Friday, December 21, 2007

The Highland County wind farm decision

The Roanoke paper reports here and the Richmond paper reports here on the conditions to the approval of the Highland County windfarm project. It sounds like the SCC went along with the intermediate position advanced by the Nature Conservancy - if my understanding is correct - that wind power can be done in ways that minimize the effect on bats and birds. I heard a great discussion about this case a few months ago at the VBA annual meeting.

The State Corporation Commission press release is here and the final order is here.

The press release notes: "Commissioner Judith Williams Jagdmann, while agreeing with approval of the project, dissented to that part of the SCC's order which provides for subsequent proceedings to increase the maximum annual payments required of Highland Wind for mitigation. Commissioner Jagdmann wrote that an 'applicant before this Commission, requesting a certificate of public convenience and necessity under Virginia statutes, deserves a more definitive ruling on the requirements that will be attached to such certificate.'"

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