April 29, 2012
California, Editorials

Will wind turbine area be kept clean?

By IMPERIAL VALLEY PRESS STAFF, www.ivpressonline.com 29 April 2012

The Ocotillo Express LLC Wind Energy Project makes me think of the wind turbines near the Golden Acorn Casino and how a lot of the used parts from those turbines are laying on the ground at the base of the turbines. I am hoping that the Board of Supervisors or county Planning Commission will put some type of wording in with the developers so that the area around the wind turbines must be kept clean of old parts to keep our Valley and desert area pleasing to the eye. What if the project goes broke? Who will maintain the area so it does not look like a junk yard and spoil the desert scenery? – Sore eyes, El Centro

The implementation agreement between the developers and the county explicitly states that no biodegradable or non-biodegradable waste shall remain at the site during and after its construction, said Deputy County Executive Officer for Natural Resources Andy Horne.

There is also an enforcement provision that allows the county to conduct inspections if the developers fail to comply, Horne said.

However, the Bureau of Land Management, on whose land the Ocotillo Express Wind LLC Energy Project lies, also has a separate agreement with the developer, Pattern Energy. While Horne said he did not know the extent of the conditions stipulated within the BLM and Pattern agreement, BLM does have the right to impose conditions that may differ from those stipulated by the county’s agreement.

Phone calls to the BLM’s California Desert District office for comment went unreturned.

Rumor has it that the discarded pieces visible along the Kumeyaay Wind Farm are akin to crime scene evidence, as there reportedly is a lawsuit involving the turbine manufacturer and the project owner, Horne said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/29/will-wind-turbine-area-be-kept-clean/