Cambria Township Promotes Turbine Use

On August 12 at 5:30 p.m. Cambria Township Planning Commission will hold a public meeting to discuss possible ordinances that would promote residential use of windmills as a source of energy. Commission Chairman Dennis Simmers says there is a general interest by rural residents to utilize wind power. The potential changes would alter current commercial wind power ordinances. Some amendments will likely include new laws that will require a resident have at least one acre of land for a property to utilize a wind turbine and place the turbine a designated distance from any houses or other structures. The meeting will also include discussion on lowering the nominal fee for erecting a turbine but will not mention the potential for reimbursement of excess energy produced to the power grid.

Similarly, Shade Township Supervisors are permitting the township's solicitor to begin revising its wind turbine ordinances. They hope to change the one-time permit application fee from $2,500 saying that amount doesn't cover the cost of processing the application. E.ON Climate and Renewables is planning to build 28 turbines in Stonycreek Township, four in Allegheny Township, and 3 in Shade Township.