Allegheny Ridge wind farm road impacts
Save Our Allegheny Ridges (SOAR)|April 1, 2008
This document includes on-the-ground photos of the Allegheny Ridge wind farm in Pennsylvania which show the extent of land impacted by road development. The degree of clearing shown is typical for ridgeline wind energy development; however, as stated below, the clearing does not reflect pre-approval assertions made by the developer.
This document includes on-the-ground photos of the Allegheny Ridge wind farm in Pennsylvania which show the extent of land impacted by road development. The degree of clearing shown is typical for ridgeline wind energy development; however, as stated below, the clearing does not reflect pre-approval assertions made by the developer.
The Allegheny Ridge wind farm is Pennsylvania's largest wind farm with 40 turbines, each 2 megawatts for a total of 80 megawatts. The project was built by Gamesa and encompasses parts of Cambria and Blair counties near Altoona.
On August 10, 2005, Shoener Environmental Inc., the engineers for Gamesa, stated the following in the Cultural Resource Notice that was sent to the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission:
"The area of disturbance around each windmill tower will be about one acre. Gravel roads, with a maximum width of 45 feet, will be constructed to access the windmill towers. Power lines will be buried under the roads. Once completed, the permanent footprint of each wind turbine generator including associated road and ancillary facilities will be less than one acre per
windmill site."
Although the gravel roadway is 45 feet or less, the cleared corridor is much wider. The statement that the permanent footprint of each turbine, including roads and infrastructure, will be less than one acre per windmill site false. The clearing around each turbine alone is about an acre; the roads and substation add many more acres to each turbine's impact.
Editor's note: The two files below include on-the-ground photos of the wind facility site with descriptions. The impacts of road construction are extensive and beyond what was described in pre-construction documents.
