Forest Society Petitions to Intervene and Moves to Suspend Wild Meadows Application until SEC Siting Rules are in Place
Concord, NH January 10, 2014--The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, through its attorneys BCM Environmental & Land Law, PLLC, simultaneously petitioned the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) to intervene in proceedings related to the Wild Meadows Wind Project and filed a motion to suspend the project's application.
The motion asks the SEC to suspend consideration of the application submitted by Atlantic Wind, LLC, (a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables) until after completion of a process, now under way, that will better equip the SEC to make decisions regarding the siting of large scale wind project such as Wild Meadows. This review of SEC structure, process and siting criteria was mandated by the state legislature in 2013 (SB99) and requires new rules be in place for siting energy projects by January 2015.
"New Hampshire's landscapes are a critical part of our state identity and economy, and our permitting processes are inadequate," said Jane Difley, president/forester at the Forest Society. "Our board of trustees believes that there is a role for wind power in the state's energy future, but that we should not be permitting new large-scale wind projects before establishing siting guidelines as well as other changes to the way the SEC handles applications and accommodates community values and input."
The Wild Meadows proposal would place 23 492-foot wind turbines on ridges in Danbury and Alexandria, NH. The turbines are expected to be visible from Cardigan State Park and Newfound Lake, among other scenic landscapes of statewide importance. In addition, the project would include access roads, turbine foundations, crane pads, a permanent meteorological tower, connector road, overhead collector line, a voltage step-up substation, utility poles and approximately two miles of overhead lines.
The Forest Society's motion notes that the SEC is authorized to temporarily suspend its deliberations and enlarge the timeframe to issue or deny a permit, if it deems a suspension to be in the public interest. The motion goes on to note that the effort now under way to address deficiencies in the SEC process was specifically mandated by the legislature because it concluded the current SEC process was not adequately serving the public interest.
The Forest Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the state's most important landscapes and promoting the wise use of its natural resources, holds real estate interests in 22 parcels of land totalling 7,251 acres within a ten-mile radius of the proposed project.
"At the end of the day, this is about ensuring that the state is in a position to make the best decisions possible for the citizens of New Hampshire," Difley said. "
The Forest Society is a private, non-profit land trust and forestry organization established in 1901. It currently holds more than 750 conservation easements statewide permanently protecting more than 100,000 acres of New Hampshire’s landscapes. The Forest Society also owns more than 170 forest reservations constituting more than 50,000 acres in over 100 New Hampshire communities.