Company planning wind park fails to appease some Mehoopany residents
A company that plans to build a wind turbine facility in southern Wyoming County says it wants to be a good corporate citizen.
While BP Alternative Energy sponsored two outdoor events this summer, some people are unhappy with the company, including Richard Ide, whose cabin in Mehoopany is near a stretch of land where transmission lines may be placed.
“They (BP) have the resources to drive me into the ground, which is what they are trying to do,” said Ide of Tunkhannock. “I have hired two attorneys.”
Ide’s cabin is on Fire Tower Road, south of Tunkhannock.
On Tuesday, Ide brought his concerns about the transmission lines to Eaton Township supervisors.
BP plans to build a wind park in Noxen, Eaton, Forkston and Mehoopany townships that could contain as many as 89 turbines and have a 150-megawatt capacity.
The company has an agreement with Procter & Gamble to connect transmission lines with a P&G substation off Route 87 in Washington Township, northeast of Mehoopany.
“Our house is 100 yards from where the lines would go,” Ide said. “Frankly, we don’t want them.”
The “entire value of the property would be destroyed with the wires,” he said.
Ide built the cabin, which continues to be used by his family, in 1967.
“We poured our savings into the purchase of the property and the building of the cabin,” Ide said. “We bought the property to enjoy the solitude, it was rural and rustic.”
Mehoopany Township may take over a part of the road where Ide’s cabin is located.
Secretary Phyllis Adams said no action has been taken and agreements with property owners must be reached.
BP Alternative Energy business developer Kevin Davis would not comment on Ide’s remarks.
“We’re in negotiations with him,” Davis said. “We really appreciate his willingness to work with us.”
Property along Fire Tower Road is a potential location for transmission lines, said Davis.
BP must also secure subdivision approval from the county planning commission.
As of Thursday, county planner Paul Weilage said, BP had not submitted a plan.
By Josh Mrozinski
Wyoming County Bureau Chief
9 August 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
