The Mahoning County commissioners Thursday approved a resolution banning large solar facilities and large “economically significant wind farms” in unincorporated areas of Green Township. he commissioners approved the measure 3-0. Before the vote, Audrey Tillis, county administrator, said the public input at the Oct. 30 public hearing at Greenford Christian Church, 11767 Lisbon Road in Green Township, “was overwhelmingly in support of banning it.” She said the commissioners were there that night “to listen to the public.” She said “over 800 signatures” of people in favor of the ban were presented to the commissioners.

The Mahoning County commissioners Thursday approved a resolution banning large solar facilities and large “economically significant wind farms” in unincorporated areas of Green Township. he commissioners approved the measure 3-0. Before the vote, Audrey Tillis, county administrator, said the public input at the Oct. 30 public hearing at Greenford Christian Church, 11767 Lisbon Road in Green Township, “was overwhelmingly in support of banning it.” She said the commissioners were there that night “to listen to the public.” She said “over 800 signatures” of people in favor of the ban were presented to the commissioners.

Many remaining from a crowd of hundreds stood in applause late Wednesday night after Fort Gratiot planning commissioners unanimously rejected requests for a massive solar development proposed over 900 acres in the township. Commissioners’ half-hour discussion followed three hours of public comment with roughly 50 who spoke and 140 others who etched a response in a comment card, voicing opposition to Ranger’s plans. Concerns ranged from the potential noise and environmental impact of industrial solar to other unknowns about the proposal — largely a reiteration of widespread community skepticism expressed over the past month after the planning commission, originally unable to accommodate a large attendance, adjourned its Oct. 10 meeting until this week at the Blue Water Convention Center.

Montgomery County officials are keeping a moratorium on wind turbine projects in place for a while longer. By a 4-1 vote Wednesday morning, the county's board of supervisors approved extending the current moratorium on commercial wind energy conversion systems, or C-WECs, indefinitely. Board members took action based on a recommendation from the county's planning and zoning commission. County Zoning Administrator Barry Byers says the commission voted 3-2 in October to continue the moratorium. The decision followed considerable discussion, including a plea from a MidAmerican Energy official to support wind energy projects. Will Dougherty is project developer with MidAmerican Energy, whose proposed Silver Creek Wind Farm currently covers 15,000 acres in both Montgomery and Pottawattamie counties. Extolling the virtues of turbines, Dougherty urged the supervisors to approve a balanced ordinance, one addressing property owners concerns with those supporting such projects.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. (WPTA) - The Dekalb County Commission voted to reject a resolution Monday that would have allowed a renewable energy company to move forward with a planned solar farm. The decision comes after more than two years of debate from those for and against bringing solar to the county. The debate over the issue has brought forward conversations about property rights, taxes, and development. Commissioner Mike Watson spoke about farmers who have decided to no longer farm their land and see solar as a lucrative alternative. “I think they have a right to make that decision,” he said. “I think demonizing that decision is certainly unjust.” A representative with EDF Renewables also spoke before the commissioners voted on Monday.“ Dekalb County has one of the most strict solar permitting processes in the State of Indiana,” Project Developer Sarah Massara said. “Sculpin meets every single one of those requirements.”

Plans for a new wind farm in the Iowa Great Lakes region hit a major roadblock Wednesday night. Opponents of a proposed wind farm in the Iowa Great Lakes region credit a grassroots effort for putting a pause on the project located east and southeast of East Lake Okoboji. Emotions ran high as the Dickinson County Board of Adjustment turned down a permit for Invenergy to install up to 79 turbines. Tears streamed down the face of resident Kris Van Kleet after the Dickinson County Board of Adjustment denied a permit for the Red Rock Energy Center.

The energy department of the government has denied authorisation to the company Energía, Innovación y Desarrollo Fotovoltaico, SA to implement a 10MW photovoltaic plant in the municipality of San Miguel de Salinas, for occupying land that is within the 500-metre perimeter of the protected area of ​​Sierra Escalona. The resolution states that the authorisation is rejected “as the location is not considered appropriate.” Likewise, the resolution recalls that this type of plants must be “at least 500 metres away from first-class landscape resources such as assets of cultural interest, assets of local relevance, natural monuments and protected landscapes...In recent years, these types of facilities have proliferated in the Vega Baja, due to the large expanses of uncultivated undeveloped land, for which the owners are looking for ways to make it profitable. However, its proximity to environments such as the Sierra Escalona area or Las Lagunas de La Mata and Torrevieja have stopped many of them.

After a five-hour public hearing on Oct. 2, followed by two lengthy work sessions, the Lincoln County Commissioners agreed Monday to extend the county-wide moratorium on wind and solar energy for another year and a half. The board agreed to turn the work of revising the zoning regulations for such projects over to Marvin Planning, a consultant who is working on the county’s comprehensive zoning plan and zoning ordinances.

After a five-hour public hearing on Oct. 2, followed by two lengthy work sessions, the Lincoln County Commissioners agreed Monday to extend the county-wide moratorium on wind and solar energy for another year and a half. The board agreed to turn the work of revising the zoning regulations for such projects over to Marvin Planning, a consultant who is working on the county’s comprehensive zoning plan and zoning ordinances.

A major renewable energy project off Long Island suffered a big blow on Friday when Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a controversial bill that would've expedited a planned wind farm off Long Beach. Residents concerned about electromagnetic fields and construction won a victory against landing an offshore wind transmission line there. "They've never done this on a community like this. We were the first one, and we were essentially gonna be the guinea pig of this process going forward and we weren't having it," said Tim Kramer, a member of Protect Our Coast LINY. Hochul vetoed the bill that would've circumvented local rule and allowed the transmission line from wind turbines more than 15 miles off of Long Beach to power 1 million New York homes. The governor wrote in her veto address, "It is incumbent on Renewable Energy developers to cultivate and maintain strong ties to their host communities."