Hearing Set Wednesday on Wind Power Siting Reform

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HANCOCK, Mass. — The Legislature's Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy is holding daylong hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 7, on bills related to wind energy and wind-energy siting.

The first of two regional hearings will run from 10 to 4 at JJ's Lodge at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, 37 Corey Road. Any member of the public is invited to attend the hearing or address the committee to register their thoughts and position on the bills.

The second hearing will be Monday, Sept. 26, at the Tilden Arts Center at Cape Cod Community College.

The comprehensive wind siting reform would streamline permitting and reduce the number of regulatory hoops energy companies must jump through and greatly decrease abuttors and interested groups' ability to challenge the development of wind farms.

Opponents say a comprehensive bill will derail local control by giving too much authority to the state and too little to challengers. Siting reform advocates say the result will be more local control since communities will have greater authority over permitting — and the ability to more effectively remove obstacles.

The Berkshires are considered to have the greatest potential for mountain siting of wind farms.

The committee's co-chairmen, Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, and Rep. John D. Keenan, D-Salem, will convene the hearing.

Wind Energy Bills
Land siting reform
H. 1775
H. 1759
S. 1666

Related bills
H. 1756
H. 1757
H. 2620
S. 1695

Primer on siting reform
Also expected to be in attendance are members of Wind Wise Massachusetts, which objected to the timing and location of the hearing. In a letter to the committee chairmen, the group noted that the day hearing during the first week of school and that holding it at "a private facility in a remote location not served by public transportation" would preclude many people from attending.

In their response, the chairmen said the timing was not unusual and followed normal weekday schedule for hearings. It was more unusual for the hearings to be held in those areas like to be most affected by the bill, rather than in Boston, they wrote.

"We specifically shose a location outside of Pittsfield as the city will most likely not be impacted by the implementation of many bills," the committee's letter states.

Read both letters here, on the Wind Wise website.

Hancock is home to two wind power sites: Zephyr, the turbine powering Jiminy Peak Ski Resort, and the $65 million Berkshire Wind Power Project atop Brodie Mountain. Both projects are on private land.

The bills included in the hearings are House bills 1775 and 1759 and Senate bill 1666 related to siting reform for land-based projects and bills H. 1756, H. 1757, H. 2620 and S. 1695, related to other wind legislation.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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