Landowner says wind utility plans deficient

This is an aerial photo of Tamarack Ridge, where Highland New Wind Development proposes to erect some of its wind turbines. Long-time Allegheny Mountain residents claim the vertical feature in the lower right corner, which is crossed right to left by a dirt road, could be Civil War era breastworks. Breastworks are typically ditches where a higher side was constructed for troops to duck into while they try to hold a position in battle, or scout enemy locations. During the Civil War, this area of the mountain was home to an important battle and winter encampment at Camp Allegheny before and after the Battle of McDowell in 1861. The Recorder provided this photo to the state Department of Historic Resources, but no determination has yet been made about whether this feature is, indeed, from the Civil War. (Recorder file photo) MONTEREY — McChesney Goodall, whose family owns a large tract of land downstream from the place where Mac McBride, owner of Highland New Wind Development, plans to erect 400-foot wind generating towers, wrote to county officials July 2, after a site plan was submitted to the county.

Goodall's concerns included the following points:

• "Several of the turbines are located in densely wooded areas, contrary to what has been stated on numerous occasions by McBride and/or his representatives. Some of these occur in native red spruce stands, habitat for a number of state rare or threatened species," Goodall said.

• "In several places, the boundary line is off by 400-500 feet," he explained. "Interestingly, these errors make it significantly easier to meet the 1,600-foot setback requirement. At least one turbine appears closer than 1,600 feet to our property line. Was this a careless mistake or yet another attempt by McBride and HNWD to 'pull the wool over our eyes?'"

• "Digging four shovel tests to evaluate the archaeology of this enormous site is pathetic," he added. "It seriously calls into question the veracity of the report and the effort on the part of the archaeologist. To say the results show only traces of only modern human activity, cattle farming, and road construction is laughable. Did the archaeologist miss the Civil War breast works on Tamarack, the extensive remnants of the narrow gauge railroad, and the abundance of Native American artifacts?"

• "The construction of roads and underground cables along the existing overhead transmission line will impact at least three perennial streams and two intermittent ones. On these high-elevation, streamside sites, wetlands are well developed and extensive. At the very least, (the) Department of Environmental Quality and/or Department of Conservation and Recreation should be asked to thoroughly evaluate each of these sites to make sure the site plan and erosion and sediment control plan provide for adequate protection measures. Since this construction creates an obvious potential impact to Laurel Fork, (the) Department of Game and Inland Fisheries should also be consulted," Goodall wrote.

Further, he said, "When the HNWD project was approved by the State Corporation Commission (subject to numerous conditions), officials prudently agreed that as the first commercial wind project in the state, it was paramount that it be carefully and thoroughly reviewed to meet the highest standards. Thus far, the opposite has happened. Not only is HNWD pushing for quick approval with the absolute minimum of effort and compliance, local officials seem anxious to give approval because they are tired of dealing with the matter."

The Recorder asked the Department of Historic Resources about possible Civil War-era breastworks the Goodall family says are within a few feet of one of the proposed towers, but DHR has not yet made a determination about the feature.