Wind energy project lifts off the ground

BAD AXE - Community leaders, government officials and local business people gathered in a cold tent Friday morning to witness the groundbreaking of the Noble Thumb Windpark, a renewable energy project that will become Michigan's first commercial-scale windpark upon its completion in mid-2006.
 
The groundbreaking took place at a Noble construction site on Atwater Road near Ubly. When completed, the windpark will consist of 32 turbines across 4,700 acres of farmland in Bingham Township, and should be capable of generating 48 megawatts of electricity. Noble officials say that will be enough energy to power 16,000 'average' homes. The project will cost approximately $75 million, and should generate about $6.5 million in new property tax revenue over the next 20 years.

"This is going to have a positive effect on landowners, the taxing units, the alternative energy people and the utility companies who purchase the energy," Bingham Township Supervisor Smokey Wright said.

Noble estimates construction of the park will result in approximately 200 new construction jobs for up to one year, as well as 10 permanent operating jobs. "Today's groundbreaking marks the next step in building an environmentally friendly, renewable energy future for Michigan," Noble Environmental Managing Director Peter Mastic said. "By harnessing the power of the wind, the Noble Thumb Windpark will mean jobs and economic benefits for the community and environmental benefits for everyone through the generation of green energy." The electric power produced by the project will be sold to Consumers Energy Company as part of its Green Generation Program. Noble officials said it would take 60,000 tons of coal every year to generate the same amount of energy the windpark will generate.
 
Preliminary construction work began in September, and the installation of the first turbines is expected some time in April. Future phases of the Noble Thumb Windpark are expected to extend through southeastern Huron County and Sanilac County over the next several years. Huron County Chairman Mike Gage praised the project and called it significant because it should generate jobs and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

"I'm happy for Huron County because we need growth in our county," Gage said. "We need an infusion of jobs and dollars. What else can we do that can help our economy and not ruin our environment."

Russ Lundberg, Huron County Building and Zoning director, said the project is important to the county because it helps protect agricultural land at a time when development continues to encroach upon farms.
He said Friday's groundbreaking signaled the beginning of the county's overlay zone, a zone that will double as a wind turbine district, and an agricultural preservation zone. "We need to be mindful of scattered, non-agricultural development through Huron County," Lundberg said.

Though there was no sign of it at Friday's groundbreaking, the project hasn't been without its detractors. A citizens group, Residents for Sound Economics and Planning, has filed suit in Huron County Circuit Court against the county and Clerk Peggy Koehler, asking for the court to force Koehler to put the ordinance that allows the project to an up or down vote of the public. That hearing is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Friday, though, the tent was full of supporters and people happy to see the project get underway.

"We are grateful for the broad and deep support that Noble Thumb has received from residents and from federal, state and local leaders," Mastic said. "We're looking forward to a long and collaborative relationship with the county, the township, our landowners and the community at large. I believe this will be a tremendous project for the Thumb."