First Meeting Held For Committee Studying Wind Turbines

A joint study committee has held its first meeting in Nashville to address wind turbines in Tennessee.

Committee member Senator Paul Bailey said he and his colleagues are tasked with bringing back a proposal in regards to rules and regulation on wind turbines

“I don’t think any of us are just absolutely opposed to wind turbines,” Bailey said. “I think what we are more concerned about is these wind turbines being built on top of our beautiful mountains. In Tennessee, if we allow these wind turbines to be built on top of Crab Orchard Mountain we are basically building those on top of what I consider the gateway into the Smokey Mountains and Appalachian Mountain range. I just don’t think that’s the best place for those to be built.”

The committee was formed after a bill sponsored by Bailey, which put a yearlong moratorium on new wind turbines locating in Tennessee.

That moratorium was in response to a company that announced plans to place a $100 million wind turbine project on Cumberland County’s Crab Orchard Mountain. Apex Clean Energy has now suspended plans for that project.

Earlier this year Governor Bill Haslam told reporters that he didn’t want to see an all out ban on wind turbines and that in the right places, wind power has proven to be effective.

“I don’t think you will see an all out ban on wind turbines in Tennessee,” Bailey said. “I think what you will see is some rules and policies put in place for local communities to go by.”

The committee must have a report submitted to respective legislative committees by January 1st of 2018.