National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » State opens investigation into blasting at Deerfield Wind site

The Public Utility Commission has opened an investigation into blasting that was conducted at the Deerfield Wind project.

Francis Candiloro lives along Route 8 in Searsburg and he says blasting from the 15-turbine wind project damaged his property.

The Public Service Department’s Consumer Affairs and Public Information Division looked into Candiloro’s complaint this summer, and they turned up enough information to initiate an investigation.

The Public Utility Commission will open a hearing to see if Deerfield Wind conducted blasting in violation of its Certificate of Public Good.

Blasting on the site occurred between October 2016 and May 2017, and Candiloro issued his complaint at the end of July 2017.

A contract worker died on the site in April after he was electrocuted.

The Bennington Banner reported that Reed & Reed Inc., a Maine construction firm, paid an $8,000 fine to Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations following the death.

Deerfield Wind is owned by a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables, and it’s the first commercial wind project built on U.S Forest Land.

Permitting for the project dragged on for more than ten years and the 30-megawatt project is expected to go online in 2018.