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Greenvale wind farm on hold
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Greenvale wind farm on hold

A proposed wind farm in Greenvale Township has been put on hold while developers fine tune the project. Metro Creative image
NORTHFIELD — It’s one step forward, two steps back for the Greenvale Wind Farm.

The two local companies behind the development of a proposed wind farm have asked to temporarily halt any further action on the 11-megawatt project located in Greenvale Township.

In an Oct. 14 letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Sparks Energy and Medin Renewable Energy, the two companies behind the development of the proposed wind farm, say they need more time to listen and respond to residents’ concerns about the development.

Based on the feedback returned to the companies during the project’s 180-day comment period, which ended on Oct. 7, it was clear township residents still had a number of reservations about the wind farm plans, said Sparks Energy CEO Anna Schmalzbauer.

Many of the complaints centered around the precise placement the turbines, and the distance of those turbines’ setbacks from homes, according to Schmalzbauer.

The companies are now re-examining the preliminary placement, number and size of the turbines in the proposed wind farm, and may revise the plan to accommodate residents’ concerns. The halt should also give area residents a little breathing room to become more informed about the project, Schmalzbauer added.

Schmalzbauer isn’t sure how long it will take to get the project back on track.



“We heard loud and clear that the community thought this process was moving too fast,” Schmalzbauer said. “We clearly want to move the project on as soon as possible and as quickly as possible, but we’re going to take the time to get people information.”

If the proposed wind farm’s footprint or scale changes significantly as a result of any revisions, the wind farm’s draft permit application will have to be resubmitted to the PUC for evaluation, said Deborah Pile, an energy facility permitting supervisor with the Minnesota Office of Energy Security. Another 180-day public comment period and a second public meeting would have to be held to re-inform the public, Pile added.

“If it’s not the same project, we’ll have to get some more comments on it,” Pile said.

— David Henke covers city, business and youth issues. He can be reached at dhenke@northfieldnews.com or 645-1100.

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Member Opinions:
By: ofreason on 10/29/09
Does anyone else find it interesting how people favor different ideas until in directly effects them? Its called NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). Everyone wants cleaner greaner energy but nobody wants to see the wind mills. You cannot have it both ways. If a 180 days is not enough time to educate and take feedback there will never be a decision made. You will never make everyone happy. Sometimes the tough decisions have to be made. I for one am tired of hearing the back and forth on this issue. Build it or not... Make up your minds.

By: KevinB on 10/30/09
Well Mr/Ms Ofreason, if you feel that strongly offer your backyard!
A certain Senator was an advocate for windmills once upon a time. Until someone tried to put a farm in the ocean off of his Seashore home and in an area he liked to sail in! He had a fit and managed to stop it!

By: ofreason on 10/30/09
If it was something I supported then I would definitly let them build. It just seems that people preach to others the benefits of such ideas as wind farms but they don't to have the farms in their areas. Its a lot like our current govt. If the Al Gores of the world started parcticing what he is preaching then maybe more people will listen. Until he bikes to work and lives in a hut like he wants us to do I will call him and others like him a hippocrit. KevinB, it sounds like you do not want the generators by your house. That is fine unless you are a big supporter of wind energy. If you think we all need to go green and wind is one way to go then you better open up to construction. Why should others who don't believe in it have to deal with the issue. If you do not support the wind energy plan then I fully support your efforts. My point is that we cannot get what benfits us by putting others in a bad position.

 
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