News
Category:
Vermont
The specter of much larger wind turbines loomed over Wednesday's meeting. Boyer started her closing remarks by producing two models showing the possible size of a turbine compared with the height of the town's meeting house.
She pointed out that the town's wind power ban stems from clear opposition to an earlier proposal to place turbines on Glebe Mountain.
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General]
Court won't dismiss trespassing charges against Lowell wind protesters
July 11, 2012 by Robin Smith in Caledonian-Record
July 11, 2012 by Robin Smith in Caledonian-Record
Attorney for five of the six protesters, Kristina Michelson, argued in her motion that the state is abusing the criminal court process by prosecuting the case while the land in question is still under dispute in civil court. GMP could have sought civil action against the protesters, but instead the state stepped in to do GMP's bidding.
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General]
Just as the controversy on wind turbines in Derby was simmering down, a new proposal for a turbine has re-ignited the debate, but at a smaller scale. The Derby Planning Commission heard from a group of residents and a wind developer Monday who brought up many of the same arguments.
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General]
Because the Hawk Rock MET tower installation would see more than an acre of clearing and public comments, Remington noted, "raised significant issues regarding the presence of rare, threatened, or endangered species or natural communities...I find that a site visit to the Hawk Rock MET tower site could prove informative."
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General]
John Burke of the Public Service Board said he would recuse himself if the wind project on the Grandpa's Knob ridgeline proposed by developer Reunion Power goes before the board. He cited conflicts of interest and ethics. ..."For 40 years, for 30 years, for 35 years, I have hunted that ridge."
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General]
The below letter sent to the Vermont Public Service Board describes a significant flooding event in the vicinity the Lowell wind energy facility under construction.
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Impact on Landscape|
Erosion]
Forest Service defends Searsburg-Readsboro wind project
June 29, 2012 by Keith Whitcomb Jr. in Bennington Banner
June 29, 2012 by Keith Whitcomb Jr. in Bennington Banner
The Vermont Public Service Board gave its blessing to the project in 2010, leaving the Forest Service to conduct its own round of environmental impact studies, which Vermonters for a Clean Environment (VEC) says were not adequate.
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General]
Planning group in Northeast Kingdom votes for wind moratorium
June 29, 2012 by Candace Page in Burlington Free Press
June 29, 2012 by Candace Page in Burlington Free Press
The resolution - which Stransky said would be incorporated into the energy section of a rewrite of the regional plan - calls for a moratorium of three years, while the planning group evaluates the costs and benefits of wind development, health impacts, transmission requirements, effects on ridgetop environments and impact on property values.
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General]
Encore pulled the application for the Grand View Farm turbine and announced it would no longer pursue a second turbine closer to the Canadian border. Encore then asked for a two-year extension of the commissioning milestone in hopes of reapplying for approval next year.
The Public Service Board refused.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
"We carefully drafted and approved a town plan that prohibits commercial wind development on our ridgelines," Boyer said. "And our intention is to uphold our town plan."
Grafton officials are researching what their regulations might say about wind power.
However, these contracts have a three-year to completion shelf life. The contract between the state and Encore Redevelopment is due to expire Jan. 15, 2013. Encore applied for an extension of 25 months, into 2015, arguing that the company had faced numerous delays in getting the project off the ground. ...PSB denied the extension, making it impossible for Encore to meet the January 2013 deadline.
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General]
In a unanimous vote, the five-member Select Board resolved to oppose the Reunion Power wind project. The decision was met by a round of applause from residents who overflowed the meeting room ...Pittsford is the third town to take a stand against the ridgeline project that spans four towns.
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General]
State says Lowell Wind site held up well during rains
June 20, 2012 by Laura Carpenter in Newport Daily Express
June 20, 2012 by Laura Carpenter in Newport Daily Express
He is concerned that the storm water controls are insufficient and poorly designed for the area due to its steep slopes and for other reasons. He, like others, questions whether or not the site impacted nearby water quality near and if the storm caused a larger volume of water at the base of the mountain due to the run-off.
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Impact on Landscape|
Erosion]
Newsman becomes newsmaker; Chris Braithwaite recounts protests while awaiting trial
June 17, 2012 by Terri Hallenbeck in Burlington Free Press
June 17, 2012 by Terri Hallenbeck in Burlington Free Press
The 68-year-old is a journalist who went from covering the story to being part of the story. Though he said that’s not what he set out to do, he hopes his case will carve out new ground for a journalists’ right to be there when the government is doing its business.cond local authority.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Before Eolian Renewable Energy applies to put up 35 to 40 turbines in the Northeast Kingdom, it first has to test the wind. This involves erecting 200 foot wind measuring towers. They're called MET towers and one is planned for Hawk Rock in Newark.
The town planning commission wants state regulators to say no to the testing equipment.
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General]
In some places, as in Newark, local opponents have learned from defeats in Sheffield and Lowell. They are organizing earlier and pressing local selectboards and planning commissions to join the opposition to protect local ridgelines. In Derby, opponents turned wind development into an international issue, with protests in Stanstead, Quebec.
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General]
The Holland Select Board unanimously voted no to the Derby Line Wind project Monday evening.
Even though the developer has said he will not pursue one of the turbines and has put the other on hold until next year, the board wanted to go on record with its opposition.
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General]
Leaders of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association recommend a three-year suspension of industrial-sized wind projects to allow the Northeast Kingdom to study the impacts.
The executive committee of NVDA voted in May to put the resolution before the full board on June 28, NVDA board President Kenn Stransky said Tuesday.
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General]
Wind farm proposal in Rutland County draws opposition
June 3, 2012 by Nina Keck in Vermont Public Radio
June 3, 2012 by Nina Keck in Vermont Public Radio
"I mean we're the ones who have to deal with this," says Sonny. "Once they're up, Mr. Eisenberg is going to put his check in the bank and he's going to live happily ever after. He has no connection with the real people here. He doesn't know what we're going to be dealing with. And it's going to divide this town. It's friends, relatives, neighbors, everybody."
Also filed under [
General]
The town's select board and planning commission are requesting Vermont Public Service Board hold a hearing on Eolian Renewable Energy's request to site one of four proposed meteorological towers here, with the other three in nearby Brighton and Ferdinand. So far, a hearing has not been scheduled, said the PSB's clerk Thursday.
Also filed under [
General]
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