Poland lawmakers back EU-sought liberalized wind energy law

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s lawmakers have agreed to relax the rules for installing onshore wind turbines. Members of the lower house of Poland’s parliament  voted 231-209 with two abstentions to allow turbines to be erected no closer than 700 meters (766 yards) from houses. The current rule requires a distance of at least 10 times a turbine’s height. With no locations meeting that requirement found, the height formula practically stalled wind energy development in Poland. The European Union had called on the government to come up with a less restrictive measurement. Critics said the bill approved late Thursday still overly limits the number of potential locations.