It took less than two minutes for the town of Hopkinton to pass the Wind Energy Facilities law Thursday night, a measure that had gone down in a split vote less than two weeks ago...Among other things, the law sets the maximum allowable noise level at 40 decibels, measured at the nearest non-participating property line or residence, as well as setbacks of five times the maximum height of the turbines. As the turbine height is set at 500 feet in the proposed law, this means a maximum setback of 2,500 feet. The law also bans the construction of wind turbines south of Route 72.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a moratorium on wind energy developments on its 1.5 million acres of state game lands...In the resolution, the commissioners recognized the value of wind in the state’s energy plans, but said there is a high probability that wind turbines are inconsistent with the commission’s mission of protecting wildlife and providing recreational opportunities.

MITCHELL, S.D. - For the second time in three years, the Davison County Commission has said no to a major wind project west of Mitchell, S.D. The county’s commissioners, meeting as the Board of Adjustment Tuesday, unanimously voted in opposition to a conditional use permit application for a nine-turbine wind farm in Beulah Township from Davison County Wind, LLC and its parent company Con Edison Development.

Last week, Darlington Town Council members voted to enact an ordinance intended to reduce the noise from a nearby proposed wind turbine project...The new ordinance states a wind turbine noise level cannot exceed 38 decibels. At a recent Montgomery County Commissioner’s meeting, a representative from Akuo Energy, which is developing Sugar Creek Wind in the Darlington area, said such a low decibel would be “nearly impossible” to accomplish.

A renewed effort to push House Bill 1731 passed the State House of Representatives today by a vote of 63 to 23. The bill establishes regulations for the wind energy industry in the state. The bill urges the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to study wind-energy facility regulations adopted in local governments of the state; requires the department to submit a written summary of local regulations within 60 days from the conclusion of the study to the members of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee of the House of Representatives and the Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee of the State Senate.

The DeWitt County Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday recommended additional restrictions on the height and placement of wind turbines, a move that drew praise from critics of a proposed wind farm northwest of Clinton….the ZBA, which recommended limiting the height of any tower to 499 feet. Currently, there is no set height limit.

While the year-long extension of a moratorium on wind energy passed unanimously at Tuesday’s Huron County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board rejected a motion to investigate two county planners.

The Yates Town Board has approved revisions to the town's wind energy facilities law that bans wind turbines within 3 miles of Lake Ontario shoreline and also requires bigger property setbacks of at least half a mile. The law also has stricter noise limits and requires a setback of at least one mile from schools, churches, and cemeteries.

The Town of Tonawanda updated its cell tower ordinance and wind turbine zoning laws after more than a year of work by the Planning Board. The wind turbine law allows turbines in industrial zones only and restricts the height. Large industrial turbines are not permitted.

St. Lawrence County legislators passed a resolution opposing wind farm development in proximity to Fort Drum due to economic and military readiness factors. The vote was taken Monday in a meeting of the St. Lawrence County Finance Committee.