DEP approves First Wind turbines

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    OAKFIELD — First Wind’s plans to erect 50 wind turbines in Oakfield passed another hurdle last week when the Department of Environmental Protection gave its approval to the project on Jan. 18.
    Situated approximately 2.5 miles from the center of Oakfield, the project will consist of 50 3.0-megawatt turbines, standing 450 feet high that have the capacity to produce enough clean, renewable energy to power more than 48,000 homes. Some of the windmills will be visible from Interstate 95.
    In its four years of development, First Wind has worked closely with the town to solicit significant community input in designing the project. As part of the local review process, First Wind made numerous commitments that go beyond what is required under state law and incorporated those changes into the DEP application.
    “We are very pleased that the DEP has approved our plans in Oakfield,” said Matt Kearns, vice president of business development at First Wind. “The local review process on this project has been unprecedented.  We provided resources for the town to hire independent sound experts, engineers, and lawyers and participated in a lengthy and robust review process in which issues of local interest were fully reviewed.  We did that both for the originally planned project, and again based on the revised project layout. We’re looking forward to moving ahead with the project soon.”
    First Wind was originally granted permission from the town and DEP for 34 turbines along Sam Drew Mountain in September 2009 at a special town meeting. Construction never commenced as the Martha A. Powers Land Trust challenged the project. Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court rejected the Land Trust’s appeal in March 2011.
    At a special town meeting in November, residents voted 81 in favor, with 22 opposed to create a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district for the project. Several non-residents of Oakfield voiced opposition to the plan, stating it would forever change the natural beauty of the region.
    According to Kearns, the Oakfield Wind project is expected to create more than 300 construction jobs and provide significant revenue to the surrounding communities. First Wind spent more than $30 million with Maine-based businesses during the construction and development of the recently completed 60 megawatt, Rollins Wind project in Penobscot County. First Wind is already working with several leading Maine companies to develop the Oakfield Wind project, including Orono- and Westbrook-based SGC Engineering and Old Town-based James W. Sewall Company.
    The project will also bring significant economic benefits to the town — $14.7 million in tax revenues over 20 years, and an additional $12 million in community benefit payments during that time. Those funds go to a town fund, and can be used for town priorities such as a public safety building, fire engines and road improvements. Each year, at town meeting, residents will be asked how they wish to spend that year’s funds.
    Town Manager Dale Morris said the town will receive an annual $600,000 gift, which is required to meet the “tangible benefits” clause of the environmental permit application with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The town has identified 14 projects it would be able to fund over a 20-year period with the TIF money it receives from First Wind. Among those projects are the construction of a centrally located public safety building to include the town office and fire station at a cost of about $2.5 million.
    Some of the other projects envisioned by the town include:
    • Acquisition and replacement of fire station equipment, including two new fire trucks, at a total cost of $750,000.
    • Local road reconstruction of about 21 miles, at a cost of $7,525,000.
    • Purchase and replacement of public works equipment, including a plow truck, grader, backhoe and other equipment, at a cost of $392,000.
    • Capital improvements for the village area of town ($750,000).
    • Construction of a town salt shed and materials ($900,000).
    Any full-time resident who receives a Homestead Exemption on their tax bills will also receive a check in the amount of about $2,300 a year for 20 years, Morris said. Seasonal residents, which total about 100 people, will not receive the tax rebate. There are 235 full-time households in Oakfield.
    “First Wind has been working with the town of Oakfield for more than four years to move ahead with this project, and solicited significant community input in designing the project,” said John Lamontagne of First Wind “Over 30 public meetings and a robust public review workshop process of the permit application were held at the local level. There has been very strong local support for the project.”
    Lamontagne added First Wind has provided resources for the town to hire independent sound experts, engineers, and lawyers and participated in a lengthy and robust review process in which issues of local interest were fully vetted.
    “We did that both as part of the initial configuration, and again based on the revised project layout and configuration,” he said. “We made numerous commitments that go beyond what is required under state law and incorporated those commitments into our DEP application.”