The state of Florida has approved an energy-producing wind farm in Palm Beach County. But opposition is coming from a surprising source.
The proposed Sugarland Wind project calls for the construction of huge turbines on about 13,000 acres of farmland in western Palm Beach County. The developer says the turbines will produce enough clean energy to power about 60,000 homes.
The Sun-Sentinel reports that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection approved a permit for the project this month. But environmental groups are concerned that the 500-foot-tall turbines pose too much of a risk to birds migrating through the Everglades. In return for state approval, the developer has promised to complete a protection plan for birds and bats before construction begins. The Sugarland Wind project still needs the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.