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Garrett to consider wind project easements

15 Fair Wind turbines expected to be spinning next year

Elaine BlaisdellCumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County commissioners are set to vote Tuesday on a memorandum of easement with Fair Wind Power Partners, LLC for the Fair Wind project on Backbone Mountain. The commissioners, acting as Garrett County Sanitary District Inc., will also vote to grant a collection line easement and easement agreement.

During an administrative meeting in December, the Maryland Public Service Commission approved Fair Wind Power Partners’ application to construct up to 15 wind turbines on Backbone Mountain — but with conditions.

Also in December, the Federal Aviation Administration determined that the wind turbines that are part of the Fair Wind project are no hazard to air navigation, but turbines must be marked and lighted with white paint and synchronized red lights.

The project, which would generate 30 megawatts of electricity, is slated to be operational next year.

Other agenda items include a presentation by the board of education on the fiscal 2015 budget, a public hearing on the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Block Grant applicants, a review of Appalachian Regional Commission preliminary project descriptions and a departmental update from the Garrett County Health Department.

More here.

Fourmile Ridge wind project approved, moves forward

Elaine Blaisdell
Cumberland Times-News

— FROSTBURG — The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the Fourmile Ridge wind project in eastern Garrett County and site preparation started April 7, according to Frank Maisano, a wind industry spokesman. The current notice listed on the FAA website for the project is for a small change in turbine location.

The project was hinging on the decommissioning of the Grantsville VOR/DME system, which drew opposition from Ed Kelley, manager of the Garrett County Airport, and the Maryland Aviation Administration. The Grants-ville VOR/DME system will be decommissioned, according to Maisano.

VOR/DME refers to a combined radio navigation station for aircraft consisting of two beacons placed together.

“The decommission of the Grantsville VOR would leave Garrett County and Cumberland airports without a ground-based approach and would eliminate numerous instrument procedures, including six instrumental approach procedures, nine standard arrival routes, four victor airways and one remote communication outlet,” Kelly previously said in a letter to Melinda George of the FAA. “The loss of procedures and services could severely impact the safety of general, commercial, emergency and military aviation within the now served VOR/DME.”

The Fourmile Ridge project started out as a Synergics project with 24 wind turbines and was revised to an Exelon project with 16 wind turbines in the Frostburg Road area.

The Maryland Public Service Commission approved the Fourmile wind project last year.

Construction on the project is slated for completion by early November with testing and plans to begin commercial operations by mid-December 2014, according to Maisano.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Exelon to begin work soon for Fourmile Ridge

Sixteen wind turbines to be constructed

Elaine Blaisdell

Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Exelon will begin moving dirt soon for the Fourmile Ridge project, Mike Koch, executive director of Garrett County’s Department of Community Planning and Development, told the county commissioners during their public meeting Tuesday.

Jim Torrington, assistant director of the Garrett County Permits and Inspection Services Office, met with Exelon and a meeting has occurred with constituents regarding erosion, sediment control and stormwater management.

The Garrett County Engineering Department has been looking at drainage, driveway impacts and a roadway use agreement with Exelon for restoring the road once the Fourmile Ridge project is complete, according to Dwight Emory, P.E., director of the engineering department.

The Fourmile Ridge project started out as a Synergics project with 24 wind turbines and was revised to an Exelon project with 16 wind turbines on Frostburg Road, according to Torrington.

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At public hearing, majority backs Fair Wind project

Opposition group claims turbines adversely affecting Garrett County

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — A majority of residents spoke in favor of the Fair Wind project during a Maryland Public Service Commission hearing on Thursday at Garrett College. Residents noted that the county is in dire need of the revenue that the project would generate.

“We need the revenue for the school systems for the county. Why the county commissioners aren’t here in support of it for the revenue, I don’t know,” said George Scheffel. “One thing I do know is that we are in dire need of the money.”

“We feel this project will be a great success,” said Steven Friend, who was speaking on behalf of his mother, Wilma J. Friend. “They will create green energy with needed jobs and financial help to Garrett County, the state of Maryland, local businesses and royalties to the landowners.”

The Roth Rock and Criterion projects paid more than $2 million in taxes last year to the county, according to Friend.

“With additional revenue from them and the Fair Wind project we may even be able to keep the three county schools that they are considering closing open. We ask that the Fair Wind project be approved and be built as soon as possible,” said Friend, who owns land where the 12 wind turbines would be located.

Eric Robison of Save Western Maryland disagreed with Friend, noting that other wind projects have affected the county’s wealth formula.

“When these other two projects came in, they ended up ultimately changing our wealth formula for how we receive funding from the state in regard to association with our tax base. This increased our tax base,” said Robison.

The wealth formula, coupled with a declining enrollment, led to a $2.2 million budget gap that could lead to the closing of three schools. The county was rated the ninth wealthiest county in the state and, when the projects came online, it moved up to the fifth wealthiest, according to Robison.

“Having additional projects, especially in a time like this, would only exasberate that and actually move us beyond that five to four or three. At least five (wind) projects are in consideration for Garrett County.”

The project would create 100 to 125 temporary construction jobs, according to Matt Brewer, managing partner of Bennett, Brewer & Associates in Frostburg, which is the engineer of record for the project.

“Our school system is dwindling,” said Scheffel. “It’s dwindling because it is such a big downward ripple effect. If you don’t have more jobs you don’t get more kids to come to the schools; that’s why they are closing them up right now. We don’t want it to continue to happen; we have to find something other than tourism jobs.”

In the first 20 years of operation, the Fair Wind project will generate about $10 million in property tax revenue for the county, according to Brewer. The project, in aggregate with Roth Rock and Criterion projects, will generate about $23 million in property tax revenue in 2020.

Robison asked that the PSC review all documentation submitted for the project.

“I would love to see the PSC go back and review all the documentation that has been submitted and have it verified. I’m for clean energy. I’m for a better way of life. I don’t see that any of this is going to benefit us right now,” said Robison.

Jim Torrington, chief of the Garrett County Permits and Inspections Division, said in a previous interview with the Times-News that last year Fair Wind submitted a concept plan for review but hasn’t come back for a grading permit yet.

“In looking at what the proposed site plan was for this project, currently what was submitted to the county was from Clipper. Clipper has now filed bankruptcy and that project permitting process was purchased by Fair Wind Exelon,” said Robison. “There is no current permit at all. There is nothing that has been approved in association with this.”

A concept plan is the first of three required plan approvals, according to the county’s stormwater ordinance. All plans for the project are expected this winter, according to Torrington. Over the next few months, Fair Wind Power Partners will continue to work with the county to acquire stormwater management and sediment erosion control approvals as well as building and grading permits required to construct the site and electric collection line, said Brewer.

The project is adjacent to areas that are environmentally sensitive but can be built with minimal environmental impact, said Brewer. Various environmental studies as well as bird studies have been done.

Save Western Maryland was the lead organization that filed a lawsuit against Constellation, Criterion and Clipper for not filing for an Incidental Take Permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, according to Robison.

“That federal lawsuit is still ongoing,” said Robison.

The lawsuit was filed because endangered Indiana bats were present on the southern end of the Constellation project, where Fair Wind is also going.

“The Constellation project was required as part of that ITP permitting process to do a one-year study,” said Robison. “After the completion of the study (in 2011), U.S. Fish and Wildlife determined that this project was the deadliest project in North America for avian bats and birds. This (Fair Wind) would be an extension of that.”

Fair Wind Power Partners LLC, a subsidiary of Exelon Generation Co., filed for an application with the PSC for 12 wind turbines along the top of Backbone Mountain, according to Brewer. The project, which would generate 30 megawatts of electricity, is slated to begin in the spring of 2014 and be operational in 2015.

“The site has some of the highest wind speeds in the region,” said Brewer.

Brewer expects to see a determination of no hazard to air navigation soon from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Hearing set on Garrett County, Md., wind farm proposal by Exelon Corp.’s Fair Wind subsidiary

By Associated Press, Published: November 14

MCHENRY, Md. — The Maryland Public Service Commission is hearing public comments on Exelon Corp.’s plan to place 12 to 15 wind turbines on Backbone Mountain in Garrett County about six miles south of Oakland.

The public hearing Thursday night is at Garrett College in McHenry. The Chicago-based company is pursuing the project through its Fair Wind Power Partners subsidiary.

The 30-megawatt wind farm was originally part of a project proposed by Clipper Windpower Inc. Exelon bought the Fair Wind project from Clipper in February.

Exelon says construction could begin in early 2014, with commercial operation commencing by the end of next year.

More here.

Wind power restrictions urged in Garrett

(AP) Some Western Maryland residents are urging the Garrett County Commissioners to impose restrictions on a proposed wind farm near Frostburg. The Cumberland Times-News reported that 39 people signed a petition urging the commissioners to impose setback provisions or other rules to protect families and homes near 24 turbines the Annapolis-based Synergics Group is considering building on Four Mile Ridge and neighboring Big Savage Mountain. Garrett County lacks a countywide land use ordinance enabling it to impose such restrictions. Meanwhile, both houses of the General Assembly passed a bill that would grant Garrett County the authority to impose setback and decommissioning provisions on wind farms.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

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Renewable energy in Constellation deal questioned

Posted: Nov 17, 2011 11:26 AM EST
Updated: Nov 17, 2011 11:48 AM EST
By ALEX DOMINGUEZ
Associated Press Writer
BALTIMORE (AP) – Promises to build more renewable energy sites in Maryland as part of the proposed sale of Constellation Energy to Chicago’s Exelon Corp. are drawing opposition in western Maryland.

The chairman of the Garrett County Board of Commissioners wrote Exelon President and CEO Christopher Crane this month saying industrial wind-power generation has been a contentious issue in the county.

The board “does not support further industrialization of ridge tops until a prudent and reasonable public policy has been created and enacted that will provide protections to those who will be adversely impacted,” Chairman Gregan Crawford said in the letter.

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Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

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More wind farms eyed in Western Md.

(AP) Garrett County officials said Clipper Windpower is considering a wind power project called Fair Wind on Backbone Mountain south of Oakland. It would be just south of a 28-turbine wind farm Carpenteria, Calif.-based Clipper built that is owned by Constellation Energy Group. Also, Annapolis-based Synergics is doing environmental and wind studies on Four Mile Ridge, southwest of Frostburg near the Little Savage River. The company said the project would be 60 megawatts, which is 10 megawatts more than a 20-turbine project on Backbone Mountain that Synergics built and sold last year to Gestamp Corp. of Madrid.

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Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

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2 more wind farms eyed in Garrett County, Md., home to state's first such projects

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: September 20, 2011 – 12:15 am

McHENRY, Md. — Wind-power developers are considering two new projects in western Maryland.

The Garrett County Commissioners are set to hear an update Tuesday.

County officials say Clipper Windpower is considering a project called Fair Wind on Backbone Mountain south of Oakland. It would be just south of a 28-turbine wind farm Clipper built that is now owned by Constellation Energy Group. The company, based in Carpenteria, Calif., didn’t respond to inquiries from The Associated Press.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free

>Delmarva Power wants land-based wind power supply from PA not MD

>Delmarva Power wants land-based wind power supply from PA not MD
May 24, 2011

By Mark Eichmann

Power company wants state approval for agreement with Synergics Eastern Wind Energy to move land-based wind farm from western Maryland to central Pennsylvania. The agreement moves the wind farm about 75 miles, and company officials say it will allow the wind power supply to start sooner. Synergics is expected to take ownership of the new Chestnut Flats wind farm is located in Blair County, Pennsylvania later this year.

In 2008, the Delaware Public Service Commission approved a 20-year contract between Synergics and Delmarva Power fo wind energy and renewable energy credits.

Read more here.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

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