A few more details on the Phillips Brook Windfarm

[peakbagger]

For those folks who have an interest, the area is in Northern NH east of the Nash Stream area owned by the state of NH. The Phillips Brook area used to have a Yurt and ski trail system when it was owned by International Paper. This area was also in the news as it was in line for forest legacy funding to buy the development rights until the owner decided to withdraw until the wind potential was determined.

"Granite Reliable Power Wind Park will include 33 turbines placed along approximately 6.5 miles of ridge line. The project will also involve the construction of a new 115-kilowatt power line to connect the project to the existing Coos transmission loop. The total cost of the project is estimated at $200 million.
Granite Reliable Power is owned by Noble Environmental Power, which in turn is backed by J.P. Morgan Partners.
The wind park is being built on land owned by GMO Renewable Resources, which will continue to manage the 24,000-acre property as timberlands. The majority of the wind farm will fall within the unincorporated places of Dixville, Millsfield, Erving’s Location, and Odell"

I expect all viewpoints and opinions have been expressed in the past regarding other wind developments in general so no need to repeat them here.

 

[RoySwkr]

Any word on future public access? There are some 2k peaks that people may wish to grab now, plus some NH 100 that may become easier if roads are plowed.

 

[Stan]

I expect all viewpoints and opinions have been expressed in the past regarding other wind developments in general so no need to repeat them here.

Not necessarily. Many who opposed wind power on Reddington (and Black Mountain) would support it in places that are more appropriate. I'm not saying whether or not I feel this location is appropriate, I'm not familiar with it.

AMC developed some criteria for siting wind power on ridges and even though they opposed Reddington, they found something like a couple hundred miles of ridgeline in Maine suitable under the criteria used. Now, everyone might have a little difference of opinion in the details of those criteria but that is a better model of siting than random ad hoc political circuses.

 

[wromanow]

Yurt system is still there! The yurts were moved to new locations a few years ago, in most cases only a few hundred yards from the original locations. We stayed in the South Summit yurt in late January. We could see a test tower on the ridge to the north of our location. The operator of the yurt system (http://phillipsbrook.org/) indicated his lease was year to year depending on the status of the wind farm. Certainly wouldn't want to have a 60lb piece of ice flung from a wind turbine crashing through the yurt.

 

[peakbagger]

As for physical location, it is in a large area of commercial forest bounded by Rt 110 on the south, Rt 3 on the west, Rt 26 on the north and rt 16 on the east.

To put it in context of what is there, I will refer to the preface of the north country section of prior AMC WMG's It starts with a partial quote from C.F. Belcher " this area has built up a legend of isolation and mystery...even though for years it has been the intimate hunting and fishing preserve of those nearby and the knowing few". Further on they state " the appearance of wilderness masks the active presense of logging operations, and the lack of marked and signed trails disguises the extensive network of paths known to local woodsman"

As for the extent of current development, with the primary exception of leased lots around remote ponds, occasional hunting camps on leased property, and parcels of state land, the area isnt developed but it is accessible as the road infrastructure is in place to actively manage the forest.

For those working on the NH 100 highest or the NE 3K lists, the area will be familiar, but to the average hiker and frequenter of the whites, its just "that area that is an extra 1 or 2 hours north of the summits with a view". I expect that a lot of the issues brought up in the Kibby Range project up in Coburn Gore would apply to this project.

As for politics, maine has the LURC regulating the majority of the projects and VT has Act 250, both "protecting" statewide interests. NH has the "site development commision" as a state entitity but it is far less proactive, so the regulation of the project is case by case and will tend to fall under local government, in this case the Coos County juridsdiction as this is unincorporated territory. There hasnt been a lot of resistance to the project with the county as a generous Payment in Lieu of Taxes has been negotitated. Factor in a near collapse of the local industry in the county and the net result is not a lot of controversy.

 

[Mattl]

So did the land get funded yet and preserved? I had heard the forest society was going to try and save some of it. I have been through quite a bit of the Phillips Brook area and it is just beautiful. Phillips Pond is one of the most pristine lakes in NH and New England. If anyone hasnen't been to it, it has almost no camps on it and is bounded by some beautiful peaks. I just wonder how the turbines will look for fisherman, hikers, and hunters in the area. I would love to see them combine Nash and Phillips brook. -Mattl

 

[Mattl]

Heres a link to an article about preservation. http://www.newhampshire.com/article...ok+as+top+conservation+priority&articleid=180

 

[Kevin Rooney]

... Factor in a near collapse of the local industry in the county and the net result is not a lot of controversy.

I read an article recently that there's a big demand for people to build and maintain these windfarms, and get hired well before completing the coursework. It can mean working at heights, but for some that's not an issue.

Windpower is growing rapidly in many areas. Texas recently passed CA is amount of wind energy produced, and several states have major initiatives going. Sounds like Maine is about to join them.

 

[peakbagger]

A windfarm of the size proposed for Phillips brook would employ about two technicians and probably a couple of support personnel. Considering the direct losses of over a thousand well paying pulp and paper jobs in the area in less than 3 years (not counting numerous support jobs), unfortunately its going to take a major wind farm development to do much to make up the jobs. . Granted there will be construction jobs but the bulk of them will be transient workers.

 

[Andrew]

Even though Berlin is still "visioning" over what to do with the pulp mill site, there is news about Laidlaw closing in on the biomass energy plant. But news has mentioned that the biomass project may not be viable since the tranmission grid in the area is inadequate for increased capacity, and the Philips project has alreday bought up the transmission options.

I think this project is unfortunate and will have an impact greater than Reddington would have.

With the number one priority in Coos being developing viable industry, it seems a shame that the county would support the wind project if it casts doubt on the biomass project that would compliment existing traditional skills and industry and put many back to work.

 

[Hillwalker]

Wind Farm in Warren, NH

There has been a windfarm test tower on the summit of Sentinel Mountain in Warren, NH for about six months.

It's located about a mile from where the AT crosses Ore Hill heading to Glencliff.

Looks like a good spot to me since high voltage transmission lines run up over Signal about a quarter mile from the test tower site.

All the tower has are six anemometers and windvanes spaced up its length connected to a tiny radio transmitter box at the bottom with about a ten inch antenna sticking out.

Local gossip has that it's going to be used to power the King Wood Products production facility in Wentworth.
Doubt that, but the owner might be one of the King family.

 

[peakbagger]

Status of Phillips Brook windfarm is in question

Heres a link to an article in the Berlin NH paper regarding the proposed wind farm in Philips Brook Area of NH. The synopsis is that the state is going to force the developer to prove that they have the resources to go through with the project before the state will issue a key permit. The state will table the permit unless the developer comes up with proof.

http://ftp://www.laconiadailysun.com/Berlinpdf/2009/2/9B.pdf

AMC and NH Fish and Game recently filed objections to the project as it would impact 4 species of of concern (not sure of the exact classification).

This would may effectively "kill" the project in the short term as the developer is tied in with Morgan Stanley. If it is "killed" ,this would most likely open the door for one of the two biomass power plants proposed in the area as it will open up transmission capability. The developer had already walked away from a much larger proposal recently in the area.

It will be interesting to see how this proceeds. I guess may not be a rush to bag peaks in Phillips Brook this summer!

 

[Andrew]

http://http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Northern+wind+farm+raises+habitat+worry&articleId=4b1c5225-5cee-4445-8659-5a375c2d59d2

Here's the Union Leader story regarding habitat concerns for American Pine Martin, Lynx, Bicknell's Thrush, Three-toed Woodpecker (sorry if the link is a mess).

The "industrial forest" Jill refers to is actually prime habitat for Snowshoe Hare- thus also Lynx. I'm in that area once a week and it is less barren than the vicinity in and around Jericho State Park, which is actually crawling with wildlife, and quite scenic.

There was a story in the Berlin Daily Sun on Friday of a fellow from MA that wants to put a smaller wind project on Jericho Mt in Berlin. This project would fit a bit nicer in that area as opposed to the Phillips Brook area.

 

[peakbagger]

The link didnt work, but your comments about snowshoe hare and potential linx habitat lines up with what is reported to have encouraged Linx moving back into the areas west of the St John River. The clearcuts get brushy, the snowshoes mulitply due to the ideal habitat and the lynx move in. Of course the areas in north western maine dont have as many roads or human intrusion so that may be a detractor in Northern NH. Then again the lynx tracks found crossing Rt 2 in Randolph quite close by to houses shows that at least some individuals can tolerate civilization.

 

[RoySwkr]

AMC and NH Fish and Game recently filed objections to the project as it would impact 4 species of of concern (not sure of the exact classification).

Let's just hope that don't follow the lead of VT F&G and insist that mitigation measures include closing the area to recreation

 

[forestgnome]

See if this link works...

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Northern+wind+farm+raises+habitat+worry&

AMC gets rare kudos from me on this one

 

[Andrew]

Public Notice in local papers today.

3/23/09 6:30 pm a public hearing will be held at the Lancaster Town Hall.

Public comments in writing will be accepted until (???sorry I didn't jot down the date), to:

Thomas S. Burack, Chair
NH Site Evaluation Committee
c/o NH Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Dr. PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095

 

[peakbagger]

There is article in the conway paper regarding the near completion of the wind farm in Millsfield NH area

http://www.conwaydailysun.com/node/481408/

The picture has an interesting perspective. The statement that they have two snow cats on site to service the towers is also interesting. Its a good idea as plowing gravel roads round can cause a lot more siltation than running on snow tracks. I also suspect its less obtrusive to wildlife.

 

[forestgnome]

Another high-elevation forested ridge bites the dust...if this trend continues where do those who depend on this type of habitat go? We feel smart while we destroy habitat in the name of environmentalism. Tell it to the lynx. Oh wait...I forgot...without the windmills the whole world will die. OK, the lynx thanks us, for they know that their demise is a good thing.

 

[RoySwkr]

They had sheriffs keeping out visitors last summer but claimed they would reopen access when construction was done. Any idea if they're letting in people now?