Permitting for 65 Wind Turbines

TRC provided extensive field surveys in support of federal, state and local permits for continued operation of wind turbines.

With approximately 65 wind turbines and associated facilities in Barbour and Randolph Counties, West Virginia, the Laurel Mountain Wind Power Project provides needed capacity to the electric power system of the PJM territory, to serve load and maintain overall system reliability. This project required an extensive program of field surveys in support of federal, state, and local permits and approvals.

TRC provided the following services in connection with the project:

• Prepared a critical issues evaluation which identified development challenges and recommended areas of further study.
• Conducted a number of field studies in order to facilitate project licensing and document project impacts. Field surveys supported wetland identification, presence/absence of threatened and endangered species and cultural resources, and shadow flicker, visual, and noise impact assessments.
• As part of the permitting process, TRC engineers balanced access road design criteria with environmental constraints in order to avoid and minimize impacts to wetlands and endangered plant species identified during the field efforts.
• Provided comprehensive environmental permitting support for PSC Siting Certification; Section 404 permit; NPDES stormwater permit; archaeological and architectural approvals; and threatened and endangered species clearance.

The Laurel Mountain Wind Power Project now provides approximately 125 MW of clean, renewable energy, enough to power 33,000 homes. It also provided considerable local economic benefits, including job creation and contribution to the local tax base.

Client

St. Lawrence Wind LLC

Project Location

Barbour and Randolph Counties, West Virginia