The Turbines Are Coming!

The Select Board has been talking about the new wind farm going up near us. Another may be coming much closer to us.  Sandi Pierson has been keeping up with the issue and send out this email recently; she gave us permission to post it. (I deleted references to a brochure, which I'll try to post.)

I'll start a discussion board if you want to get on it and report anything you've heard, or register your opinion. --Jay

I want to share with you a significant project proposed for towns surrounding Orange...

It is called the Wild Meadows Wind Power Project. ...  Iberdrola (an Italian firm from what I understand, though the turbines are American-made) leases the Groton and Lempster land and owns those wind "farms." For this area they are proposing thirty-six 454-foot-high wind turbines (duplicates of the ones in Groton and Lemster) in the towns of Grafton, Alexandria, and Danbury. Looking at the project area (see attachment), the ones closest to Orange, probably less than a mile, are a string of seven turbines on the Melvin Mountain ridge in Grafton. My home in Orange is at the foot of this ridge and I can say from my many bushwhack hikes up both Barber and Melvin mountains (whose summits are just above the Orange town line) that a number of people in Orange who are now  enjoying a view of Cardigan will be also viewing a number of the turbines. This is the reason for me sharing this information. It obviously affects more towns than where they are located.

 

I spoke in length with the head of the project, Ed Cherian, because obviously, in relation to noise, I will be one of their closest neighbors (on the map my road in Orange is misidentified as "PoorFarm Road"). Ed is happy to talk with all people who have questions, comments, or concerns about the project. Iberdrola is hosting a full informational meeting at the East Grafton town hall on November 13. A bus tour to Lempster is slated for the 17th, though Grafton residents have priority if the bus fills up. (Of course, you would  be welcome to follow in your own vehicle.)

 

After the Grafton meetings are complete, Ed would be glad to come to Orange (for better or worse, no doubt) to host a presentation and take comments and questions. This would probably be in December.

 

I will make a couple of notes from the presentation.

• The revenue received by Groton from the wind farm equals 100% of their municipal budget.
• The owner of the Groton land that is leased to Iberdrola is Green Acre Woodlands. This land investment firm recently purchased approximately 500 acres in Orange (all the former Casperson land). This is just FYI and not a suggestion that a wind project is coming to Orange.
• The owner of the Wild Meadow wind project land is Hardwicks of Francestown-- they purchased the 3500 acres of contiguous land a few years ago; 409 acres of this is in Orange. They recently bought 1000 acres covering Forbes Mountain in Danbury. Wind project aside, the Hardwicks have been very good seasonal neighbors and took great measures to make sure their logging operations did not interfere with the flavor of my home including a courtesy greenbelt logging buffer along my property line.

 

Sandi Pierson

Official Minutes from the October 8 Select Meeting

This for the meeting before last, just approved by the Select Board.  You'll find the minutes here.

Select Board Meeting Notes

This is from last night's meeting--informal notes by Dorothy Heinrichs. Feel free to comment.  When the official minutes are approved, we'll post them as always. --Jay

Leslie Bradley and Charlie Sova, candidates to represent Orange in the NH legislature, came to speak and answer questions. Dorothy wanted to know why, when the student debt of NH students is the highest in the nation, they thought slashing support for the university system was good for the long term economic health of the state.  Betty Fulton asked for communication with the townspeople and Selectboard. 

The head of the Groton Planning Board came and spoke about the wind project giving details about the initial phases of the project through power generation - which should begin in late November. The town negotiated a 15 year deal which will provide them with almost the equivalent of the entire municipal budget annually. Watch this space for more information on the possibility of a wind farm less than a mile from the Orange border.

The board approved a three year contract with Casella for trash/recycling collection.

Remember to vote on Election Day, November 6. The polls are open from 11 am until 7pm.

Update on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 2:47PM by OrangeNH

Correction: the proposed new wind farm wouldn't be within Orange, but would be within a mile of our border.

Barn Dance This Saturday

Rosemary Haness sent us notice of this dance, October 14 in the Enfield Community Building on Route 4. It's sponsored by the Cardigan Mountain Art Association.  A pot luck supper begins at 5:30, followed by dancing from 7 to 9.  The Old Sam Peabody Band provides the music, with Rachael Cohen doing the prompting. 

"No partner or experience necesssary," the flier says. No booze, either: it's an "alcohol- and drug-free family function." Nor is there a cover charge, though donations are welcome.

For information call 523-7292.  And you'll find it in the Orange Calendar.

Official Minutes from the September 25 Board Meeting

Offically approved. You'll find them here.

Feel free to comment, or take advantage of the discussion board.