September 22, 2011
Maine

Wind turbine sound, setbacks on Rumford wind workshop agenda

By Terry Karkos, Staff Writer, Sun Journal, www.sunjournal.com 22 September 2011

RUMFORD – Thursday night’s wind power workshop could well determine whether selectmen can finish a third proposed wind ordinance draft to place before Election Day voters on Nov. 8.

Agenda items include continued work on requiring an operational license; sound modeling, sound standards and sound-related enforcement procedures; setback requirements for turbines from property; fees and costs; expiration of site permit approval; violations, complaints and penalties; and limiting the number of turbines per project.

At the last workshop, the sound and setback items were tabled to await an expected decision by the Maine Bureau of Environmental Protection on proposed changes to the state law.

Among the items still left to discuss and add to the ordinance is to identify tangible benefits to Rumford that a wind developer would be required to provide to gain approval to put a wind farm on town hills, providing all the other criteria is met.

Selectmen learned Thursday night that they need to have a draft ordinance ready by Thursday, Sept. 29, if they intend to place it before voters in November.

That’s when a public hearing will be held on a proposed charter amendment.

To view the current wind ordinance draft of edits, visit the town website at www.rumfordmaine.net/.

The workshop starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/22/wind-turbine-sound-setbacks-on-rumford-wind-workshop-agenda/