Permitting

Vermont Community Wind is developing a Wind Farm in Vermont that generates clean, renewable power made and used right here, which will benefit land owners, the community and the environment.

We follow strict guidelines that ensure compliance with environmental standards and create a positive outcome for the community and its’ land owners.

Here’s what we have done:

• Surveyed the entire state of Vermont for a wind site and selected Rutland County, specifically west of Rutland, South of Rt. 4 and down to Tinmouth.
• Targeted an area just south of Route 4 primarily in the Town of Ira with some potential turbines in Poultney, West Rutland, and Clarendon. (Go to the “Gallery” section of this web site to view a map with potential wind turbine placements). Our intention is to develop a utility scale wind farm.
• Received "Certificate of Public Good" on 8/28/09
• Performed (or are performing) the following "Fatal Flaw" studies: 1) Grid Connection, 2) Environmental including plants, birds, bats and animals, 3) Visual impact, 4) Noise analysis, and 5) Civil Engineering. We have had consultations with local community and Rutland County officials, NE-ISO, VT utilities, VT Public Service Department, VT ANR, VT Fish & Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife, US Army Corps of Engineers, National Wildlife Federation and other agencies. We have paid special attention to the Bird Mountain WMA and the Tinmouth Channel.
• Retained SHEMS DUNKIEL KASSEL & SAUNDERS, PLLC and a team of experienced consultants (all have consulting experience with other wind farm projects in Vermont and New England) to help guide us through the Section 248 application process with the Vermont Public Service Board. We have studied, in detail, all of the guiding materials that the various Agencies have recommended and produced.
• Applied to the NE ISO for placement in the queue for grid connection and received queue number 281 for 85 MW. Held a scoping meeting concerning the grid connection with NE ISO, VELCO, National Grid and CVPS. Held a scoping meeting concerning environmental issues with VT ANR, VT Fish & Wildlife, VT transportation and US Army Corps.
• Held a scoping meeting concerning Visual Impact, Noise Impact and Economic Impact with VT PSD.
• Signed leases for more than 4000 acres of land and are in the process of negotiating more acres.
• As part of the Section 248 (J) application process, we have retained Arrowwood Environmental to prepare and report on an impact study of the erection of three MET towers in IRA.
• Retained AWSTruewind for wind analysis of the proposed site.
  

To read and learn more about the Section 248 process conducted by the VT PSB, click on the following link: http://www.state.vt.us/psb/