Published: January 29, 2006 09:35 pm         

Wind developer says opponents misleading public to stop project

LEWISBURG — The project director of a proposed electric generating wind turbine farm slated for Greenbrier County says opponents have “exaggerated, misrepresented and made false accusations” in their campaign to stop the $300 million project.

Dave Groberg, project director of Beech Ridge Wind Farm, said Friday it’s difficult to criticize clean, renewable, home-grown wind energy, so his critics resort to misleading the public.

“While I am happy to have the chance to respond to these issues, I have to say that with all the project’s benefits, such as pollution-free energy, conservation of oil and natural gas, increased tax revenue for schools, new good-paying jobs, it’s a shame that all I seem to do is respond to bogus arguments and inaccurate accusations,” he said.

“The basic premise of the opposition is that if we build this wind farm, then it’s going to destroy lives. That is absolutely not true. It hasn’t destroyed anyone’s life in Tucker County.”

Groberg referred to the 44 wind turbines located on Backbone Mountain in Tucker County, which recently was featured in that county’s visitors guide as a tourist attraction.

“Some folks claim that the construction workers will be from out of state and out of the area,” Groberg said. “And that is not true.

“We fully expect to sign an agreement with the Affiliated Construction Trades Union, and this project will be built with West Virginia union labor.”

Another issue which concerns Groberg is how the area, a large majority of which is owned by Mead Westvaco, is constantly referred to as “pristine” by opponents of the turbine project.

“The Beech Ridge Wind Farm will be located on land that is actively and responsibly managed for timber production, mining and hunting. The area possesses numerous mining spoils and clear cuts. There are several ongoing mining projects operating on the very same tract where the project will be located,” Groberg said. “None of the area possesses pristine old-growth forests.”

Groberg noted that in an August 2005 newsletter, Peter Shoenfield, chair of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Wind Energy Committee, visited the Beech Ridge area and reported “the site is remote and is on land that has been significantly abused by mining and timbering in the past.”

“The idea that this area is a pristine wilderness is a fantasy,” Groberg said. “And those opposed to the project will be the first people to complain about the condition and management of these ridges just as soon as the Public Service Commission makes its decision on our application.”

The PSC has not set a date for public hearing on the matter.

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Groberg also wanted to set the record straight on property taxes the project would bring to the county’s coffers.

“Based on meetings and discussions with the Greenbrier County assessor and the West Virginia State Property Tax Division, Beech Ridge expects to pay over $400,000 annually in property taxes to Greenbrier County, making it one of the top 5 percent of taxpayers in the county,” he said.

“Opponents claim the taxes will be much lower. Beech Ridge is prepared to enter into an agreement with the county so that if the project’s tax bill goes below $400,000 in any year, it will make up the differences through contributions to the county’s schools.”

The opponents’ Web site states that the project’s use of herbicides will kill native brook trout, even though the project will not be using herbicides, Groberg said. He also said arguments that the project would interfere with the radio quiet zone of Green Bank’s large telescopes were based on “misinformation.”

While some opponents have said that European wind farm projects are on the decline and have been a huge failure, Groberg said the opposite was true.

“The truth is that Europe has dramatically increased its wind power generating capacity already, and the European Parliament just voted in September to enact a 20 percent green power requirement for all power used by 2020,” Groberg said.

“In 2004, Europeans installed more megawatts of wind turbines than had been installed in the United States in the previous 20 years.”

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John Stroud, spokesman for Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy, said his group has been very “careful to stay factual.”

“We feel like we are telling the rest of the story and there is more to this story than he (Groberg) is letting on,” Stroud said Friday. “And we have dug to find out that story.”

Stroud also said he acknowledges that the area in question has been timbered and mined, but this should not be a reason for placing turbines in the Cold Knob region.

“The overall look of the area from the valley doesn’t look abused; the valley is 2,000 feet below. Yes, it has been heavily clear cut, but it doesn’t affect the rest of the valley the way putting these turbines up there will affect them.”

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com