A hearing scheduled for November 10 at the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) regarding the Tamarack Ridge wind energy project has been postponed by request of the Virginia Department of Historical Resources (DHR). ...DHR requested the continuance until it has received the requested information from the Parks Service and had time to "review, analyze and consult with Highland New Wind about these reports."

General Virginia

Several additional companies have inquired about the possibility of building windmills in Tazewell County, officials confirmed Monday. Although Dominion and BP Wind Energy North America are planning a large-scale wind turbine farm for East River Mountain near Bluefield, other areas of interest for other wind energy companies have included Morris Knob, near Tazewell, and Burkes Garden, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman David Anderson.

General Maryland Virginia

The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) has rescheduled a hearing to determine whether a wind energy company has complied with pre-construction conditions regarding protection of historic resources. The hearing, originally scheduled for October 12, will be held on November 11 at 10 a.m. The hearing will be available as a webcast from the SCC website. The Virginia Attorney General's Office, representing DHR, filed a motion on October 9 to reschedule the hearing, which was granted by hearing examiner Alexander Skirpan.

General Virginia

Virginia officials have long discussed placing wind turbines off the coast, but the first towers in the region are likely to appear farther south - in North Carolina's Pamlico Sound. Duke Energy and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently signed a contract to install one to three turbines in the sound west of Buxton and Avon as early as next year. The turbines would be seven to 10 miles from shore. The pilot project ...could position North Carolina as a leader in developing wind energy.

General North Carolina Virginia

A long-awaited wind energy economic impact study for Tazewell County could be ready as early as next week. ...Following a five-minute recess in Tuesday's meeting, [County Administrator Jim] Spencer told media representatives that he was told by Springsted officials on the telephone that the wind energy study wouldn't be finished until mid-October.

General Virginia

The developers of a wind farm in Highland County will be required today to appear before the State Corporation Commission -- again. This time opponents claim that the wind mills, finally under construction, might be seen from the site of a Civil War skirmish. Even if the swooping blades are visible a mile or two away at Camp Allegheny, that isn't cause to halt the project. This objection has been raised before -- and addressed before.

General Virginia

The developers of a proposed large-scale wind turbine farm for Tazewell County have been quietly making progress high atop East River Mountain. A meteorological tower to study wind speed and direction has been erected on the mountain. A number of geo-technical studies, along with wildlife and avian studies, also are continuing at the Tazewell County site, Ryan Frazier, a senior communications specialist with Dominion Energy, said.

General Virginia West Virginia

As Highland New Wind Development pushes to get roads installed and fields leveled for foundations, efforts to build its 38-megawatt wind-generating utility here aren't proceeding smoothly. Obstacles abound, in the form of legal challenges, allegations of not meeting state requirements, and an Erosion and Sediment control plan state officials have found lacking. All of that is coupled with an ongoing assertion from West Virginia officials who say Virginia, and Highland County, had no right to approve a facility that crosses state lines.

General Virginia West Virginia

Protecting Laurel Fork and its watershed has been a top priority for landowners near where 19 towers are under construction on Allegheny Mountain. This week, that appears to be also true for the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, which is assisting Highland officials in getting Highland New Wind Development to comply with Erosion and Sediment control regulations.

General Virginia

The chairman of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors is expressing frustration over repeated delays in a decision regarding a large-scale wind turbine farm for East River Mountain. Anderson made another motion late Tuesday night to proceed with a public hearing on a revised ridgeline protection ordinance. His motion died for a lack of a second. His fellow board members said they wanted to wait until an ongoing wind energy economic impact study was completed.

General Virginia

Members of the Citizens for Environmental Independence urged the county Board of Supervisors to approve a large-scale wind turbine project for East River Mountain, and School Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lawson asked the board Tuesday for permission to use $1.4 million in remaining “soft cost funds” for meeting the remaining financial obligations for heating and air upgrades at five elementary schools.

General Virginia

As a 19-tower wind turbine project nears the construction stage in Highland County, Va., just across the state line from Pocahontas County, it faces a whirlwind of objections from both sides of the border -- including a dispute about just where the border lies. The project also has drawn fire from Civil War battlefield preservation groups for the negative effects the wind farm would have on West Virginia's Camp Allegheny.

General Virginia West Virginia

It's possible, says one state agency, that rare and endangered species and habitats exist on or near the 220 acres where Highland New Wind Development is building an industrial wind utility. Monday, project review coordinator Rene Hypes, of the Division of Natural Heritage, Department of Conservation and Recreation, sent a letter to the State Corporation Commission attorney Wayne Smith saying her agencies special ecologists should survey the project area to help the developer avoid damaging rare species.

General Virginia

The Pocahontas County Commission voted Tuesday to engage an attorney to help determine where the West Virginia-Virginia State line is on Tamarack Ridge of Allegheny Mountain. The dispute arose after Highland New Wind Development. LLC, released its site plan for more than 15 wind turbines to be built on the ridge, two of which could be on or very close to the West Virginia side of the line. Those wind turbines and possibly others will be visible from Camp Allegheny, a pristine Civil War site.

General Virginia

Concerned citizens of Pocahontas County and a resident of Virginia brought the issue of the Highland County wind turbine project intruding on the viewshed of Camp Allegheny in Bartow to the county commission's attention at Thursday's meeting. Virginia resident Dan Foster said his main concern is for Camp Allegheny and preserving the history of the battlefield, where the turbines will be visible from almost every angle.

General Virginia West Virginia

The chairman of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors is wanting to see an ongoing wind energy economic impact study completed by September to help expedite a decision on a large-scale wind turbine project proposed for East River Mountain. "I would like to see it ready by our September meeting," David Anderson, who represents the county's Eastern District, said.

General Virginia

West Virginia might have something to say about Mac McBride's plans for a wind energy utility in Highland County after all. Thursday, Highland resident Dan Foster was invited to speak to Pocahontas County Commissioners, addressing his concerns for Highland New Wind Development's project impacts on Camp Allegheny - the Civil War battlefield site is in Pocahontas ...This week, Foster said Pocahontas officials shared his concerns for the landmark battlefield, and intended to write to McBride, HNWD owner, and agency officials in both states.

General Impact on Landscape Virginia West Virginia

Highland stands on the precipice of approving this state's first industrial wind utility. Special use permits have been issued. A checklist of conditions is being reviewed. The developer is pressuring our officials to give it the go-ahead for construction as early as next week. Citizens who fear the industrialization of one of Virginia's best natural resources feel exasperated because they think no one is listening and there's nothing they can do about it.

General Virginia

Though Highland New Wind Development has asked the county to issue it a building permit by July 15, there is work left to be done. HNWD, as required by the State Corporation Commission, compiled a list of what it believes are the environmental and other approvals and permits needed for its project - a total of eight. Some of these have a subset of conditions or requirements as well.

General Virginia

It's been seven years since Highland County heard about plans for a wind energy utility here, and Friday, things hit a major turning point. Highland New Wind Development submitted a site plan, and things are moving in earnest on several fronts in anticipation of securing a date for construction. ...Whether HNWD has met all the conditions attached to county and state permits will be determined by a Technical Review Committee appointed by the board of supervisors;

General Virginia