WASHINGTON, D.C. — Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama have withdrawn their hold on the nomination of the assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs for the U.S. Department of Transportation, after agreeing to a compromise with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DOD) concerning wind farm construction projects.

The two senators had withheld their appointment of Andrew Steinberg in order to exert pressure on the FAA and the Bush Administration to make a decision on whether wind farms can interfere with sensitive U.S. military radar systems. On March 21, the DOD and the Department of Homeland Security issued a report to Congress that essentially put a halt to construction of all U.S. wind farm projects within a 60-mile radius, or “line of sight,” of a radar center or tower. Since then, up to a dozen wind farm projects in the Midwest have been idled.

Joe Shoemaker, communications director for Obama, told Farm World on Friday the two senators lifted their hold on the Steinberg nomination earlier in August after receiving assurances from the FAA that the agency would review each project and issue rulings independently. The FAA assured the senators that it would work closely with the DOD to issue reports concerning each project in a timely fashion.

“If there is no movement in the next week or so, we’ll do what it takes to make the administration understand that wind farms can’t be held up forever,” Shoemaker said.

On July 26, the two senators issued statements explaining the reasoning behind blocking Steinberg’s nomination.

“The administration’s promised response on windmill construction is long overdue. It is time for a straight answer,” said Durbin. “Windmills have become an important source of clean alternative energy throughout the country and are particularly important in the Midwest, which has more cumulative wind energy potential than any other area in the country. If there are real problems, we should find ways to mitigate, reduce or eliminate them, but our wind farm owners deserve an answer.”

Obama said the freeze on wind farm construction delayed the country’s desire to wean itself from foreign, non-renewable energy sources and discouraged developers from investing in the burgeoning wind farm industry.

“While I take very seriously any concerns that these structures could interfere with military readiness, I also believe that with mounting instability in the Middle East and energy prices at record levels, we just begin investing in alternative energy sources today,” Obama said. “Wind farms are an important part of our ongoing efforts to make the United States more energy independent.”

He added that investors should be made to feel comfortable putting their dollars into wind farm projects, not discouraged by unnecessary regulations.

According to the senators, the “line of sight” policy would encompass much of the nation, if upheld. The senators indicated they would remain united in their efforts to block the Steinberg nomination until the FAA worked with the DOD to establish a policy that would clarify which sites will be allowed to operate on a case-by-case basis.

This farm news was published in the August 23, 2006 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.