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<br />SPECIFICALLY FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS <br /> <br />State government action can very <br />effectively streamline the permitting <br />process by standardizing permitting <br />requirements across local jurisdictions. <br />Consider implementing the following: <br /> <br />. Establish statewide zoning standards <br />for renewable energy systems. Oregon <br />state law, for example, requires cities <br />and counties to list small wind turbines <br />as an allowed use on any land zoned for <br />agricultural or forest use, pending they <br />meet certain conditJons.19 <br /> <br />. Provide educational opportunities for <br />planners and zoning officials. <br /> <br />. Preempt private covenant restrictions <br />that prohibit or restrict small wind and <br />other distributed renewable energy <br />systems on aesthetic grounds. <br /> <br />. Follow precedent set by over 10 <br />states that prohibit the unreasonable <br />restriction of renewable, distributed <br />energy use within planned communities.2o <br />These laws are, unfortunately, not often <br />publicly known and so are violated <br />frequently. Therefore accompany any <br />such rules with educational outreach <br />efforts. The Community Associations <br />Institute (CAI) and its chapters, for <br />example{ could provide a platform upon <br />which to educate community associations <br />and homeowners about their rights and <br />responsibilities under the law. <br /> <br />18 Example renewable energy overlay zone: Klickitat <br />County, WA. Klickitat County Planning Department: <br />http://www.klickitatcounty.org/Plan ningjfilesHtm 1/ <br />200408-EOZ-EIS/06-01-map-EOZ.pdf <br /> <br />19 Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic <br />Development. Community Wind: An Oregon <br />Guidebook. Report for the Energy Trust of Oregon. <br />(No date given). p. 41-42. http://www.energytnust.org/ <br />RR/windl commu nity Iforms_req uest. html. <br /> <br />20 These states Include Arizona, California, Colorado, <br />Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, ,Massachusetts, Nevada, <br />Utah, and Wisconsin. <br /> <br />211993. Wisconsin statute 66.0401. Wisconsin's small <br />wind zoning ordinance http://renew\~llsconsin.org/wind/ <br />Tool box- Zon ingl Small%20Wind%20System%2 OModel <br />%200rdinance%2012-06.pdf. Available from. <br />http://renewwisconsin.org/wind/windtoolbox . htm I <br /> <br />. Preempt local zoning jurisdictions. <br />Though likely a politically sensitive <br />measure, the most effective way to <br />enable small wind installations is for <br />a state to preempt "home rule" <br />jurisdiction of local zoning codes to <br />allow the(conditional), statewide <br />. installation of small wind turbines <br />undera single umbrella policy. 'Several <br />precedents demonstrate that doing <br />so helps consumers, communities, <br />and industry. Home rule waspreempted <br />on a national scale for cell phone <br />towers (Telecommunications Act of <br />1996) and was far stronger than what <br />woald be needed for small wind <br />systems. This federal preemption <br />succeeded in passing largely because <br />of the perceived national benefit that <br />wireless communications would bring. <br />Advocates argue that the same could <br />surely be said of renewable energy. <br />The states of Wisconsin,21 Nevada,22 <br />Vermont,23 Michigan/4 Oregon,19 <br />New Hampshire,2s and California26 <br />have all agreed and enacted laws <br />that preempt home rule specifically <br />to prevent undue prohibitions of small <br />wind systems in their states. "As a <br />direct consequence, these states enjoy <br />more in~state (non-imported) energy <br />generation and other environmental <br />and economic benefits that small wind <br />offers. <br /> <br /> <br />Northern Power <br />lOOkW turbine <br />in Kotzebue, AK <br /> <br />22 Nevada State Legislature NRS 278.0208 http://www.leg. <br />state.nv.us/Nrs/NRS-278.html #NRS278Sec0208 <br /> <br />23 Vermont Statute Title 30 Sections 219(a) and 219(b), <br />and 248 amended with bill 209 from 2008 <br />http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/statutes2.htm <br /> <br />24 Michigan Siting Guidelines for Wind Energy Systems <br />http://www . mich ig an. gOY j docu mentsjWind_and_Solar_ <br />Siting_Guidi i nes_Draft_5_96872_7. pdf <br /> <br />2S New Hampshire House Biil 310 http://www.gencourt. <br />state. nh. us/legislati on/2 008/HB031 O. htmi <br /> <br />25 California AB 1207 http://info.sen.ca.govjpubj01-Q2/ <br />bill/asm/ab_1201-1250/ab_1207 _bill_ . <br />20011007 _chaptered.html <br /> <br />