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| Henry T. “Mac” McBride Jr. looks over some of his 4,000 ares in Highland County, where a proposed wind farm with as many as 22 turbines would be located.
(Delores Johnson | The Virginian-Pilot file photo) |
By Scott Harper
The Virginian-Pilot
Plans for the state’s first commercial wind farm cleared a major hurdle Friday when the Virginia Supreme Court rejected three challenges from neighboring residents in Highland County.
The ruling means Highland New Wind Development LLC is one step closer to building as many as 22 turbines atop two Allegheny Mountain ridges in Highland County, about six hours from Norfolk on the West Virginia border.
The turbines, each standing 400 feet tall, would generate enough electricity to power more than 12,000 homes per year, according to plans.
“Virginia must have renewable power from wind, and Highland County will be where the road to a cleaner, renewable-energy future in Virginia begins,” said Frank Maisano, a spokesman for the developer.
Maisano said the ruling is especially poignant given that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine released his 10-year energy plan earlier this week that included support for wind power, among other alternative and traditional sources.
“With the right controls in place, yes, we would think the Highland County project can be done,” said Steven Walz, Kaine’s senior adviser on energy policy.
Opponents fear the $65 million project will ruin their scenic views of the Alleghenys, kill rare bats and birds, and lead to more wind developments on the mountainous regions along the Virginia-West Virginia border.
In court, opponents argued that Highland County officials erred several ways in approving the wind farm in 2005 and urged that the decisions be reversed.
The county should not have granted a variance to its own height restriction and deviated significantly from the local comprehensive plan, the opponents said.
Such claims were rejected last year in Circuit Court, and on Friday, the Supreme Court threw out the challenges, too – but on more technical grounds.
The high court ruled that opponents did not sue the correct governing body – the Highland County Board of Supervisors – within 30 days of its approval of the wind project.
The court said the plaintiffs were “third parties” without legal standing to bring their cases in the first place because they were not directly affected by the county’s actions.
“Obviously I think this is just terrible,” said Patti Reum, who runs the Bear Mountain Farm and Wilderness Retreat, about two miles from the development sites.
She and her husband, Tom Brody, filed suit against the county and developer. They worry the proposed turbines will damage a get-away-from-it-all atmosphere that draws visitors to their retreat. “We’re very upset,” Reum said.
Before construction can begin, the developer still needs a certificate from the State Corporation Commission.
A hearing examiner gave preliminary approval earlier this year. More details must be ironed out before final approval is granted, said John Flora, an attorney for Highland New Wind Development.
“It’s great news for us, and we’re very relieved,” Flora said Friday.“But we’ve got more work ahead.”
Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340,
scott.harper@pilotonline.com
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Alternative Energy
I'm a supporter of alternative energy - especially passive systems like wind and solar; and I'd like to see their use expanded. I was in California a few years back and passed by a big farm in northern CA and thought it was pretty cool. I'd like to see the state take one more step and provide incentives for homeowners to take advantage of passive energy and push for affordable solutions simliar to the incentives offered by California and other states. With a combination of PV solar panels, batteries and wind power all tied to "the grid" a homeowner could signicantly reduce their electric bill. Could our legislators provide some incentives to make this affordable for the average homeowner?
Alternative Energy
I'm a supporter of alternative energy - especially passive systems like wind and solar; and I'd like to see their use expanded. I was in California a few years back and passed by a big farm in northern CA and thought it was pretty cool. I'd like to see the state take one more step and provide incentives for homeowners to take advantage of passive energy and push for affordable solutions simliar to the incentives offered by California and other states. With a combination of PV solar panels, batteries and wind power all tied to "the grid" a homeowner could signicantly reduce their electric bill. Could our legislators provide some incentives to make this affordable for the average homeowner?
wind
I to have passed these wind farms and the idiots that are against them have no clue you see them at first for they are new but after some time you do not see them unless you are looking for them.
just like some moron sen. out this way in N.C. area i think did not want them for they would be in a field behind his big expensive home, h's ticked because he probly wants free power from it. put them up one day we will not have gas or coal then listen to them cry
Large Wind Farm
There is a large wind farm of 150 fans that supplies all the power needed to Compton and Paw Paw, Illinois. They are located in the fields of corn and right aways are provide to each fan for scheduled maintenance. When we got to Green Bay, WI for a football game coming from St. Louis we pass them as we travel to and from Green Bay on I-39. Seems the people of that area would prefer lower electric costs compared to this area. Hope they are a success for Western Virginia as they are in Illinois and that they may eventually come this way if we can ever get the dinosaurs here who oppose them out of office.
22 to 12,000 homes?
22 wind turbines powering 12,000 homes? That is awesome. 545 homes per turbine... that is truely great. Put them up ASAP. If I was the farmers, I'd be putting up my own!
A viable solution
Having just completed a cross-country trip and going through Oklahoma, I noticed 2 of these wind farms, one with about 150 windmills. Yes, they are large, but they rotate at a very slow speed and are still capable of produce a good amount of electricity. I do not see the argument on how they are going to hurt wildlife! Have the people arguing against this project ever even been to a wind farm? Sure it might hurt the view, but society needs to look past this and start embracing renewable and free sources of energy. Oil and coal WILL run out and we need to start practicing better eco-management otherwise this world is going to get a lot worse, environmentally speaking.
We will complain about energy costs,
but we don't want to drill for oil or natural gas off our coasts. We don't want our "view" of the mountains "spoiled" by wind turbines. We don't want the smell of ethanol or biodiesel plants to offend our sensibilites. Not in our back yards! We just want cheap energy!
It is past time to look at alternate sources of energy
There are so many different sources of energy that are better than coal and oil products. Lets start to develop those.