Developer improves wind project plans

At the pad for tower 7, a sediment trap outlet weir is not correctly shaped, according to DCR inspector Mark Chambers. He requested the weir be level across the center, and provide one foot of free board to the top of the embankment, in his recent report. He noted the same condition existed on a trap at tower 5's site, but the fog precluded getting a usable photograph when he was there Oct. 15. (Photo courtesy Mark Chambers) MONTEREY — At the end of August, Highland New Wind Development LLC had long to-do list.

An inspection by Mark Chambers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation had resulted in a litany of deficiencies in HNWD's plans for its 38-megawatt utility under construction on Allegheny Mountain.

Chambers had given HNWD until Oct. 12 to make improvements, and this week, DCR says the developer has made good progress, though Chambers is still working with contractors on Erosion and Sediment control issues.

DCR spokesman Gary Waugh said Chambers will meet with engineers to discuss the E&S plan, and has another inspection of the project site scheduled Nov. 12.

This photo included in a recent inspection report from the Department of Conservation and Recreation shows HNWD's temporary slope drains correctly installed for fill at the site for tower No. 7. Inspector Mark Chambers took the photo on Oct. 15. A group of people stands at the top of the slope. Chambers decided to meet with contractors instead of issuing a report from his recent inspections. "He feels the project would be better served by meeting with them again on the site and asking questions and working through some strategies with them, rather than writing up a report," Waugh explained. "While they have made considerable progress since their last review, Mark still has questions about how they are calculating some of the runoff from the site, he has questions about soils on the site and what that might do to calculations and he wants to review with them again on site some of the drainage areas to determine their analysis points. This type of interaction is typical for a large and/ or complex project.

DCR inspector Mark Chambers included this Oct. 15 photo of temporary slope drains installed at Highland New Wind Development's substation, as he requested, in his report following an inspection of the site that day. (Photo courtesy Mark Chambers) "Mark also tells me the site is being shut down for the winter," Waugh added. "He will still inspect during that time but not nearly at the same frequency. With the site being closed for the winter, they have all winter to work out the few questions that remain on the E&S plan."

Keith Fowler at the Valley Regional Office of the Department of Environmental Quality said DEQ has not received anything further from HNWD since the agency last explained what permits or approvals might be needed. DEQ told HNWD what it might need under certain conditions, depending on oil storage, air emissions, how much water is taken from which source on site to make concrete and other issues. "We told them clearly what information we have, what authorizations they might need and what we'd need to process … but it's entirely up to them, to say what we need to talk about," Fowler said. "They can wait … they can do it piecemeal, if they want to put it off. It depends on where there priorities are and what the economy looks like."

Potential approvals for the concrete plan, he said, seem like something needed earlier on in construction, "but they haven't told us about their plans or schedule."

"There's no urgency from our standpoint," he said, "but they can't do work without the proper approvals."

Chambers' VSMP construction permit inspection report, following his Oct. 15 inspection, noted many issues had been addressed under HNWD's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Some issues were left to be determined after a complete review of the E&S plan. These included:

• Indicating the direction of final storm flows and slopes, and the areas of disturbed and undisturbed sites on the site map.

• Preserving existing vegetation if possible.

• Calculations for post-construction management measures, and a technical explanation for practices used to control pollutants.

• Determining whether the SWPPP is consistent with requirements.

Chambers' report also noted that as of Oct. 15, there had been no off-site accumulations of sediment, and no pollutant discharges.

The project is in various stages of finish grading and stabilization. Chambers' report asked contractors to re-apply straw mulch in lower sites where the wind has blown it off. Also, he asked the sediment trap outlet weirs at tower sites 5 and 7 be re-shaped. At the No. 5 site, he noted, the sediment trap was not receiving all the intended drainage, and he asked that a diversion ditch be installed.

The existing farm road has been used for construction access, he noted, "causing drainage to some of the existing right of way diversions (water bars) and road stabilization." He asked the contractors to repair the damaged right of way diversions and add stabilization.

Further, he noted, "the project will be dormant during the winter months and the section of road installed between towers 5 and 6 needs to be stabilized for the winter. The amount of rock on the road in combination with winter conditions will not provide for seed germination, therefore, please either apply stone or anchored mulch on this section of the road."

Chambers gave HNWD until Oct. 28 to take those corrective actions.