Rumford Whitecap wind power hearing and public comment opportunity

Dear BOC Friends. A somewhat lengthy but important item for those of you who frequent Rumford Whitecap:

Roxwind LLC has submitted a Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit application for the Roxwind Project located in Roxbury, Maine on North Twin Mountain. The project would produce 15.2 Megawatts (MW) of power and includes access roads and overhead and underground collection lines.  Because the project would be within plain view of the summit of Whitecap Mountain, and because Mahoosuc Land Trust (MLT) has made significant investments in conserving the mountain and ensuring public access, we feel it is important to give you information about the project.

See below for another industrial wind project that could happen very close to the wonderful hiking trails of Rumforrd Whitecap. If you cannot make the hearing January 7, please send email comments as indicated in following. We need to reach out to protect all our wounderful mountain as well as protect our recreational economy. Betsey

The proposed project would consist of four GE 3.8 KWh turbines, each 492 feet tall (as stated in Roxwind’s application), approximately 83 feet taller than the existing Record Hill towers in Roxbury to the north, and approximately 1 mile closer to Whitecap.  The closest of these towers is only 2.4 miles from the summit of Whitecap and it is possible that some of the west facing clearings would be visible from Whitecap. The towers would be highly visible. The closest Record Hill tower, visible from Whitecap, is 4.6 miles distant. The towers on Spruce Mountain, distantly visible from Whitecap, are more than 8 miles away.

The power generated would be fed into existing Central Maine Power lines at the base of the mountain.  Access to the towers would be south from Rte. 120 on Horseshoe Valley Road. To build the project, 1.7 miles of road and crane road, 24 to 36 feet wide, and 4 pad areas approximately 1 to 2 acres in size would be cut from the forest.  The total project is estimated to require clearing of 16.9 to 18.4 acres. Following completion of the project, all except 3.5 acres would be re-vegetated. The DEP’s consultant who reviewed RoxWind’s proposal concluded that the application did not adequately consider the visual effects of clearing and grading, as seen from Whitecap.

An independent study prepared for the DEP by LandWorks also questions whether the proposed new towers would detract from the scenic value and the enjoyment of the thousands of people who hike Whitecap.  The new towers would be approximately centered in the existing view to the northeast between Black Mountain and the Record Hill turbines and, including the visible Spruce Mountain turbines, would affect approximately 120 degrees of the vista from the summit of Whitecap.  

The Scenic Resource Impact Assessment prepared by Landworks to review Roxwind’s Visual Impact Assessment concluded that “there is insufficient analysis of the potential impacts of the project to users of the Whitecap Mountain scenic resource”; and that “there is insufficient analysis of the cumulative impact posed by the addition of this project to the overall panorama of the summit vista on Whitecap Mountain.”  The Landworks report RoxWind’s application and related materials can be seen at www.maine.gov/dep/land/projects/roxwind.

The State of Maine invested $243,000 from LMF funds toward the original $750,000 purchase of Whitecap to preserve these views and the enjoyable hiking experience for the public.  While MLT has not taken a position in opposition to the project and is mindful of the importance of non-fossil fuel energy sources, the MLT board of directors urges its members, supporters, and the public to learn about the project and provide input to the DEP.

Public input may be provided by:

1.  Attending the public hearing Monday, January 7, 2019 in Roxbury; or

2.  Sending written comments via mail to: Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Erle Townsend, 17 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0017 or via e-mail to Erle.Townsend@maine.gov.                                                                                                                              

The preserve lands at Rumford Whitecap Mountain Preserve have been acquired by Mahoosuc Land Trust over 11 years with the help of hundreds of individual donors and public and private grants, in three separate purchases which total over 1100 acres.  An active group of volunteers works hard to maintain the recreational access enjoyed by the public for decades. MLT believes it is critical for all who care for the mountain to stay informed about possible impacts to public values and to make their opinions heard.