August 12, 2018
California
California
Public urged to speak out on wind turbine impacts at Torrey Wind scoping meeting Aug. 23 in Boulevard
By Miriam Raftery | East County Magazine | August 11, 2018 | eastcountymagazine.org
By Miriam Raftery | East County Magazine | August 11, 2018 | eastcountymagazine.org
Terra-Gen’s proposed Torrey Wind project (with up to 30 giant turbines each up to 586 tall and 4.2 megawatts) in Boulevard is moving through the planning process quickly. Boulevard Planning Group Chair Donna Tisdale is asking all who have concerns or information to share on impacts of wind turbines to come to a public scoping meeting August 23 at 7 p.m. in the new Cal-Fire/County Fire Station at 40080 Ribbonwood Road, Boulevard.
“These turbines could be twice as powerful and about 100 feet taller than the Tule Wind turbines installed on public recreation land next door,” says Tisdale. “Bigger turbines can churn out much more noise and low frequency vibrations and potential electrical pollution over greater distances that can trigger psychical and emotional stress and the body’s fight or flight instinct in people and animals. Turbines have reportedly been deemed nuisances in some legal and administrative proceedings around the world, with some families abandoning their homes and other homes bought out by developers over noise impacts and related litigation.”
The project location is the old Big Country Ranch at the north end of Ribbonwood Road and will potentially impact families, pets, and livestock in the Ribbonwood Road area and on the Campo and Manzanita Reservations. Terra-Gen currently operates 25 renewable energy projects, mostly in California, with over 1,051 megawatts of generating capacity, according to the company website.
Tisdale urges the public to “speak out with any concerns or any personal knowledge you may have of turbine noise impacts, health impacts, local wildlife,cultural, and groundwater resources or other related issues. These projects use millions of gallons of water for construction.”
This meeting and public comments will help decide what issues should be included in the project environmental impact studies.
The County’s scoping letter includes the Boulevard Planning Group’s initial 26-page comment letter with current concerns and other project information.
The scoping letter will also be on the Boulevard Planning Group’s Sept 6th agenda for public comment and a vote. Planning Group meetings are held at 7 p.m. at the Backcountry Resource Center in the modular behind the old Boulevard Fire Station.
“Please don’t sit by and do nothing,” Tisdale urges. “Share this with friends and family who care about the Boulevard area and the people and resources that will be impacted by this and any related projects, including another wind turbine project reportedly pending on adjacent local tribal lands that may use the Torrey Wind substation/switchyard to connect to the Sunrise Powerlink.”
Questions and comments can be directed to the County project manager : Bronwyn Brown; 858-495-5516; bronwyn.brown@sdcounty.ca.gov . Comments on the Notice of Preparation must be received no later than Sept.10, 2018 at 4 p.m.
View the County’s notice of preparation for an environmental impact report: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/ceqa/TorreyWindNOP.html.
View the NOP legal ad here:
View location:
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/08/12/public-urged-to-speak-out-on-wind-turbine-impacts-at-torrey-wind-scoping-meeting-aug-23-in-boulevard/