Wind and airport worry some Kingdom residents

Vermont Business Magazine, Aug 01, 2003 by Hedbor, Eloise Roberts

Tourism is an important part of the economy here "but not everything," said Darcie McCann, executive director, Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce.

"I think it is wonderful to be in a region that has every modern technology that still has such natural beauty."

But some technology is causing vigorous discussion among area residents.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation has proposed improving the fighting at the Caledonia County State Airport on Pudding Hill, so that is could more safely and consistently serve general aviation. The lighting at the Caledonia County Airport is considered to be inadequate for night landings, which gives the airport limited commercial usefulness, according to Tom Winans, state airport inspector and airport manager.

The project, which has drawn the ire from some neighbors, would include an upgrade of runway lighting, a rotating light beacon on a 70-foot tower and several red hazard lights on top of three hills northwest of the runway.

"As an economic development official, I know that having a general aviation airport in the region is very important," said McCann, who lives nearby. Winans has suggested that if airport lighting were up to FAA standards, companies like United Parcel Service might establish a route in Caledonia County.

In fact, some of the upgrade sounds pretty minor. The runway is marked by a series of 25-watt bulbs. The project would replace these with 30-watt bulbs. But it's the beacon that has drawn the most ire from Pudding Hill neighbors. They are claiming the proposed 10-inch 175-watt rotating beacon, as well as the offairport hazard lights, will damage property values and interfere with the rural nature of the area.

Support for the project comes from pilots and those concerned with economic development. McCann, who lives near the end of the runway and well within the sweep of the beacon, said any inconvenience would be outweighed by potential economic development.

The project needs a permit from Lyndon planning and zoning. After a local decision, the project would still be subject to the Act 250 land use process.

Another technological development proposal, this one for energy, is drawing similar opposition from people who say they want to preserve the pristine beauty of the region.

The company, EnXco, a subsidiary of Green Mountain Power Corp, already has a wind farm in Searsburg and has asked the state for permission to test the winds in Victory and is also looking at Lowell and Kirby.

Matthew Rubin is the manager of another group, East Haven Windfarm, that bought East Mountain in East Haven, and hopes to build 50 wind turbines on that mountain as well as East Haven Mountain and Seneca Mountain.

There would be 200-foot high towers spaced 1,200 feet apart, with three-bladed turbines. The $100-million project could significantly increase the tax base of East Haven and Ferdinand, and could produce 75 megawatts of power.

Wind energy specialists believe that the high ridges of the kingdom offer the promise of abundant, clean, renewable power. But opponents, especially the ad hoc "Kingdom Commons Group," counter that "the ridge lines are our commons," as group spokesman and Sutton resident Bill Eddy puts it. It's both size of the commercial wind towers as well as the proposed locations that upsets opponents. Depending on the plan being discussed, the towers would stand at least 220 feet tall, with some of them topping 300 feet. There are complaints about the aesthetics and complaints about the noise.

Kirk Dwyer, headmaster of Burke Mountain Academy and president of the Burke Mountain Ski Area, is among those objecting to towers. According to a recent article in the Caledonia Record, Dwyer has termed wind farms in view of Burke Mountain "visual pollution" that could destroy long-term economic viability of the Burke Mountain Ski Area and forcing him to close or relocated Burke Mountain Academy, a private high school.

On the other hand, the promise of competitively priced power, and the benefits to local landowners (rents) and towns (taxes), make the idea attractive. The coming months will likely see a lot of give and take on these proposals, as Kingdom residents learn more about the proposals.