigan pays $340,000 per (promised) job at Gotion factory, Michigans income tax cut was 16 years in the making. The wind turbine project would create thousands of jobs, some Topics covered: smart grid tech, clean energy, regulation, generation, and much more. Pollardsaid he opposes thewind developmentbecause he believes it wouldruin the area's artesian wells and kill bats and birds. Virgin Islands WebConsumer's Energy has constructed a meteorological tower in rural Elmwood Township, in Tuscola County, to lay the groundwork for planned wind development in the area. Brazil The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimatesthat in 2019 there will be the highest amount of wind capacity added to the country's electricity grid since 2012 as developers look to qualify for the federal Production Tax Credit. The company says the project Consider your own project. Opinions The phase consists of 50 turbines with 1.8MW nameplate capacity. Several factors have weighted into our decision-making. Poland "You've got to understand something about this town: anybody who has a sizable portion of land in our town has signed a lease," Stone, the township supervisor said. It was the utility company's first wind plant project in Michigan. Nebraska wind farm projects cause controversy and heartache, one article in The Fence Post was titled. Bats find turbines attractive, you can watch with infrared photography the bats chasing the turbine blades. Tillman said Exelon has completed environmental surveys, worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. max-width: none !important; protect our planet. Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Landowners get quarterly per-acre payments if the power company has a wind turbine on your land, or cables running underneath it. Manitoba Yet there is little to no evidence of the negative impact because it is hard to measure bird and bat deaths by turbines. The top of Michigan At 1,979 feet, Mt. before. They also result in billions of dollars a year leaving the state to purchase coal from other states. Saint Martin Question:Why so many wind turbines? Egypt Lisa Linowes -->, [Google-powered results by relevance], Add NWW headlines to your site (clickhere), Later Post News Watch Home Earlier Post , Credit: By Ben Solis | Ireland Nicaragua Rhode Island As to the structures themselves, the state can protect itself from other risks by requiring the developer to purchase bonds to ensure structures are maintained and properly removed after their useful life. Tillman said the county could see a total of $25 million over that time span. The company alleges that several of those stipulations would totally prohibit AEP from building the project, amounting to $200 million in lost revenue for AEP. "And I think there's hard feelings for some people.. communities, which were severely affected by the economic recession. Wind energy is not a good neighbor. But while some advocates suggest that nuclear power a source that emits no carbon should have a more prominent role in the nations energy makeup, the public At the end of 2012, there were 160 turbines in the Huron County. Email investigative reporter Nicole Hayden with your questions atnhayden@gannett.comor tweet her @nicoleandpig. Besides the Mason County wind farm, Consumers Energy is planning development of the Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola and Huron counties in Michigan's Thumb region. While we share your disappointment with the outcome, it does not diminish our great appreciation for your ceaseless support. Nebraska Norwegian developers are proposing the states first offshore wind farm in Lake Michigan near Pentwater. The phase consists of 50 turbines with 1.8MW nameplate capacity. Write, call, email; This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here, I love all the information shared. Developer Scandia Wind Offshore LLC recently announced it was cutting the project size in half and moving it farther offshore in response to criticism. [ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=93800 ], Wind farm east of Muskegon met with lawsuits, recall attempts. Power India Wind Energy Developer Compares Opponents To Hitler And The Holocaust, Wind industry declares war on Michigan man, Wind industry strikes against local zoning control in Michigan, .page .article .comments .fb-comments { Michigan Wind Farm (Michigan Wind II Farm) will be equipped with Vestas Wind Systems V100-1.8 MW turbines. The recommendations in that version would allow for turbines and their towers to be located closer to property lines, where they might have a greater effect on neighbors. The project has been in development for nearly 10 years and has strong support, according to Invenergy, a Chicago-based energy development company that is selling the wind projectto Consumers Energy when finished. Citizens split on wind turbine plant in Montcalm County - WXMI About 100 residents throughout the four townships have signed leases with Exelon. Black Enterprises, located near the wind farm, causing substantial economic harm to plan participants. Guam Many innocent victims, as a result, have become wind warriors.. 6 The average installed cost of a small (<100 kW) turbine was approximately $9,500 per kW in 2020. turbines will be very beneficial for the local economy.