absolute michigan :: all michigan, all the time

Enter Keyword:

Traverse City Rep Tilts for Windmills

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that State Rep. Howard Walker is continuing with his push to bring windmills to Michigan by overriding local zoning. Walker has introduced House Bills 4648 and 4649 to legalize construction of electricity-generating windmills in all zoning districts if they meet certain state guidelines for noise and setbacks. Although wind power currently provides less than 1% of Michigan's energy, a legislative analysis found that Michigan has enough potential wind energy to power 46% of the state's 3.7 million homes. "We have to provide enough incentives and certainty for industry to look at Michigan as a possible place for alternative energy" said Walker.

Tim Johnson, Centerville Township Planning Commission chairman, said Centerville is drafting its own windmill ordinance after Connecticut-based Nobel Environmental Power proposed a windmill farm and that "The locating of wind turbines is an involved and sophisticated process. Walker's legislation is overly simplified and inappropriate."

Read Walker: Local zoning shouldn't tilt windmills in the Traverse City Record-Eagle
Check out Absolute Michigan keyword "wind power" for many more stories!

Posted/updated Jun 28, 2006
by Andrew McFarlane (Absolute Michigan)