Municipalities will have the final say on wind power, but mayor fears “jokes” – NRK Vestland

– I want to say that this is a happy day, it is said for local democracy, says Petter Sortland (Labor), mayor of the municipality of Høyanger.

Together with the governing party, the FRP decided, among other things, that the municipalities have a veto on wind power.

– We have now negotiated the wind energy report. There, Frp has gained support for issues that are important to us, Parliamentary Representative Terje Halleland (Frp) told NRK on Wednesday.

In the Storting, there was already a majority for municipalities to decide for themselves on these matters, after the Labor Party parliamentary group supported the demand last week.

Don’t be tempted

Government authorities have had the final say in wind energy cases, because the cases have been processed in accordance with the Energy Law. Future wind turbines will now be dealt with in accordance with the Planning and Construction Act.

Therefore, it is up to the local elected representatives to decide on the area in their own municipality, at least on paper.

– All credit to those behind. It’s great to know that we ourselves can say yes or no to future applications, Sortland says.

He is supported by the Mayor of Masfjorden, Karstein Totland (H), who calls himself a supporter of local self-government.

– That is very good, here they show that the municipalities are listened to. Many people in the local community think that the development of wind energy is being rejected. Now in the city we will have a thorough debate, he says.

On Wednesday, the government and FRP also agreed to secure local compensation to host municipalities for the wind power plants. It does not attract the mayor of Masfjorden.

– Tax collection does not tempt us, he says.

I felt like a snowshoe

In Fitjar, Mayor Harald Rydland (KrF) is skeptical of the veto power, for two reasons. He fears that the cases will eventually end up on the table of state authorities.

– It is good that the local community is listened to, but at the same time it is a national responsibility to ensure the electricity supply. Also, the state may well have the last word anyway, he says.

The Fitjar wind power municipality has experienced this before.

The former owners were wind energy affairs, that is, handsama according to the Planning and Construction Law, as it goes back to now. Rydland said it was of little help when Fitjar planned wind turbines in the 2000s.

– If we played with the plans, we got the answer that then NVE would add a contradiction and then the ministry would do whatever it wanted anyway. That threat hung over us the entire way and therefore we experienced it as a joke, he says.

Looking to the future

The time frame will also be adjusted in wind power cases. Now, onshore wind power plants must be in operation no later than five years after the application has been approved. Getting changes along the way becomes more difficult.

– This tightening is crucial, and perhaps even more important than the right of veto.

This is the victory of Mayor Anne Kristin Førde (Labor Party) in Bremanger, which has several wind farms. She thinks it is unfortunate with the development of old licenses when both knowledge and technology have changed.

– In many cases, it has been a long time, and what was decided ten years ago is often changing today, he says.

Project manager Ola Lingaas at SFE / Vestavind kraft is not worried that austerity measures will put an end to future projects.

– In fact, we are sure that we get a clear framework and more orderly and faster processes, he says, adding:

– The goal of licensing is to weigh the disadvantages against the advantages, and then there will be projects that will be rejected and projects that will be approved. But when municipalities now receive a larger share of tax revenue from wind power plants, perhaps more people will be positive about the development.

– A step in the right direction

Ingunn Kjelstad, camp at Motvind Sunnfjord and Ytre Sogn, is happy with the changes that are now underway. However, he believes that there are no clear guidelines on the laws under which different licensing cases should be processed.

– There are many things that are not yet clear, but he is still a sub-narrator. Not many months ago it was irrelevant to give municipalities more autonomy, so this is a step in the right direction, he says.

Bergen and Hordaland Turlag tenant Helene Ødven joins the ranks of naked people.

– It is a really nice day for those of us who love nature and outdoor life. But the rise of local power must be accompanied by strict redress requirements and to the point of contradiction on the part of national environmental authorities, he says.

– But is it a bad day for the climate fight if this gives less clean energy in the future?

– No, on the contrary. The conservation of nature and the fight for the climate go hand in hand. We have seen obvious examples of wind turbines placed in a valuable nature and, for example, destroying peat bogs that store CO2. We are not opponents of wind power, it is the location that is the problem, he says.