
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy is considering a bill that would streamline the application process for companies seeking to build land-based wind energy projects in the Bay State.
Senate Bill 1666 proposes that communities designated by the state as "significant wind resource areas" will be able to form permitting boards to expedite applications. Significant wind resource areas would have the potential to produce two or more megawatts of wind-generated electricity.
Rather than submitting applications to multiple local authorities, companies interested in building wind power facilities would be able to file a single application with the newly established community permitting boards. The boards would hold a public hearing and seek recommendations from appropriate local entities, ruling within 60 days on whether to issue a permit or not.
Communities would also have the right to purchase up to 10 percent of the green energy generated by approved projects.
A wind power company based in Connecticut, Massachusetts' southern neighbor, recently announced it will build two projects in Illinois, providing 300 megawatts of power to the state.

