In a letter to the Vermont Public Service Board, Kirby selectmen state they want to be a party in any commercial wind development that impacts their town.

The letter was read by Planning Commissioner Cathy Sargent during a meeting of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association last week and was sent to over 20 towns that will be within 10 miles of a proposed wind project in Sheffield and Sutton.

A project of this magnitude has regional implications and any project such as this in high elevation lands will affect all the surrounding towns,” the letter states.  “Consideration should not be limited to the host town.”

UPC Vermont Wind will seek a certificate oef public good from the PSB later this month or early in January to construct 20 398-foot wind turbines in Sheffield and another six similar turbines in Sutton.  The turbines will be seen from many miles around and Kirby wants some compensation, if the project goes forward.  Kirby has an ordinance in its town plan which requires permission from selectmen to build anything taller than 35 feet in a effort to preserve the beauty of the area, the letter states.

"The Kirby selectmen feel UPC’s project has absolutely no benefit to the Town of Kirby or to the region as a whole,” the letter continues.  “We object to ruining our scenic views while supplying electricity to areas without wind turbines…Currently there seems to be no standing for towns within the viewshed.  The host town gets the ‘benefits’ and the viewshed towns get the ‘impact’.”

If UPC’s project does go forward, selectmen wrote, the PSB should require the company to provide impact fees to the affected towns to help offset loss in property values and consequently property taxes.

Lyndon selectmen have also written the PSB asking to be notified of any meetings on the proposed Sheffield wind farm.  “Lyndon does not abut Sheffield…and yet may have greater negative impacts than the host community,” the letter steates.  During a selectmen’s meeting Monday afternoon, Chairwoman Marty Feltus said she thought the Kirby letter made some good points.

“Personally, I think they’re right on,” Selectman Rob Elmes said.

Party status is automatically given to the applicant, the Department of Public Service and the Agency of Natural Resources during the Section 248 process which governs permits for generation of power, according to Susan Hudson, clerk of the PSB.  Anyone else has the right to ask for party status by filing a motion to intervene during a pre-hearing conference, she said.  It will be up to the hearing officer to decide who is granted this status.

Kirby Selectman Brian Burrington said Selectman Ken Hayes drafted the first letter, which was edited by Sargent.  Burrington said it was Sargent who asked the board to write the letter.  He said a majority of the residents of Kirby have said they are opposed to industrialized wind turbines.  “[The letter] was to let them know other towns are concerned,” Burrington said.  “People will be able to see the turbines from a long way.”

Hayes could not be reached for comment.

NVDA held two public meetings to discuss its new draft of a regional plan which included language endorsing wind energy.  This part of the plan drew criticixm during hearings in both Lyndon and Newport City, leading the NVDA board to pull that section from the plan during a meeting Dec. 8.  The rest of the plan which includes housing, economic development and child care, among other issues, was approved.  A committee will be appointed to study and rewrite the energy section.