The Hamburg Town Board [1] passed a commercial wind energy ordinance Monday night, making a few changes in the proposed law and clearing the way for BQ Energy's [2] proposal for six turbines near the Lake Erie shoreline to advance.

According to The Buffalo News [3], the measure was welcomed by BQ. Mark Mitskovski, the project manager for the company's Steelwinds project in Lackawanna and Hamburg, said it was "probably the best wind ordinance in the state. It's a document that protects everyone. But more importantly, it provides for dialogue."

Since the public hearing on the ordinance June 11, changes were made that would allow the planning board to waive some of the setback rules, such as the 1,500-foot setback from residences. That distance is longer than regulations in most other towns.

The new ordinance also sets maximum sound levels at the equivalent of the average noise that already exists along the waterfront. It previously had set hard limits of 45 and 50 decibels.

The Steelwinds project already has eight turbines spinning in Lackawanna, where it has proposed more. It wants to put six in the former Bethlehem Steel brownfields in Hamburg.