Changes have been approved by Kansas regulators for the route to be taken by the Grain Belt Express project, the one designed to carry wind powered electricity from the southwest part of the state and across Missouri and Illinois and to Indiana. The Kansas Corporation Commission gave approval to a shorter route through 3 …
Category: Wind Energy
Energy briefs
** Every anti-energy regulation at the EPA, the Department of Energy, the Interior Department, and the Army Corps of Engineers will sunset unless specifically designated for re-promulgation under Trump’s new “Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting” executive order. ** The date for the International Linemen’s Rodeo has been set for October 15-18 of this year in Overland Park, …
New Mexico adopts law to fund green energy projects
Among the 41 bills signed into law this week by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was one to give the state more funding power for green energy projects in small communities and to help utilities. One measure, House Bill 128 establishes a $20 million dollar fund to provide grants for solar energy and battery …
Energy briefs
** The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) made conditional commitments to provide high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to five U.S. nuclear developers to meet their near-term fuel needs. This first round of HALEU allocations brings innovative American nuclear technologies one step closer to commercialization. ** The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) …
Wind turbine setback bill approved by House Committee–but compromise talks are underway with Senate
An Oklahoma Senate bill calling for a one-quarter mile setback for wind turbines from property lines and homes won approval Wednesday in the Oklahoma House Energy Committee. It also had some opposition. But SB2 still faces a road of compromise between the House and Senate, reported Rep. Brad Boles during the meeting. “It’s not …
Texas legislators consider more control of renewable energy projects
As Oklahoma legislators create more restrictive regulations on wind and solar development, Texas legislators are considering regulations giving the state greater industry oversight. According to the Texas Tribune, Senate Bill 819, by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, would implement new administrative rules, impose fees and require the Texas Public Utility Commission to approve wind …
Arkansas legislators approve bill regulating wind farms
A bill to regulate wind energy development in Arkansas won approval this week in the Arkansas state Senate. Senate Bill 437 would create the Arkansas Wind Energy Development Act and what are described as significant restrictions for wind turbines. However, it also includes exemptions for areas “below 300 feet in elevation” which would exempt …
Energy briefs
** The Keystone oil pipeline ruptured Tuesday morning in North Dakota, with the spill confined to an agricultural field. An employee working at the site near Fort Ransom heard a “mechanical bang” and shut down the pipeline within about two minutes, said Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. …
The fight against eminent domain in farm and ranch states
The fight by some Oklahoma landowners against transmission corridors and the spread of wind and solar farms includes opposition to the use of eminent domain. Other states are facing the same battles, including South Dakota where Summit Carbon Solutions sued more than 200 farmers and landowners for a $9 billion carbon capture pipeline …
House energy committee to handle windfarm setback bill
Shut-in gas wells, wind farm setback requirements and natural gas energy standards are topics of some of the State Senate-approved bills to be handled Wednesday when the Oklahoma House Energy Committee meets. The committee will examine the energy bills already passed by the Senate, including SB2, the wind farm setback bill that was approved …