Renewables supporters unhappy with changes to Ohio local control bills
The new mechanism for local control was created in part to address concerns from the renewables industry that the original bill would have resulted in a de facto moratorium on large-scale wind and solar development. But the solar industry says it was never consulted on the drafting of the new bill language.
Ohio lawmakers want to decrease setbacks for wind farms
House Bill 302 would revert the setbacks for wind farms of 5 megawatts or more to pre-2014 levels. Currently, the minimum setback rule is 1,125 feet from the tip of the turbine’s nearest horizontal blade to the nearest adjacent property line. The legislation would change that back to be measured from the nearest home.
Fairs to receive more pandemic relief
Ohio fairs will receive more pandemic relief from the state in 2021, due to a recently signed bill that gives the department of agriculture $4.7 million in grants for fairs.
Public hearing set for proposed Franklin County solar farm
The Ohio Power Siting Board will hold a public hearing regarding Pleasant Prairie Solar Energy LLC’s proposal to build a 250 megawatt solar farm on about 1,700 acres in Pleasant and Prairie townships in Franklin County.
Pennsylvania awards more than $3.4M in cleaner fuel projects
The program funds projects that replace older gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles with cleaner fuel vehicles, like ethanol, biodiesel, compressed natural gas and propane gas. It also supports installing fueling stations for these vehicles.
Wooly Pig Farm Brewery brings Bavaria to Coshocton County
A craft brewery in rural Coschocton County focuses on maintaining a historic farm's integrity while bringing traditional German beers to the area.
Register for a guided tour of Pennsylvania game lands
The Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest Regional Office is accepting registrations for a guided tour of State Game Lands 39.
Favorable weather aids Ohio youth turkey hunting season
Ohio's youth wild turkey hunting season ended April 18 with 1,473 birds harvested by young hunters. Find the full county-by-county results here.
Pa. gives grants to urban farms
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture approved $500,000 to support 42 projects through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill's Urban Agriculture Grant Program.
Region’s 2020 Census results not sad omen for all rural areas, experts say
Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are losing some influence in Congress, thanks to initial results from the 2020 Census, released April 26. But based on what policy experts are seeing, the shift isn’t rooted in changes to rural areas of those states.
