State no longer No. 1 in wind power
California may be a leader in curbing greenhouse gases and creating solar power, but Texas has breezed past the Golden State as the nation's top producer of wind power. The Lone Star State, better known for its oil derricks and natural gas, now has a capacity of 2,370 wind-generated megawatts, enough to power 600,000 average-sized homes a year, according to a report released by the American Wind Energy Association. California, the nation's wind energy leader since 1981, has 2,323 wind-generated megawatts, a mere 47 megawatts less than Texas. California industry observers shrugged off the development, describing it as a relatively small difference and citing the state's overall record - nearly 11 percent of its electricity was generated by renewable forms of power in 2005 - as evidence of its good standing in conservation matters.

Voters reject wind power project moratorium
Residents defeated a proposed six-month moratorium on wind power projects at a special town meeting Thursday, voting 79-44 on an "ought not to pass" motion. The moratorium was suggested in response to a proposal by Maine Energy Aggregation Co. LLC and its affiliate, Competitive Energy Services, both based in Portland, to build three wind turbines on a 76-acre field on Beaver Ridge. The companies will lease the site from Knox farmer Ron Price. They applied for permits to build the towers and turbines earlier this year, but voluntarily suspended their bid in April when residents indicated their intent to develop ordinances by which to evaluate the project.