FAIRWIND VERMONT NEWS P.O. Box 52, Londonderry, VT  05148 www.fairwindvermont.org Volume 1,  Issue 1 July 2006 Contact us: info@fairwindvermont.org      Table of Contents   Section   Page   East Haven Wind Farm     2   Working Landscape           3   East Haven Benefits     3   Glebe Mountain Plug Pulled    3   Little Equinox      4   Searsburg Expansion       4   Sheffield         4   Lowell          4   Related Information   ...VERA         5   __Map  5   Regulatory Process        Public Service Board   5   __Agency of Natural Resources  6   __Act 250 Not a Factor    6   ...Regional Planning Commissions            7         Opposition Rebuffed   7   Poster       7   Next Issue       7       The following is an overview of wind energy development in Vermont and many of the key issues, processes and players.   PROJECTS AND PROPOSALS            Currently, the developers of several wind energy projects now under consideration in Vermont are waiting to see how the Public Service Board rules on the first one to make it through almost all the regulatory hurdles in several years: East Haven in the Northeast Kingdom.     EAST HAVEN WINDFARM - PROPOSAL TO A DECISION          In his report to the Public Service Board on East Haven, the hearing officer rejected virtually all the opposition arguments except for two relatively minor criteria: aesthetics and the public investment made to conserve the surrounding lands.  These lands are owned by Essex Timber Company and are still being logged.  The public will retain access for recreational purposes if the wind turbines are built.           Hearing officer Kurt Jansen stated in his 91 page document, called a "Proposal to a Decision," (see http://www.state.vt.us/psb/) that it may be the right project, but in the wrong place.  Four 1.5-megawatt wind turbines are proposed to be erected at the site of an abandoned cold war radar site that was in operation from 1955 through 1961.  A paved road leads to the summit that can be used in the construction of the wind farm.  The Select Board of the town of East Haven, lying a few miles down the hill voted unanimously in favor of the project after a supportive town meeting and survey.          The 17 acre site, owned by East Haven Wind, is surrounded by 132,800 acres of forest formerly owned by Champion Paper company, almost all of which is being preserved.  In spite of the many benefits cited for the region and state, Mr. Jansen concludes that these four turbines "would be fundamentally incompatible with the remote undeveloped nature of the surrounding conserved Champion lands."  Both inappropriate use of this land and aesthetics were factors in his decision.  Mr. Jansen also sited lack of sufficient information about the effect of the turbines on birds and bats in his rejection of the project.     WORKING LANDSCAPE          Some of us are asking, if turbines are inappropriate on private land on an abandoned radar site, miles from the nearest residence in the middle of a logged forest, then where would they be appropriate?  We like to think of Vermont's mountains as a working landscape, suitable for many uses, including wind power generation, when all the necessary conditions exist.  Mr. Jansen did leave himself an out by mentioning time and again in his report that if the Public Service Board does choose to issue a Certificate of Public Good (CPG), which would allow the project to go forward in spite of his recommendation against, then many conditions should be attached to the CPG.   EAST HAVEN BENEFITS In his report, Mr. Jansen said he is "mindful of the significant benefits that renewable resources such as this proposed project can provide, including fuel diversity, promotion of energy independence, and fewer environmental impacts than conventional generation technologies."  He concludes that the electricity produced is needed and would not affect the electrical system stability or reliability.  The Project would provide an economic benefit to the state and its residents.  It would not pose an undue risk due to ice throw.  The Project would produce air quality benefits to Vermont by replacing other generation sources that produce emissions.  Finally, Mr. Jansen concludes the project would not produce unduly adverse noise levels.    GLEBE MOUNTAIN PLUG PULLED          After Mr. Jansen published his recommendation, the developers of a proposed 19 turbine, 47.5 megawatt wind farm planned for Glebe Mountain in Londonderry ceased all operations. The partnership of Catamount Energy of Rutland and Marubeni Energy of Japan cited wind energy opposition at the local and state level as reasons for ending development of the project in their press release on June 15, 2006.  They thanked supporters and noted the near doubling of wind energy capacity in the United States since 2002.   Previously, Catamount Vice-President Bob Charlebois, who had worked with area towns and select boards seeking support for the wind farm, pointed to the uncertain regulatory climate as a reason for a suspension of operations.     LITTLE EQUINOX          A similar collaborative process also occurred in Manchester, Vermont, where five turbines are proposed for Little Equinox Mountain by Harley Lee, president of Endless Energy of Maine.  During a special town meeting, the vote went 62-60 against the turbines.  Both Londonderry and Manchester voted to hire lawyers and experts to oppose the wind farms at significant potential cost to the taxpayers.          Endless Energy is still writing their proposal to submit to the Public Service Board for Little Equinox in Manchester and Manchester Village.  However, most of their time now is spent writing reports and preparing for a public hearing for a 30 tower project on the Redington Pond Range in Maine.     SEARSBURG EXPANSION          Deerfield Wind, LLC, is the company set up by developer PPM Energy to expand the Searsburg wind farm in southern Vermont by 20 to 30 1.5 to 2.0 Megawatt (MW) wind turbines.  The eleven turbines now standing have been generating electricity since 1997 for Green Mountain Power all the while generating lots of data for the US Department of Energy's Utility Wind Turbine Verification Program. Deerfield Energy asked the United States Forest Service for a Special Use Authorization which requires an environmental impact statement and permission to build on National Forest Service land. A final decision is expected this fall.     SHEFFIELD          UPC Vermont Wind has filed a petition with the Public Service Board for a Certificate of Public Good for its proposed project on Hardscrapple Mountain in Sheffield.  The PSB is preparing to hold hearings and has granted Fairwind Vermont party status so that we may participate in the decision making process.      LOWELL          Lowell Wind, an enExco project, is still conducting wind measurements started two years ago.  No permitting work has been started, not even bird and bat studies, so central to the regulatory process.     RELATED INFORMATION   VERMONT ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES (VERA)          VERA promotes wind energy development by providing siting, feasibility analysis, and project management services to the electric utility and wind industries.  They worked with Green Mountain Power (GMP) to develop the original 11 tower Searsburg wind farm, and they are now helping with the Deerfield Wind and Lowell Wind proposals.  To schedule a tour of the Searsburg wind farm between July 15 and October 15, 2006, send an e-mail to VERA at bbrown@northeastwind.com or call (802) 244-7522.            In an innovative move, the Deerfield Wind/Searsburg Expansion development process is steered by a Collaborative Team with more than 30 local, state, regional and federal stakeholders.  VERA conceived this cooperative process as a means of guiding the project toward a design that benefits the general public, as well as a wide variety of special interests.  See  their web site for additional information: http://www.northeastwind.com.      MAP          A map of the proposed wind farm sites can be seen at the Fairwind Vermont web site at: http://www.fairwindvermont.org/VTWindMap.html.  There is much more information here, as well as links to many related sites including the American Wind Energy Association at http://www.awea.org/.     REGULATORY PROCESS   PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD          The Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) is a quasi-judicial body that regulates electric service providers, among other utilities. The regulatory process is detailed in Section 248 of Title 30.  The Board gathers evidence and makes decisions that can be appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court. One can participate in the Section 248 process either as formal party to the case or as a member of the public.  Formal parties may provide testimony and participate in evidentiary hearings.  Members of the public may speak at public hearings and send the PSB written comments, but may not participate in evidentiary hearings.  The PSB must take all the gathered information, including testimony offered in technical hearings from the developer, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), and the Department of Public Service (representing the public interest) and decide if the project is viable and in the "public interest." A Citizens' Guide to the Public Service Board's Section 248 Process is available on-line at http://www.state.vt.us/psb/document/Citizens_Guide_to_248.pdf.   AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES          In April, 2006, The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), released draft Guidelines for the Review and Evaluation of Potential Impacts from Utility-Scale Wind Energy Facilities in Vermont for public comment.  In great detail this 31 page document describes the expectations for pre- and post-construction date collection as well as general guidelines for construction, operation, and maintenance of utility-scale wind facilities.  It is expected that the process will start for the developer several years before construction and that monitoring will continue for at least three to five years post construction.  Every possible impact is considered including wildlife, water quality, wetlands, streams, dust, icing, and water supply.  Great attention is given to the monitoring and protection of birds, bats and bears.  If a mortality rate higher than the national average per turbine per year (2.3 birds and 3.4 bats) is discovered then mitigation and modified operations must be considered.  A single death of an endangered species will also require mitigation and modified operations.   ACT 250 NOT A FACTOR          One positive bit of news for wind energy developers is that a state environmental judge ruled that the Glebe Mountain Wind project does not have to go through Act 250 development review. This will save developers in the state from having to participate in two largely overlapping reviews of their projects in a potential nightmare of competing jurisdictions.  Act 250 could still apply to what he called "secondary impacts" of the project, such as site clearing for wind turbines that could affect a protected species on neighboring land that is covered by an Act 250 permit.     REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSIONS          The state of Vermont also has twelve regional planning commissions that help towns do research and write their town plans on issues such as transportation, demographics, housing, and energy.  The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) held a hearing in January, 2006 to take testimony about the Glebe Mountain proposal and the Bennington County Regional Commission later held a hearing regarding the Little Equinox proposal.  A summary of the testimony and developers' submissions were used as the basis of reports to the Public Service Board.  The WRC noted the arguments for and against the project and asked for much more information than was forthcoming from Glebe Mountain Energy, LLC.   OPPOSITION REBUFFED          We are hoping that by denying the legitimacy of many of the opposition arguments in the Proposal to Decision for East Haven, those issues will not interfere with other proposals for wind farms in the state. It all comes down to land use, aesthetics, and birds and bats. The immediate future of wind power in Vermont hinges on the Public Service Board's East Haven decision which we await with great interest.     FAIRWIND VERMONT POSTER          Please check out our first in a series of posters that we are creating to convey positive messages about wind power in Vermont.  The poster is ready for download at http://www.fairwindvermont.org/posters.html. Print and post as many as you like. NEXT ISSUE          Watch for the next issue of Fairwind Vermont News in late August or early September for updates on all the projects, possible alternative plans for Glebe Mountain, and new features.

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Fairwind Vermont - PO Box 52 - Londonderry, VT 05148