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

Questions raised over 440 acres of Cheshire land 

Credit:  By Phil Demers, North Adams Transcript, www.thetranscript.com 26 April 2012 ~~

CHESHIRE – More than 25 residents attended a Water Department informational meeting this week, with some weighing the pros and cons of, and at times arguing about, future options for a large swath of town land.

The property in question – 440 of 715 acres of mostly forested town land along Greylock Road – is a point of contention between the Water Department and some residents. For years, the department has thought the land suitable for wind turbine development, and it recently secured a grant to conduct a feasibility study to determine the reality of the prospect.

However, others in town say the state has a standing offer to buy the land for as much as $1 million, and town officials should be allowed to enter into negotiations with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for the potential sale.

Water Commissioner Francis Waterman largely carried the Monday meeting, making a case for potential wind development as a greater long-term benefit to the town. He said to sell the land before studying the possibility of development would be premature.

“The feasibility study is going to put the information in my hand so I can stand here and say: ‘This is a great project’ or ‘Let’s sell the land,’ ” Waterman said. “That’s all we’re asking for.”

The study would gather data about wind power at the site, balanced against the cost of connecting it to the grid. The Water Department received a $35,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to conduct the study, which could be completed within a year – if certain hurdles with the state and DCR are overcome. The land is protected under Article 97 of the state constitution, a conservation measure, which would need to be overridden by a two-thirds vote from Town Meeting and the Legislature in order for the study to take place.

Two representatives from Tighe & Bond consulting engineers, Project Manager Briony Angus and Senior Vice President Francis J. Hoet, accompanied Waterman. Both Angus and Hoet have worked on similar projects, and verified that the site was promising.

However, they would give no guarantee as to the viability of the site until actual data was gathered and analysis done.

In the meantime, Waterman argued, the department has generated an average of $11,147 per year in timber sales from the property since 2001, used to offset the cost of water for town users. Waterman also presented “conservative figures” estimating $165,050 in annual revenue and electricity savings after the turbines were producing, giving three to five years as an estimate for when that figure would be reached.

Zoning Board member Thomas Zappula argued in favor of discussing a sale of the property with DCR. He said the state would preserve the land, while keeping it open to residents. This, and the town would benefit from the estimated $1 million sale, with additional indefinite state payments in lieu of taxes of roughly $7,000 to $10,000 per year.

Zappula also brought along a Berkshire Regional Planning Commission study of viable spots for wind development in the county that excludes the property in question.

“I think [the Water Department] should be working with the Selectmen on this instead of fighting with them,” Zappula said. “And that’s what I see – a fight going on.”

Others in attendance expressed skepticism about the given timeline, citing noteworthy difficulties in similar area and state projects, and resident Brian Bedard pointed out that the projected finances could be subject to major change.

The future of the property ultimately falls in the hands of residents, as negotiating the sale will appear as a ballot item in this year’s election.

Source:  By Phil Demers, North Adams Transcript, www.thetranscript.com 26 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