Please take a minute to help keep us online.
To preserve our independence, we are not funded by any political or industry groups, and we do not host ads. Wind Watch relies entirely on user donations, every penny of which goes directly to keeping the web site running.
Stripe:  |
PayPal/Venmo:  |
Hearing sought on Lowell wind draft stormwater permit
Credit: Robin Smith | Caledonian Record | Apr 27, 2021 | www.caledonianrecord.com ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
LOWELL – Two conservation groups want an independent inspector to oversee stormwater discharge controls for the Lowell Wind Project.
The 21 Kingdom Community Wind turbines went up in late 2012, to become the second large-wind project in Vermont. The 16 turbines in Sheffield were the first.
The turbines are owned and operated by Green Mountain Power and partners, including Vermont Electric Cooperative. Stormwater controls are in place along the crane access road built to reach the ridgeline pads where the turbines are now located.
GMP is seeking to renew the stormwater permits. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has issued draft permits.
Vermonters for a Clean Environment (VCE) and Lake Champlain International want a hearing on the draft permits for the project.
VCE wants more changes to the original permit to reduce what they say is the degradation of the mountain’s water quality.
VCE Executive Director Annette Smith says the original permit should be upgraded to reflect 10 years of operation on Lowell Mountain.
“Except for changes to four level spreaders, Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources proposes to bless the original permit and its conditions,” Smith wrote to ANR.
“Any reasonable person would expect that this new type of high elevation industrial development in Vermont would result in new issues that will be identified and addressed over time. Failing to admit there have been some problems calls the permit, the consultants who evaluate the site and prepare the permit applications, and the permitting process by the state regulatory agency, into question.”
Smith calls for corrections to what she called flaws in the original permit.
VCE wants GMP to pay for but not hire an independent inspector to report on all stormwater controls.
VCE questions how the sediment removed from the stormwater ponds and systems is handled, wants more monitoring on stream headwaters and asks the agency to make sure herbicides are not used to control invasive species.
The Vermont Chapter of the Native Fish Coalition is seeking upgrades to the stormwater permits as well.
The coalition wants more sampling of aquatic wildlife on the mountain and agrees with VCE that an independent inspector is needed.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=100487 ]
