Hearing Approaches, DPU Comment Period Extended

The latest version of the wind siting bill will be heard before the legislature’s Joint Committee on  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on December 3, 2013. Dubbed “WESRA” for its earliest manifestation as the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act, versions of WESRA have been sidelined in two past legislative sessions.

• Siting Reform Act (WESRA) — H.2980 (Rep. Smizik) & S.1591 (Sen. Finegold)

Bills to help communities pay to dismantle wind turbines and to study health impacts from turbine operations are also on the agenda for Tuesday afternoon in Boston. To read about the bills and Wind Wise’s positions on them, consult the legislation page.

• Wind Energy Relief Act — H.2987 (Rep. Vieira) & S.1604 (Sen. Knapik)
• Health Impacts from Wind Turbines Act — H.2970 (Rep. Peterson)

February 26, 2014 is the extended deadline for responses to the Mass. DPU’s siting initiative. This is the governor’s effort to bypass the legislature in promoting the development of wind projects.