Wind Farm Clears
Final Regulatory Hurdle, Gets Permit
Barbara Tetreault
Berlin Daily Sun
June 29, 2010
MILLSFIELD — Granite Reliable Power has cleared
the last remaining regulatory hurdle for its proposed 33-turbine wind farm. The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Friday issued the company a permit to dredge and fi
ll 13.5 acres of wetlands.
The federal agency conducted an environmental assessment of the proposed work
but decided against requiring a more extensive Environmental Impact Statement.
GRP obtained the necessary certifi cate to construct and operate the 99-megawatt
wind farm in Dummer and the unincorporated places of Dixville, Millsfield, Odell,
and Irvings Location from the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee last July.
It has been awaiting a decision on the federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps
since last fall.
Based on its own environmental assessment, the Army Corps ruled the project
would not result in a significant impact - neither beneficial nor detrimental - to
the human environment. “As we ready for construction, the issuance of an
environmental assessment by the Army Corps of Engineers is another positive step
for this wind park,” said GRP Development Director Pip Decker.
The U.S. Army Corps permit contains a number of conditions. It requires GRP to
implement the entire mitigation package included in the SEC certificate which
stipulates GRP will purchase 1,561 acres of high elevation land as well as 620
acres of forest in the headwaters of Phillips Brook and donate the land to the
state. GRP also agreed to provide $200,000 to N.H. Fish and Game for wildlife
studies and $750,000 for additional land acquisition.
The Army Corps permit requires GRP to make payment of funds to Fish and Game
within six months of the decision and to purchase and transfer the land within
nine months. The Army Corps permit stipulates GRP must conduct post construction
breeding bird surveys one, three, and five years after the wind farm is
completed. The federal agency is requiring a post construction avian and bat
mortality study to be submitted no later than 60 days prior to
commercialoperation. GRP must also document any anecdotal lynx track sightings.
The Army Corps participated in the SEC public involvement process including the
technical sessions, fi nal arguments, and deliberations to allow it to have the
full public input in its decision. GRP this spring announced it has hired RMT,
Inc., of Madison, Wisconsin to oversee engineering and construction of what will
be the largest wind farm in New Hampshire. GRP also reported it has ordered the
33 wind turbines from Vestas of Denmark. Half of the turbines are scheduled to
be delivered in the fi rst half of next year and the remainder will arrive in the
second half of 2011.
GRP also has contracts to sell 55 percent of the power generated to two Vermont
utilities. Central Vermont Public Service Corps will purchase 30 percent of
GRP’s output and Green Mountain Power will purchase 25 percent.
Editors Note: The WMRR club
has sent in maps to GRP showing the current location of trails where GRP will
interconnect with the grid (at the junction of the old route for PT117 and
Corridor 19). GRP has pledged to work with the club and the NH BOT on
relocation of trails if that is necessary. We are also hoping to reroute
some of Corridor 19 away from low lying areas, possibly along the routes of new
power lines that are being installed on the west side of Dummer Pond road.
So in addition to being a great project for the area, we think the project will
give us an opportunity improve trails in the area of Cor. 19 and PT117.
This is an area that has given us problems for years and we may finally have a
way to improve it.