Welcoming the wind: The political process for geographic siting of wind turbine farms in the United States

In light of rising energy demands, the rising cost of natural gas, and the environmental externalities associated with coal-generated electricity; wind energy is quickly becoming a viable competitor in the energy market. Wind energy produces few environmental impacts but has generated much opposition during the siting process. As many states begin to adopt permitting policies for siting wind farms, variations in the process from state-to-state can add to the complexity of wind farm development. Opposition to the siting of wind farms has added to the difficult nature of navigating the permitting process. This research has identified the models used for permitting wind farms and the points in the process that allow for the greatest impact from opposition. Understanding the permitting process and how opposition groups work to stop projects will be beneficial to developers attempting to site future projects.