LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Wind developer updates RRPC 

Credit:  Reposted from Rutland Herald., via: energizevermont.org 19 April 2012 ~~

The developers of a proposed wind farm on Grandpa’s Knob hope to file a certificate of public good application with the Vermont Public Service Board later this year.

Steve Eisenberg, managing director of Reunion Power, said in the meantime, they would be finalizing several site studies and environmental reports including noise, visual studies and housing surveys as part of the ongoing project layout with engineers.

“We are very selective of the projects that we undertake,” he said. “We believe wind energy power works.”

They are also conducting ongoing negotiations with Vermont utilities for the project while planning meetings with the project’s host towns and affected residents within the next six weeks.

The Manchester-based company has proposed a 20-turbine wind farm generating up to 50 megawatts of energy annually on Grandpa’s Knob ridgeline. It touches the towns of West Rutland, Castleton, Hubbardton and Pittsford.

According to Eisenberg, the project’s estimated cost is “an excess of $100,000,” with an estimated lifespan of approximately 25 years. Approximately 100 jobs will be created during construction, while between three to four full-time jobs will created for management.

Reunion Power partnered with international turbine manufacturer Nordex USA to develop the project.

Grandpa’s Knob was the site of the first utility-scale wind turbine in operation for four years during World War II.

The development team was invited to provide an update to the Rutland Regional Planning Commission on Tuesday. More than 20 concerned residents from the host towns filled the room which garnered a warning from the commission’s chairman.

“This is an informational meeting to listen to a presentation from Reunion Power,” said RRPC chairman Fred Nicholson. “If you get too rowdy, I will kick you out.”

According to Eisenberg, they have approximately 4,500 acres of land under long term easements and the estimated area for the project – turbine location, roads and maintenance building – is about 150 acres or 3 percent of the total area.

“Twenty turbines is a viable number given the terrain, the sensitive areas, trees and impacts,” he said on Wednesday.

The size of the turbine towers and blades have not been selected, Eisenberg said, but the tower could be 100 or 80 meters high with blades as long as 117 feet. He said the product selection will happen after all the studies have been completed.

Following the presentation, the commissioners raised several questions, including concerns from the Agency of Natural Resources on some of the sensitive natural areas found on Grandpa’s Knob.

Commissioner Annette Smith said the state agency did not see how there can be development on the ridgeline considering the natural areas found there.

Tom Vought of Nordex USA said the discussions with ANR were in general terms and that the agency had not made any decisions on the project.

“We are coordinating studies with their help,” he said.

Following the presentation, residents at the meeting said they were disappointed the commission did not allow them to ask questions to the developer and voice their concerns about the project.

“Let more people be involved,” said Lisa Garcia of Florence. “We are very concerned that our town officials and even the regional commission are just accepting the dog-and-pony show from the developers.”

Meetings with the host towns are being scheduled for the next several months. A meeting in West Rutland is on May 14 while a meeting in Pittsford has been tentatively scheduled for June.

Source:  Reposted from Rutland Herald., via: energizevermont.org 19 April 2012

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon