Will we ever get anywhere if we're constantly taking one step forward and two steps back? Sure we will. We'll find ourselves drowning off the coast.

The North Carolina State Senate has voted overwhelmingly to ban large wind turbines from the state’s scenic western ridgelines.

The 42-1 vote on Thursday represents the strongest stand against wind turbines taken by lawmakers in any state. The bill would amend a 1983 “ridge law” to allow only turbines that are 100 feet or smaller to be placed on ridgelines above 3,000 feet. This effectively bars industrial-sized turbines — which can reach several hundred feet in height — from the windy mountaintops.

The bill has been sent to the state’s House of Representatives for consideration. However, the House is due to adjourn in a few days, so the debate is likely to resume after the legislature returns next MayMarch, according to Brandon R. Blevins, the wind program coordinator for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

More from Green, Inc., a New York Times blog.

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