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SPECIFICALLY FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS
<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 />■ 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 conditions. 19
<br />m Provide educational opportunities for
<br />planners and zoning officials.
<br />a Preempt private covenant restrictions
<br />that prohibit or restrict small wind and
<br />other distributed renewable energy
<br />systems on aesthetic grounds.
<br />a Follow precedent set by over 10
<br />states that prohibit the unreasonable
<br />restriction of renewable, distributed
<br />energy use within planned communities .20
<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 />,8 Example renewable energy overlay zone: Klickitat
<br />County, WA. Klickitat County Planning Department
<br />h'Ltp://wwi,v,klickitatcounty.org/Planning/filesHtml/
<br />200408-EOZ-EIS/06-01-map-EOZ.pdf
<br />'c 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://vdvnv.energytrust.org/
<br />RP./wind/community/forms_reo, uest. html.
<br />'`D These states include Arizona, California, Colorado,
<br />Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nevada,
<br />Utah, and Wisconsin.
<br />21 1993. Wisconsin statute 66.0401. Wisconsin's small
<br />wind zonino ordinance http://renewwisconsin.org/v,,ind/
<br />Toolbox-Zoning/Small%201Nind°'o20System%20Model
<br />0/.200rdinance%20!2-06.pdf. Available from
<br />http:]/renewti,,,iscon.sin.org/wind/x,,,indtoolbox.h'LMI
<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 />J urisdiction of local zoning codes to
<br />allow the (conditional), statewide
<br />installation of small wind turbines
<br />under a single umbrella policy. Several
<br />precedents demonstrate that doing
<br />so helps consumers, communities,
<br />and industry. Home rule was preempted
<br />on a national scale for cell phone
<br />towers (Telecommunications Act of
<br />1996) and was far stronger than what
<br />would 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 ,24 Oregon,'
<br />New Hampshire, 2S and California 26
<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 />zz Nevada State Legislature NRS 278.0208 http: leg.
<br />state.nv.us/Nrs/NRS-278.html TNRS278Sec0208
<br />Vermont Statute Title 30 Sections 219(a) and 219(b),
<br />and 248 amended with bill 209 from 2008
<br />http://%,,,%,A,,,.Ieg.state.vt.us/statu'Les/statutes2.htni
<br />24 Michigan Siting Guidelines for Wind Energy Systems
<br />http://ivw,\a. michigan. oov/documen`s/Wind_and_Solar_
<br />Siting_Guidlines_Drft_5_96872_7.pof
<br />25 New Hampshire House Bill 310 http: //www.gencourt.
<br />state. nh.us/legislation/2008/HB0310. html
<br />zo California AB 1207 hL—Lp://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/01-02/
<br />bill/asm/ab_1201-1250/ab_1207_bill_
<br />20011007 _chaptered.html
<br />Northern Power
<br />100kW turbine
<br />in Kotzebue, AK
<br />
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