"Constellation celebrates launch of W. Maryland wind farm - 28 turbines rise atop Garrett County's Backbone Mountain"

Read more about today's festivities in the Green Living section of the Baltimore Sun.

Don't forget to check out our sponsors and check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for your future updates on the Deep Creek real estate market.

After a much needed blogging vacay full of rest and relaxation, I'm back ..

which is probably bad news for some, but fear not I've read all the e-mails about real estate professionals starving this winter so I'm going to take it easy on them as long as they don't make any newly ridiculous comments.

What a month it's been since I left: a new stimulus bill, a new budget, the former two largest banks in the world on the verge of bankruptcy, a couple of new appointees and the same lousy economy. Sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same I guess.

There have been a number of news items I wanted to comment on recently but chose not to do so. Today, however, I noticed this little tidbit on CNN.com about a Northeast ski resort using wind turbines to shave "$450,000 a year from energy bill". I haven't really researched their numbers but this is interesting to say the least. Guess not everyone is terrified about wind machines scaring away tourists.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

The Economist Technology Quaterly gives a brief review of the history of wind power ..

Read more.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

This morning John Bambacus sent me another e-mail to alert me to a story from WJZ News in Baltimore ..

Here is a link to that story concerning a potential wind farm off of Ocean City. Furthermore, Mr. Bambacus made a point to draw my attention to the following remarks from Governor O'Malley suggesting there should be less opposition to sea turbines as opposed to land turbines:

"The attractive thing about doing them off the Atlantic Coast is that on a hazy day you won't even be able to see them at all. On the clearest of days they'll be about the size of a thumb," said O'Malley.

Since I know this issue has garnered a great deal of attention locally (and even nationally) as I see more developments I will post them here. Stay tuned.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

US WindForce details community benefits in nearby West Virginia ..

Sarah Moses reports for the Cumberland Times-News.

"Friend said over the course of the next 25 years, the 23-turbine Pinnacle (Ridge) wind farm would generate a number of benefits to the county, including $12.5 million in lease payments to the property owner, $9.3 million in property taxes, and provide five to six permanent positions, with about 100 positions during the construction phase. The community benefits fund would be in addition to those figures."

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

Commissioners give "wish list" to state legislative officials ..

read the full story in today's Cumberland Times-News. Wind turbine set-backs and taxes on natural gas lines are just a few of the items on the agenda.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

This news item scrolled by on the news ticker at the bottom of the page ..

According to David Dishneau of the Associated Press the Maryland PSC has awarded fast track approval for the Clipper Windpower project by a unanimous vote. Read more at Forbes.com.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Wind Energy Blog for future updates.

In case you missed it, Boone Pickens on 60 minutes last night talking about himself and his plan ..

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek News Blog for future updates.

Don't forget to tune in to see the Pickens Plan on 60 Minutes this Sunday ..

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

PA Governor visits nearby Somerset County to laud wind energy development ..

Read more in the Cumberland Times-News. One quote I found interesting, and in direct contrast to the horror stories commonly repeated in the local letters to the editor, is that of Judy Pletcher who had the following to say:

“We are very proud, as landowners, to be part of the alternative fuel resources in our country. We had a very positive experience, and hopefully we’ll see more projects like this in the area.”

I also find it very interesting that again this week there are a number of letters to the editor in the Republican about the commissioner's approval of a comprehensive plan without specific protections against wind turbines. At the same time, however, there are zero letters about potential natural gas drilling all over the county and as I understand it 5-year land leases to conduct drilling are already in place. Maybe those who are only following the local media are unaware that this is even happening while fear mongering about wind turbines continues to be the issue de jour.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

From reading this week's edition of the Republican newspaper ..

one might come away with the idea that a crisis in Garrett County far exceeds the magnitude of the crisis in the global financial markets. The usual cast of characters (the editor, Jon Boone and John Bambacus) have all weighed in to express their opinions in a single issue. The hyperbolic lamentations of Mr. Bambacus concerning the county commissioners decision to exclude a vague, ambiguous definition of "rigdelines" from the county's comprehensive plan summarizes the collective exaggerations of this imagined crisis by the usual cast of characters:

"Future generations will never forget their historical destruction of our very way of life."

This strikes me as odd considering all I read about this week was that the commissioners approved a new comprehensive plan. Perhaps Mr. Bambacus got advanced word that they secretly planned to poison the waters, denude the forests and generally pillage the entire countryside. For his part, the editor, also uses the fear of lost tourism dollars in an effort to further exaggerate the level of crisis. Gentlemen, don't we all have enough problems to deal with before we start dreaming up new ones?

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

Wind project on Dan's Mountain in nearby Allegany County to move forward ..

See the full story in the Cumberland Times-News.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

"Panel debates wind power" ..

Mike Sawyers of the Cumberland Times-News reports on a recent panel discussion on the merits and drawbacks of wind power. Some familiar names were part of the panel discussion including David Friend of US Wind Power and Jon Boone of Garrett County. Eric Moore, a physics instructor at FSU and a PhD graduate from UMBC, also gave the objective view from the university's perspective. Dr. Moore's contention is that all options should be considered and the residents of western Maryland should think about local electricity generation and as well as sustainable living. I applaud Dr. Moore and the renewable energy team at FSU for their efforts.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

John Bambacus continues to oppose wind turbines ..

this time in Allegany County where he resides. Read the complete details in the Cumberland Times-News. I might disagree with his opinion and his tactics but I can respect that he is passionate and consistent on this issue.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

County commissioners consider ridge top definition in comprehensive plan too vague to support ..

Sarah Moses reports in the Cumberland Times-News.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

Speaking of natural gas ..

if you are up late this evening check out T. Boone Pickens on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Pickens will have a tough act to follow though as Matthew McConaughey is the headline guest this evening, presumably wearing a shirt too which in itself would be news.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

Another interesting ad urging us to take back our energy future ..

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

"Mayor Bloomberg proposes putting windmills on bridges and rooftops to help power NYC" ..

Read the full AP story here or see a few higlighted quotes below. It sounds as if Mr. Bloomberg is the think globally act locally type as opposed to many in Garrett/Allegany County who would prefer to think locally and act globally (i.e. push your problem off on someone else as the folks in today's Cumberland Times-News article would suggest).

"In New York, we don't think of alternative power as something that we just import from other parts of the nation," he said.

Smaller eggbeater-like models could be used on rooftops. "You can make them so small that people think they are part of the design," Rohit Aggarwala, director of the city's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, told The New York Times.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

Southern California Edison announces a 20-year contract to buy 909 megawatts of wind power from Oregon ..

Read more on the environment and technology blog at Fortune .

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.

"O'Malley says government will work to avert electricity crunch" ..

The Baltimore Sun reports on Governor O'Malley's plan to bring more energy to Maryland before rolling blackouts become necessary. And as expected renewable energy is part of his plan.

The governor drew applause when he said he would seek to make Maryland a "national leader" in renewable energy. The idea would be to enter into long-term contracts with renewable energy providers, helping them to draw private investors and the necessary capital to build the projects.

State officials said the contracts could accelerate Delaware's plan to develop an offshore wind farm and bolster proposals for a power plant fueled by poultry litter on the Eastern Shore. The state, Baltimore City, Montgomery County and the University of Maryland have agreed to pool their buying power to attract commercial development of renewable power.

Don't forget to check back to Dan's Deep Creek Blog for future updates.