March 15, 2011
Massachusetts

New Generation refiles special permit for Buzzards Bay turbines

Bourne Courier, www.wickedlocal.com 14 March 2011

New Generation Wind has refiled its special permit application for a controversial seven-turbine wind farm to be built off Scenic Highway and Route 25.

Atlantic Design Engineers of Sagamore filed the application Friday afternoon with the Bourne Planning Department. The planning division, in turn, was ready Monday afternoon to again refer the controversial proposal to Cape Cod Commission for a second stab at development of regional impact (DRI) review.

New Generation withdrew its application two weeks ago when a five-member commission sub-panel was reduced to three members.

“What the refiling does is give New Generation a brand new review committee at the commission,” Town Planner Coreen Moore said. “I’d guess they’ll request a waiver on the filing fee. What they gain is more than what they had the last time; five members to review their plan instead of two or three.”

Moore said New Generation would not be held to new turbine-review standards evolving with the Cape commission and facing approval at the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates.

“Of all the things that you can say about the commission, the one good thing is they can’t change the regulations applied to a project in mid-stream.”

New Generation would, however, have to pass muster with Bourne’s turbine-review zoning bylaw should the wind-farm proposal be ultimately approved by the commission. Buzzards Bay residents have moved to amend that bylaw, revising acoustical and setback requirements.

The citizen-petition article goes to the May 2 Bourne Annual Town Meeting warrant for voter consideration.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/15/new-generation-refiles-special-permit-for-buzzards-bay-turbines/