LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

WestWind blows out of state 

Credit:  BY NICK TOSCANO, www.meltonweekly.com.au 20 September 2011 ~~

The developer of two wind farms to be built in Moorabool by mid-2013 says the projects will be its last in Victoria after tough new planning laws were introduced.

WestWind announced last week it would no longer invest in Victoria because it considered the state government’s ban on new turbines within two kilometres from homes and five kilometres from towns too restrictive.

This comes as state opposition planning spokesman Brian Tee slammed the new rules, saying they would cripple the industry and cut potential revenue for farmers.

“The view is that millions of dollars available for renting land for wind turbines could mean farmers staying on the land because of the viability around some of these farms,” he said.

Mr Tee said wind farms could provide up to $16million of “drought-proof” income a year for Victorian farmers.

WestWind, which is about to build 121 turbines in Moorabool, said the projects would generate 100 construction jobs, 20 ongoing maintenance roles and $400,000 in rates to Moorabool Council.

Mr Tee, who met with WestWind representatives in Mount Wallace last week, said the new planning rules had gone too far.

“There are hundreds of regional jobs at stake, and this is an opportunity to replace manufacturing jobs that are falling off in the state.

“Two and three generations of farmers are saying this could be the difference for them, to continue the farming tradition or move on; what’s really at stake is a way of life.”

He said if tough times for farming meant families left regional communities, there would be a “ripple effect” hurting the area’s small businesses, CFA and football and netball clubs.

WestWind project manager Phil Burn said the two-kilometre buffer zones were illogical and unnecessary.

“There’s no linkage between two kilometres and why it should be two kilometres, so it’s a purely politically based decision,” he said.

“There’s plenty of people who may not be happy living near things like the Maddingley coal mine, but the idea that people could veto a land-use change is completely foreign to Victoria’s history.”

But Planning Minister Matthew Guy said the planning rules “provide certainty” for the renewable energy sector. He said buffer zones would allow opportunities to build more wind farms without upsetting residents and affecting important social and environmental assets.

Source:  BY NICK TOSCANO, www.meltonweekly.com.au 20 September 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon