Shasta County roundup: Wind farm project kicks off webinar series Thursday; Crown Ford giving away masks Friday | Matt Brannon, Jessica Skropanic, Damon Arthur and David Benda | Redding Record Searchlight | Nov. 18, 2020 | www.redding.com
The company that wants to build a controversial wind-energy project in eastern Shasta County is inviting the public to join a series of webinars to learn more about the project.
ConnectGen wants to build the project, called Fountain Wind, on nearly 4,500 acres six miles west of Burney and one mile west of the existing Hatchet Ridge wind project. The company says the wind farm would produce 216 megawatts and generate low-cost wind energy for Californians.
“The Fountain Wind Project will provide long-term benefits to Shasta County and the local community,” the company said in a news release. “
The online webinars are:
3 p.m. Thursday
6 p.m. Dec. 2
Noon Dec. 9
3 p.m. Dec. 10
Go to https://www.fountainwind.com/webinars/ to register.
ConnectGen officials said the project would pay an estimated $50 million in property tax revenue over 30 years and more than $3.5 million in sales tax revenue during construction.
ConnectGen has applied for a special use permit with Shasta County. The deadline to submit public comments was extended to Oct. 21 “based on continued requests, the unusual circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the concurrence of the project applicant,” county Senior Planner Lio Salazar had said.
The new wind turbine proposal would be on leased timberland near the communities of Montgomery Creek, Round Mountain, Oak Run, Moose Camp, Big Bend and Wengler. The wind farm would feature up to 72 turbines that could be as high as 679 feet – higher than Shasta Dam.
A citizens’ group that opposes the project had asked the county to place a moratorium on any more large generation projects. Opponents also have been attending Shasta County Board of Supervisors meetings to voice their concerns about the project during the public comment period.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/11/19/wind-farm-project-kicks-off-webinar-series-thursday/