Residents, company talk wind turbine plans for Rausch Creek
TOWER CITY – Being a lifelong resident of Reinerton for 77 years, Joseph A. Denkowicz came out to see what he called some “homegrown” opportunities.
Denkowicz was among the 50 people who attended Tuesday’s informational open house for BP Wind Energy’s proposed Rausch Creek Wind Farm held at Williams Valley High School.
A similar meeting will be held this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria at Tri-Valley High School in Hegins.
Those attending Tuesday’s meeting had an opportunity to ask developers questions, see visual simulations of wind turbines, view maps and obtain reading materials outlining the project. On hand were Mike McCoy, BP Wind Energy’s project manager; John Anderson, BP Environmental manager for the eastern U.S.; Hank Seltzer, BP environmental specialist; Ted Leisenring, coal mining consultant; Drew Silverman, meteorologist; and Mark Dypiangco, BP business developer.
Size and location
The project development area for the wind farm is within Schuylkill County on land leased from Rausch Creek Land LP. It would be located on approximately 2,000 acres south of Route 25, north of Route 209 and west of Interstate 81. It would include land in Hegins, Porter, Tremont and Frailey townships, and would be within Tri-Valley, Williams Valley and Pine Grove Area school districts.
The wind farm is expected to employ more than 200 workers at the peak of construction. Once the facility would be fully operation, it would employ a full-time staff of four or five people who would monitor and maintain the equipment.
According to literature provided by the company, the wind farm would use 50 to 60 wind turbines with a height of approximately 262 feet and rotor diameters of up to 328 feet. Most of the proposed areas for the wind turbines are in an area already zoned conservation/mining, McCoy said. Wind farms are an approved use in that zone. There are about seven turbines that are not within that zoned region, and a variance would be sought.
‘Homegrown’ energy
If operational by the target date of 2012, the Rausch Creek Wind Farm would generate enough emission-free electricity to power up to 45,000 average American homes.
That part of the project appealed to Denkowicz.
“I’m very interested in wind turbines, so we don’t have to depend on foreign oil over there,” said Denkowicz, a tree surgeon by trade. “I think this is an American shot in the arm. This (wind) is homegrown material,” he said, adding he likes using coal, too.
One question Denkowicz did have was about what the company would do if the steel turbine towers themselves deteriorated. McCoy explained that the turbines are manufactured and treated to prevent erosion, and there is ongoing maintenance.
Noise and wildlife
Another resident, Robert Hohman, Keffers, also attended. Hohman, who formerly worked for General Electric Co. in Allentown, said he remembered seeing small, torpedo-type windmills in Nevada about 14 years ago during his travels.
“I came here because I just wanted to see what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s been presented favorably, and there were men here to answer your questions … I think we should all stand by and wait and see,” Hohman said of the residential benefit potential.
Hohman said he had concerns about if there were any batteries involved with the turbines and the noise level generated. The company said there were no batteries. It also said while the noise level of a wind turbine from 1,000 feet was between 40 and 50 decibels – a vacuum cleaner is 70 decibels – the sound from a modern wind farm from 1,000 feet is similar to a kitchen refrigerator.
McCoy said BP has hosted informational open houses wherever a project is planned, and it has been the best way to maintain contact with the public.
“Most people want to know about the project location, the number of turbines and construction schedules. They also typically have questions about wildlife studies for birds and bats,” McCoy said.
For more than a year already, studies have been conducted at the Rausch Creek site on birds, bats, wetlands and subsidence monitoring, and those studies are ongoing. McCoy hopes the Schuylkill project can begin seeking permits this coming summer.
BP has a wind farm project in Wyoming County, where permitting is nearly completed. That facility should be operational by 2011, McCoy said. The Rausch Creek Wind Farm would be BP’s second in Pennsylvania, with seven wind farms already operating across the nation.
By Vicki Terwilliger
Staff Writer
Republican Herald
16 December 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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