Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Ky. county gives yellow light to wind industry

UPDATE, May 11, 2014: Duke says it will discontinue the project, but Mason County officials say they still need an ordinance to govern wind farms, Toncray reports.

Officials of a county that would be home to Kentucky's first wind-energy project have blocked any local permitting for it until the county adopts an ordinance governing the industry.

The Mason County Fiscal Court acted Tuesday in response to requests from opponents of the project for a moratorium, which the spokesman for the opposition said "gets to the point, it's not vague. It tells people what you want to do," reports Marla Toncray of the Ledger Independent in Maysville.

County Judge-Executive James "Buddy" Gallenstein said the county commissioners' resolution accomplishes the same thing as a moratorium because Duke Energy cannot erect wind turbines without permits and licenses from the fiscal court. Toncray reports that commissioners want to hold a public forum on wind turbines and consult "with elected officials of communities in West Virginia and Indiana that have implemented ordinances and zoning related to wind turbines."

Duke would build 26 to 100 turbines south of Mays Lick in southeastern Mason County (Wikipedia map) and northwestern Fleming County, Toncray reports.

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