April 10, 2019
Pennsylvania

Hearings planned on proposed Broad Mountain wind farm

By Amy Miller | Times news | April 09, 2019 | www.tnonline.com

Two zoning hearings on a proposed wind turbine project in Packer Township will be held this month.

According to a public notice published in the Times News on April 4, hearings on Broad Mountain Power LLC’s application to construct an 80-megawatt, approximately $125 million park on the Broad Mountain in Packer Township will take place at 6 p.m. on April 17 and 30 at the Weatherly Area Middle School cafeteria, 602 Sixth St., Weatherly.

The purpose of the hearings is for a special exception and variances pursuant to the zoning ordinances of Packer Township for the construction and operation of the wind farm.

The farm would include a total of 21 wind turbines – five 452-foot turbines and 16 656-foot turbines – and located on land owned by Kovatch Enterprises Inc. and Hazleton Electric Inc. on the Broad Mountain north and west of Dennison Road, which is zoned agricultural.

A transmission line would then travel down the Broad Mountain near the Panther Creek co-generation plant to connect with a PPL substation line on Route 54 in Nesquehoning.

Rob Miller, project manager for Liberty Utilities, said, “We look forward to sharing information about this project with our neighbors. Wind power is an advanced technology that has been reliably supplying clean, affordable electricity to consumers and businesses for decades.

“The Broad Mountain Wind Project will stimulate the local economy through investments and job creation. Local municipalities and schools will benefit from long-term, predictable revenue streams from annual property tax payments or host agreements.

“We always take a methodical approach to equipment installation and follow strict regulatory controls to minimize any environmental impacts, and we are doing so here at Broad Mountain. We remain committed to an open and active dialogue with our neighbors and invite them to contact us with any questions.”

Construction, if the project is approved, is expected to begin at the end of the year with an anticipated operational date by the end of 2020, the project outline states. A total of 100 to 120 jobs would be created.

According to visual outlines in the document, the turbines would not be visible in Nesquehoning, but would be visible in some portions of Packer Township.

More information on the project is available at www.broadmountainwindproject.com.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/04/10/hearings-planned-on-proposed-broad-mountain-wind-farm/