Construction of a massive offshore wind farm that was supposed to power half a million homes in New York is being halted by the Trump administration. The White House said permits for the $2.5 billion Empire Wind project, which is based at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and already under construction, were rushed through approval. Empire Wind was hailed as a key to the clean energy transition and ocean turbine installations were set to start in May, but Interior Secretary Doug Bergum brought it to a screeching halt. The prior administration "rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis," Bergum said in a letter.

The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) today authorized PowerConneX, Inc. to seek an accelerated review of its plans for a natural gas-fired power plant in Licking County. The OPSB also denied the application of Stark Solar, LLC to construct a 150 megawatt (MW) solar-powered electric generating facility in Washington Township, Stark County...In separate business, the OPSB denied the application of Stark Solar. Based on the consistent opposition to the project from each of the local government entities and their impacted constituents, the OPSB determined that the proposed project would fail to serve the “public interest, convenience, and necessity” as required under Ohio law. The OPSB noted that each of the local governments with physical contact to the project – Stark County and Washington Township – acted to oppose its approval, and that the public comments and testimony received in the case reinforced the local government opposition. The project as proposed would consist of large arrays of solar panels and associated facilities occupying 555 acres within an 860-acre project area.?

A large wind farm, which was proposed on the western foothills of the Comeragh Mountains, has been refused permission to proceed by An Bord Pleanala, much to the delight of councillors in the area. The Coumnagappul wind farm was to include 10 wind turbines stretching across the townlands of Coumnagappul, Carrigbrack, Knockavanniamountain, Barricreemountain Upper and Glennaneanemountain and Skeehans. Waterford City & County Council recommended that An Bord Pleanala refuse permission for the development. In a report submitted to An Bord Pleanala, the local planning authority outlined "very serious concerns" regarding the carrying capacity and safety of the local road network serving the proposed development and the adequacy of the local road network to accommodate heavy construction traffic associated with the proposed development. The Council also outlined that the proposed development would be sited on lands within an area where wind farm development is not normally permissible for reasons relating to landscape sensitivity.

The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors on Monday voted unanimously to remove utility-scale solar as a future allowed land use countywide, essentially closing the book on large solar project development there. The decision comes as some Southside Virginia localities resist the region’s status as a hotspot for solar and as some state lawmakers have attempted to assert greater state-level influence over local solar siting. Residents and local officials who oppose utility-scale solar in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere commonly cite concerns over rural aesthetics, the availability of agricultural land, property values and the environment. Supporters say solar provides renewable energy along with revenue to landowners and local governments. Mecklenburg County Administrator Alex Gottschalk said in an email to Cardinal News last month that the county was an early adopter of utility-scale solar but that “the cons have, to date, far outweighed the pros in most people’s minds.”

Plans for a lithium battery storage facility in rural Van Zandt County have been legally put on hold ... at least temporarily. A plot of 48 acres of land is being developed for a 100-megawatt battery storage facility owned by a Finnish energy company, Taaleria Energia. The operation involves storing electricity generated by renewable energy, such as wind and solar, then releasing it to the power grid, as needed. Numerous citizens and leaders in Van Zandt County have expressed concerns over safety issues that could come with such a facility in the county. During a special called county commissioners meeting, Van Zandt County Fire Marshal Sean Davis expressed his concern over the safety of citizens around the planned facility, and the fire departments’ ability to adequately respond to fires at the facility.

At a Wednesday, April 9 meeting, the New Hartford Town Board denied a special use permit application for a solar project at 9444 Roberts Road. Solar Liberty had proposed a seven-megawatt solar project at 9444 Roberts Road, encompassing 21 acres of land. Representatives from the company had attended a March 12 town board meeting, seeking a special use permit for the project, which would allow it to move on to the town’s planning board for the site plan review process....Cully said that under the town’s solar law, the town board is required to consider how neighbors would be impacted by the installation of a solar project near their properties. He said the basis for the denial include: a close proximity to residential neighborhoods, inability to screen, proximity and visibility from New York State Route 8 and potential for distraction or glare, the visual impacts.

Over 1,000 acres of proposed solar farms in Ireland havew been refused planning permission. The two large scale solar projects, located in Carlow and Kildare, were refused permission on multiple grounds, including impact on residents, biodiversity and farmland as well as safety concerns for its battery components...The council also raised concerns about the use of productive farmland and the poor quality of information submitted...

Korsail Energy’s application to construct its “Cornflower Solar” energy and battery storage facility in Alamosa County was denied Tuesday for the second time. In a 2-1 vote by the Alamosa County Board of Commissioners after a nearly five-hour public hearing, Korsail energy is back to square one. The main sentiment that emerged during the public hearing, from the public and county officials, was: good plan, bad location...The landowners who have leased the land to Korsail were fully in support of the project, while adjacent neighbors raised traffic, fire safety, and wildlife concerns. A 1041 permit is required for projects that are considered major in scope. Korsail’s proposal called for a 90MW solar system and 80MW of battery storage.

The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed to place a six-month moratorium, or ban, on large scale solar developments in the county at their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday morning, April 8. It did not, however, bar existing applications from moving forward in that motion, so JUWI Inc.’s proposed 140-megawatt Canyonland Solar Project will move through the application process normally. That project will go before Planning and Zoning at its meeting in May. Before the commissioners voted on the moratorium that morning, they held a public hearing, and nearly 20 community members spoke.

On April 8, the Boone County Quorum Court unanimously passed a moratorium on the construction of wind and solar facilities. It is to remain in effect until the quorum court adopts an ordinance governing such facilities or lifts the moratorium.