CLARENDON - A solar-powered light should be installed on a meteorological tower atop Susie's Peak as a safety measure for aviators.

That was the message in a letter sent by the state Agency of Transportation to the Public Service Board regarding Vermont Community Wind Farm's temporary wind measurement tower.

"It was a recommendation from a safety standpoint," said Rich Turner, AOT's aviation program manager.

The transportation agency also urged in its letter to the PSB that VCWF file forms with the Federal Aviation Administration detailing the overall project.

The FAA could then proceed with a review of the project in order to determine what, if any, effect it would have on the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport traffic located in Clarendon.

"The FAA could do a complete airspace review to see if there are any impacts to the traffic at Rutland, any airspace concerns, instrument approach concerns and things of that nature," Turner said. "It's all about safety issues - traffic patterns, entering and departing aircraft, smaller aircraft climb out."

The FAA requires submission of a Notice of Construction form to be filed on any object more than 200 feet above ground level.

The VCWF meteorological towers to collect data measure under 200 feet each, and therefore, do not automatically trigger the FAA requirement.

However, VCWF has proposed an 80-megawatt industrial wind operation comprised of about 40 turbines each measuring nearly 400 feet high on ridgelines in Clarendon, Ira and elsewhere.

"Right now, they're under 200 feet so it's not a hard requirement. But the letter was sent to try and get the whole project's scope on the FAA's radar," Turner said.

The meteorological tower installed on Susie's Peak in Clarendon last week was placed in a location 380 feet south of the site initially identified by the developer.

"There may have been a discrepancy, but I'm not aware of that being a major issue," Turner said.