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FAIRWINDS TURBINE
PROJECT HURDLES
(02-22-13)
| CITY |
- Neighboring business CEO: “don’t want to look at a wind turbine & don’t want
employees to be distracted from their work”
- Nursing home: “too close” (700’)
- Cell tower owner: “will cause interference” (800’)
- Mayor & Council denied project after 22 months of hearings
- Moved site to other host city; quickly approved
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| FAA |
- Approved application for 280’.
- Relocated turbine 600’ and received Notice of Potential Hazard. Airport had
meanwhile amended planning to add another runway. Choices: 1) shorten to
107’, 2) relocate 300’ away, or 3) request further review (“Circ”).
- Approved new location at height of 295’, after two (2) months.
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| BUY AMERICAN |
- Unless,
- if the item is not made in USA,
- if U.S.-made would increase
project costs more than 25%,
- if Buy American would be inconsistent with
the public interest
- Or, “Substantial Transformation” (Yes to either 1, 2, or 3)
- Made and assembled in U.S.? – No
- Change of character? – No
- Were U.S. processes complex and meaningful? – Yes
- Substantial amount of time? – Yes
- Costly? – Yes
- Require high-level skills? – Yes
- Require a number of different operations? – Yes
- Substantial value added? – Yes
- Approved Substantial Transformation
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| ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT |
- Noise, flicker, visibility: all okay
- Indiana bats: new USFWS regulation requiring 1000’ from woodlot (ours is
750’); approved
- Historical Impact: turbine in city with (4,000) pre-1950 buildings; approved
- EA approved after eight (8) months preparation
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