Wisconsin Bill Addresses State Wind Siting Standards
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has signed a bill into law that will require the state Public Service Commission (PSC) to promulgate rules establishing common standards for political subdivisions to regulate the construction and operation of wind energy systems. The legislation seeks to address the patchwork regulatory framework created by local jurisdictions' development of their own siting regulations, and to address the concerns of developers who have been hesitant to develop wind energy systems in the state.
Previously, a municipality was prohibited from placing any restriction on the installation of a wind energy system unless the restriction satisfies certain conditions, including protection of public health or safety. The new law allows limited and generally uniform regulation of wind energy systems, and specifies that a municipality (i) may not regulate wind energy systems unless it adopts an ordinance that is no more restrictive that the PSC rules, and (ii) may not impose any restriction on a wind energy system that is more restrictive than the PSC rules.
WOW - Wisconsin's Wind on the Waters Report Finalized
The final report commissioned by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission on the feasibility of Great Lakes offshore wind development was published on January 15, 2009. The final report reflects comments made from the draft report that was circulated for public comment in the fall of 2008. As reported in a previous blog entry, the report analyzed the feasibility from four perspectives: Engineering and Economic Issues, Human Environment Issues, Legal Issues, and Community Involvement Issues.
The report was discussed in detail this morning in a webinar put on by the Great Lakes Regional Wind Energy Institute. Presenters included representatives from the National Renewable Energy Lab and the Wisconsin PSC. Check back for presentations, they'll be posted soon!
