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Plans Keep ON for Wind Turbines
Plans Keep ON for Wind Turbines
Despite opposition from some local residents and a proposed zoning regulation that may potentially halt the project, the business behind a proposed wind farm in Adams Township says it would continue to pursue it.
The proposal plans for the construction of twelve 575-foot turbines on land near Adams Township's Whealkate Bluff. Circle Power moved four of the turbines planned for Stanton Township into Adams after Stanton Township issued a nine-month embargo on licenses for commercial solar and wind projects.
Circle Power will be able to install turbines further away from homes to the north with the purchase of extra land, Circle Power partner Chris Moore said in an interview.
Adams Township has re-established its planning commission and is considering a zoning legislation after imposing a six-month moratorium. Moore said Circle Power's legal counsel had given the township a letter explaining what it viewed as flaws in the zoning process, but he didn't elaborate. "We don't believe it's being installed properly... Nobody loves zoning, but zoning that isn't done right is harmful for everyone because it isn't dependable," he explained.
Circle Power Renewables' Elise Matz, a member of the company's employees, said the project met the township's police powers ordinance's standards. A 3,000-foot buffer from the nearest non-participating property is required. It's also about a mile from the township's nearest residence, she said. According to Circle Power, the noise would not surpass 40 decibels at the nearest property line.
Carlos Hunter and Chris Moore of Circle Power Renewables, the company trying to construct a wind farm in Adams Township(WLUC)
"This project is actually scaled for the Keweenaw," Matz said, "and will have a minimum impact on the people of South Range and Adams Township."
Residents of Adams Township received a mailer from Circle Power, extolling the program's advantages.
Over a 30-year period, Circle Power estimated it would pay $15.9 million in property taxes. The most money would go to Adams Township Schools, which would receive $6.8 million. The money would be used to pay down debt as the state government determines the formula for operational funding, according to Circle Power.
Houghton County will get $6.1 million, Copper Country Intermediate School District will get $2 million, and Adams Township will get $940,000. The remaining funds would be distributed to the state, with $1.7 million going to the Michigan Educational Tax.
The Guardians of the Keweenaw Ridge, a citizens' group created to oppose the project, questioned the benefits in a statement, citing a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research that found wind project profits did not increase graduation rates or other student outcomes in Texas.
Residents have been dubious about property tax benefits, citing a Michigan Tax Tribunal decision last year on a DTE Energy wind farm project that would reduce needed payments for alternative energy initiatives.
Through a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) arrangement, Moore said Circle Power is willing to guarantee revenues to the township, Adams Township Schools, Copper Country Intermediate School District, and Houghton County. The agreement would establish a payment schedule for the project's length.
"Rather than relying on taxes or attempting to weasel out of their tax commitments, Circle is taking the opposite approach and is willing to commit to the $15.9 million sum against any future tax revenue reductions if the rules change," said Elise Matz, a Circle Power Renewables employee.
During construction, an estimated $4 million will be spent locally, according to Moore.
Many of the short-term jobs, however, could go to out-of-state workers, according to the Guardians of the Keweenaw Ridge. According to the Guardians, the initiative would not create a significant number of employments in the long run, citing a presentation by Sarah Mills, a researcher at the University of Michigan's Graham Sustainability Institute.
According to Moore, the Scotia Wind project would have the lowest-cost renewable energy rate ever submitted to the Michigan Public Service Commission, which governs utilities in the state, at 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.
According to Matz, the lower cost UPPCO would have to pay for power would be incorporated into MPSC's rate-setting decision.
"If you have an extremely low cost per kilowatt hour, that's what gets passed on to you through the ratemaking process and on your bill," she explained. "This isn't only UPPCO's opinion. Other people will be able to participate in the process and ensure that UPPCO has done the arithmetic correctly and that pass-through will occur."
The Guardians also rejected the idea that electricity prices would fall. Tax rebates for wind turbine construction could eat up any potential savings. The gains would be small, according to the Guardians, because about 70% of UPPCO's costs are spent on operating and maintaining transmission infrastructure.
"For example, DTE Electricity today gets about 10% of its energy from wind (including the Garden Peninsula)," according to the Guardians. "However, customer rates at DTE Energy have not fallen."
Following a 9 percent rise in 2019, DTE requested a similar hike in 2020, which was eventually cut to a 4.7 percent increase.
The project hit another roadblock this summer when Circle Power's wetlands permit application was denied by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The decision was partly based on US Fish & Wildlife findings, which decided that the project posed a risk to the bald eagle and northern longeared bat populations, both of which are federally threatened species.
According to Moore, circle Power has maintained contact with the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the project and will so as to reapply for the permit with the new location. On the location, biologists have spent over 1,000 hours doing surveys.
"With the new layout, we've also reduced our wetlands effect, which we think is a positive thing," he added.
Guardians secretary James Mihelcic said in a statement that he doubted the project's new boundaries would decrease the damage on animals. Raptors, moose, wolves, and grouse are among the fauna present on the site, which is part of the commercial forest program.
He cited a lawsuit filed by the National Audubon Society in California against another project in a comparable wind corridor. "Wind developers propose mitigation strategies to reduce effects on local wildlife," he said. "Nevertheless, the place keeps on to be a very important region with respect to wildlife gathering."
According to Moore, the site is the sole viable option for wind projects on the Keweenaw Peninsula, according to Circle Power. According to him, the 60-megawatt wind farm would utilize up the transmission system's extra capacity.
"There isn't enough room on the Keweenaw Peninsula to build any more projects," he stated. "It's not the first of many, but it is the first of this."
Moore also addressed worries regarding the turbines' disposal when the project is completed; Circle Power estimates the project's lifespan to be 20 years or potentially longer. According to Moore, about 85 percent of the turbine can currently be recycled. According to Moore, the blades, which are made of fiberglass, are still the largest issue.
"It's something we're working on, but it's also not a significant problem in the grand scheme of things," he explained.
The mailer from Circle Power also contained simulated images of the turbines from several vantage points within the township. From the Atlantic Mine substation, six turbines would be visible, but none would be visible from South Range Elementary School, Jeffers High School, or the South Range ballfield. Saratoga Associates, a third-party engineering firm, received pictures from the sites as well as the placement of the proposed turbines.
Moore stated, "They're not going to be invisible." "We're not concealing them in any way." They will, however, fade into the background."
