Gamesa wants more room for wind farm
The company planning to construct wind turbines in Logan Township needs supervisors to enlarge the wind zone and to back away from stricter rules, a representative said Thursday.
“It will not financially work with less than 25 turbines,” Tim Vought of Gamesa Energy USA told supervisors.
He showed them a map with 17 turbines in the township’s wind zone south of Route 36 and an additional eight turbines north of Route 36 outside of the wind zone.
The project also won’t work, Vought said, if supervisors adopt rules to require turbines be at least 2,500 feet from property lines, reduce the maximum noise level and require additional studies.
Supervisors were scheduled to vote on those rules, but they tabled action after a 70-minute public hearing, during which much of the time was devoted to quizzing Vought.
They also asked Vought to come back with information on how Gamesa will address post-construction noise complaints.
“We hope we can come up with a plan that minimizes that problem,” Vought said.
Supervisors said they want remedies addressing turbine noise.
“You guys aren’t going to pick up [the wind turbines] and move them,” Supervisor Ed Frontino said.
Supervisors Chairman Frank Meloy said he visited Todd and Jill Stull in Juniata Township, who deal with noisy turbines in the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm that stretches over Blair and Cambria counties.
He and other township officials toured that farm last week with Gamesa representatives.
“I would not want to live with that noise day in and day out,” Meloy said.
By Kay Stephens
9 May 2008
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Tags: wind power, wind energy
