Tuesday, May 22, 2007

AWEA speaks out against strict wind laws

Introduced recently by U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., H.R. 2337 is slated to move quickly in the U.S. House of Representatives with action in the House Resources Committee scheduled for June.

The bill would set new, strict requirements on the wind industry that have never applied to other energy sectors, said Randall Swisher, head of the American Wind Energy Association.

Subtitle D of the bill would direct the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to review every existing and planned wind project and criminalize operation of wind-energy facilities not formally certified by USFWS. The legislation includes landowners and farmers with wind turbines on their property.

Landowners and farmers could face jail time or a $50,000 penalty for putting a wind turbine on their property without certification by the USFWS director.

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