County issues letters to agencies about wind utility

MONTEREY — Highland supervisors issued a letter last week to all agencies involved in reviewing the industrial wind facility under construction in Highland County.

Supervisors voted unanimously to do so following a closed meeting held Oct. 6. At the open meeting that night, several citizens told the board they felt the county should be keeping a closer eye on the wind project, and improve its communications with the agencies reviewing its progress.

The letter asked two things: • "Are there any authorizations or permits required of Highland New Wind Development or any further actions or review necessary by your agency that the county is not aware of?"

• "We would also like to request that the county be copied on any correspondence with Highland New Wind Development particularly if your agency is requiring Highland New Wind Development to obtain a permit."

The letter concludes, "We appreciate your assistance as we begin the construction monitoring phase of this project."

It was sent to the federal Army Corps of Engineers, in addition to the state deparments of environmental quality, game and inland fisheries, conservation and recreation, agriculture and consumer services, health, aviation, forestry, transportation, historic resources, mines, minerals and energy, and the marine resources commission.