This Week: GMP Gets Ugly, CEP, REV Conference & More – 10/14/11
This week several events illustrated just how massive utility-scale projects can clash with Vermont values. If you recall I mentioned in my email last week that the Agency of Natural Resources issued a stop work order for the Lowell project. It appears that stormwater runoff controls at the site were inadequate for the rain that came last week, and sediment ran off the site. During the permitting process several groups submitted comments indicating they were concerned about this very eventuality taking place. GMP has spent most of this week trying to get the site back in compliance in order to be able to continue construction. News of the stop work order was covered in several sources, including The Burlington Free Press andVTDigger.
Green Mountain Power also sent neighbors Don and Shirley Nelson a letter offering to purchase their property and letting them know they would attempt to hold them liable for delays to the project from the presence of campers on their property. If you haven’t been keeping up, blasting to construct the access road is set to take place 196ft from the Nelson’s property line, so campers from all over the state have set up shop on the Nelson property within the 1000ft blast radius. News of the offer and threat was covered across the media, including VTDigger, WCAX, and the Barton Chronicle. Interestingly enough Seven Days also did a lengthy write up on Mary Powell, GMP’s CEO.
The campers close to the project but not on project land is a fascinating situation. The campers aren’t trespassing or doing anything illegal. It leads me to a lot of questions about how we got here. Why did the PSB think it was reasonable to allow for such small setbacks? If the project is allowed so close, but puts the people there in harms way, isn’t that equivalent to taking some of the neighbor’s property rights? What type of message does the development of this situation send to the regulators that allowed it to happen? I’d love to hear your thoughts about this situation. Shoot me an email and let me know.
The Deerfield wind project was also in the news this week. The Obama administration released a list of 14 projects that they would fast track through the regulatory process. The project has been on the drawing board for a long time, but has come up against a lot of opposition over bear habitats and its proximity to federal wilderness. Most recently it has been waiting for approval from the Forest Service.
Lots of news this week about the Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP.) The Department of Public Service released a draft couple of weeks ago and is seeking public comment until November 4th. We encourage you to express your opinion on the draft, and encourage the state to move away from utility-scale renewable projects and to support distributed generation renewable solutions at our homes and in our communities. Several others expressed their opinion about the plan publicly, including Kevin Jones from Vermont Law School and Sen. Peg Flory from Rutland.
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Have a great weekend and be in touch,
Luke
Reposted from The Caledonian-Record. Robin Smith Staff Writer DERBY LINE — People who don’t want to see two industrial-size wind turbines on the hills above Derby Line are doing more than speaking out at meetings. They are now circulating a petition saying “No” to big turbines in the town of Derby and demanding …
Reposted here from Seven Days. The receptionist at Green Mountain Power’s Colchester headquarters smiles warmly before buzzing the boss to say her nine o’clock has arrived. Photos of happy utility workers adorn the small waiting area. As with almost every room in the building, the walls are glass. Beyond the front desk, the floor plan …
This week’s Barton Chronicle covers much of the recent events with Green Mountain Power’s Lowell project, includes some coverage of the Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP), and has some opinion letters of interest. Download relevant sections in PDF here.
Reposted here from WCAX. Lowell, Vermont – October 12, 2011 The Lowell wind project has the green light from the state, but the massive renewable energy endeavor is still facing obstacles that Green Mountain Power is willing to pay for. Don and Shirley Nelson live on more than 580 acres beneath the Lowell Mountain Range. …
WCAX_20111012201838760AA1.mp4 16.4 MB Reposted here from VTDigger.org. With a one-two punch, Green Mountain Power launched a campaign Tuesday to buy out the most vocal opponents of its 63-megawatt wind turbine project on Lowell Mountain, and warned legal action will follow if work on the project continues to be obstructed. Don and Shirley Nelson, owners of a 580-acre …
Reposted from Rutland Herald. By Susan Smallheer Staff Writer – Published: October 13, 2011 SEARSBURG — The proposed 30-megawatt Deerfield wind project in southern Vermont is among 14 projects the Obama Administration has fast-tracked for federal review. “We’re optimistic we’ll have a decision by the end of the year,” said Ethan Ready, …
Reposted from Vermont Public Radio. Wednesday, 10/12/11 6:06am The Associated Press A wind power project planned for southern Vermont is being given a boost by the Obama administration. The 17-turbine wind project planned for Searsburg and Readsboro was placed on a list of 14 infrastructure projects around the country to be given …
Reposted from Burlington Free Press. Opinion By Kevin Jones from Vermont Law School. The development of wind power along Vermont’s ridgelines has divided Vermonters in a way development issues do not normally split environmentalists. Is Green Mountain Power’s Kingdom Community Wind Project planned for Lowell Mountain really a needed investment in our local quest to …
Reposted from Associated Press. DAVE GRAM Assocaited Press MONTPELIER, Vt. — A stop-work order remained in effect Monday for a major wind power project being built on northern Vermont’s Lowell Mountains, yet work on some aspects of the project continued. State environmental regulators last week issued the stop-work order due to excessive sediment running off …
Reposted from WCAX.com. Washington, D.C. – October 11, 2011 A Vermont wind farm is on a list of projects being fast-tracked by the Obama Administration as part of the president’s efforts to jump-start the economy. The Deerfield wind farm would consist of 15 turbines in Searsburg and Readsboro. The project would be built in …
Reposted from VT Digger. Green Mountain Power is trying to fix problems with sediment and erosion controls that led to a stop-work order last week at the Kingdom Community Wind project. “As of now, we have focused all our work on our storm water and erosion management systems,” said Green Mountain Power Spokeswoman Dotty …
Reposted from Vermont Public Radio. Monday, 10/10/11 5:50pm John Dillon, Produced by Lynne McCrea (Host) A new state energy plan calls for a dramatic shift in how Vermonters drive to work and where they get their electricity. The draft plan sets ambitious goals. It says Vermont should get 90 percent of its energy …
Reposted from Associated Press. Dave Gram ASSOCIATED PRESS MONTPELIER, Vt. — A stop-work order has been issued for construction on the Lowell Mountain wind power project because of possible environmental violations, a top Vermont official said Friday. Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz confirmed that the order had been issued for what an inspector determined was …
Reposted from VT Digger. Construction on the Kingdom Community Wind Project is temporarily on hold after the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources issued a stop-work order. Green Mountain Power, the utility that is building the project, violated part of its Clean Water Act permit when it failed to comply with part of its sediment …
Reposted from Burlington Free Press. MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A stop-work order has been issued for construction on the Lowell Mountain wind power project because of possible environmental violations, a top Vermont official said Friday. Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz confirmed that the order had been issued for what an inspector determined was inadequate …
Energize Vermont is hosting or participating in three events this coming week. I’ll be at all of them and would love to see you there. Tuesday & Wednesday: Renewable Energy Vermont Conference - Burlington, VT Wednesday Night: Speaker Series: Wind in VT: What You Need to Know – 6PM – Burlington, VT Thursday Night: Steven Strong Presentation at Green …
Download all the documents filed with the PSB in the Lowell wind case. Documents include this week the final System Impact Study (SIS) submitted by GMP to the Board.
This week’s Barton Chronicle includes coverage of the campers at the Lowell wind site as well as an thought provoking editorial. Download the relevant pages here.
