The purpose of Mr. Ide’s testimony is to present the Department’s overall recommendations with respect to the petitioner’s request for a Certificate of Public Good (“CPG”) under 30 V.S.A. § 248, including specific recommendations on a number of criteria found in 30 V.S.A. § 248(b). In places, he will be incorporating or relying on the work and testimony of other Department witnesses

Editor's Note: The complete testimony (attached) is a worthwhile read. Selected Q & A's appear below.

WV's Congressman Mollohan submitted a letter on July 26, 2006 to the WV Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning the Beech Ridge wind energy project proposed for Greenbrier County, WV by Chicago-based Invenergy, Inc. This wind energy developer successfully pushed through a windplant in Wisconsin nearby the Horicon Marsh - a globally-significant wildlife area and National Wildlife Refuge - despite the widespread outcry by national and local wildlife groups who opposed such close siting.

Mollohan's letter points out that Invenergy disregarded recommendations by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for multi-year pre-construction studies regarding the project's potential impacts on migratory birds and bats. He also observed that although WV's one operating wind project in Tucker County has been the site of record-setting bat mortality due to collision with turbine blades, the project operator (FPL Energy) has cut off access to the site for scientific study or investigation, even by the National Research Council/National Academies committee charged by the U.S. Congress to study the environmental impacts of wind projects in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands (see footnote #2 in his letter).

Vermont regional commissions are responsible for updating their respective 'plans' every five years. The Windham Regional Commission (WRC), comprised of representatives from the 27 towns in Windham County, submitted a draft of its updated plan for public comment in late June 2006.

Given the prevailing public concerns regarding energy, the energy section of WRC's draft plan was of particular interest. Specifically, the Glebe Mountain Group, an incorporated non-profit organization that has been actively engaged in protecting Glebe Mountain from industrialization, felt is was imperative that industrial wind generation projects not be encouraged or accorded any presumption that they serve the public good.

The Glebe Mountain Group's comments on the plan are attached as is the original 'draft' WRC plan. Some of the specific comments related to wind energy are extracted below as is the conclusion. These comments were fully endorsed by The Friends of Glebe Mountain, an unincorporated 100% volunteer group comprised of residents of and non-resident property owners in the towns of Londonderry and Windham.

Sally Collins' statement before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

The Secretary of State accepts the Inspector’s [David M H Rose] findings on the section 36 application. He agrees with the Inspector’s conclusions that the Whinash site is an important and integral part of a far reaching landscape which is highly sensitive to change and that the adverse environmental impacts of the Development would conflict with the aims of Planning Policy Statement 22 which is, in part, to minimise the impacts of wind generation and to achieve environmental safeguards. He also agrees with the Inspector’s conclusion that the environmental harm to this particular landscape outweighs the benefits of securing renewable energy at the Whinash site. The Secretary of State therefore accepts, taking account of the further comments below, the Inspector’s recommendation that consent be refused.

Editor's Note: The pdf file contains the complete report.

For the reasons set forth.., I conclude that the proposed Project will not promote the general good of the state. Therefore, I recommend that the Board not issue a Certificate of Public Good for the proposed Project. However, if the Board does issue a CPG, I recommend that it include the conditions outlined in this Proposal for Decision.

The attached pdf file compares the size of the proposed 2.5MW turbine for Glebe Mountain with a two story house, the Statue of Liberty, the 1.5MW turbine originally proposed and the Bennington Monument.

A study of the Outer Clyde Estuary, covering Kintyre, Cowal, Arran, Bute, Inverclyde and North Ayrshire, conducted by AWF, demonstrates the huge and increasing pressure on the area from wind farm developers. It concludes, that if all the wind farms in or approaching the planning system at present are approved, the level of cumulative impact will degrade the environment of this unique area to a totally unacceptable extent. It would not be an exaggeration to state that every transport route (road or ferry) would have a prominent view of at least one wind farm. The need for a strategic review is overwhelming.

Tom Hewson takes a very comprehensive look at the development issues associated with the proposed Baileyville Wind Farm in Illinois.