skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Expert: NC Wind Farms, Military Bases Can Coexist

play audio
Play

Wednesday, April 26, 2017   

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - North Carolina's first wind farm continues to get blowback from state GOP lawmakers, who claim it could interfere with training at the state's military bases. Experts from the Navy, Coast Guard and Department of Defense have all argued that isn't the case, saying wind farms can accommodate the military with radar upgrades and have the ability to turn off turbines when needed.

"So, every single wind turbine that is built in the country has had multiple sets of military eyes on it," said Dave Belote, who as a consultant at the Pentagon helped devise a compatibility review process for wind farms and the military. "So, if a wind turbine has been built and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, you can guarantee that it's compatible with a nearby military flight mission."

Belote said most military flight paths are above the 500- to 600-foot tower height of wind turbines. The Defense Department also has a clearinghouse process that requires wind developers to clear projects with the department at least 45 days prior to construction. Belote said most projects begin this process years in advance, but wind-farm opponents still cite possible threats to national security.

Belote said wind energy actually can assist the military in staying operational during emergencies that could interrupt other parts of the power grid. Since many countries where U.S. troops are likely to put their training into practice already have wind installations, he said, encountering them at home only helps.

"All of the flying that you do in this country needs to be representative of the flying we would do in war," he said. "People are actually undermining the readiness of the military if they are trying to create some kind of pristine environment for fighter pilots. We want our training environment to look exactly like the real world."

The state's first wind farm, Avangrid Renewables, also generates tax benefits for the counties where it's located. The company pays $270,000 a year in taxes - more than Dominion Power - in Pasquotank and Perquimans counties. Landowners who agree to host turbines receive $6,000 a year per windmill.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021