Sunday, January 31, 2010

W.Va. wind farm moves ahead after settlement

In October and December we reported about an unusual battle between environmental groups about a proposed wind farm in Greenbrier County, W.Va. The two groups were at odds about the effect the project would have on the endangered Indiana bat, and a federal judge ruled in December the project violated federal wildlife law. Now Chicago-based Invenergy LLC and Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy have forged an agreement that will allow construction to begin immediately, Jessica Y. Lilly of West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports.

The agreement cuts 24 of the 124 proposed turbines that were deemed most harmful to the bat population. The company will start construction at 67 locations now and build 33 more after obtaining an "incidental take" permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Read more)

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