SEARSBURG- The Deerfield Wind Project was handed a setback when two state agencies weighed in on the recent U.S. Forest Service draft Environmental Impact Statement. As a result, the project now faces greater scrutiny in the application process for a certificate of public good.

Last week, the Agency of Natural Resources announced they did not support Iberdrola Renewables’ efforts to build 17 wind turbines on Green Mountain National Forest land. They were concerned it would significantly impact bear habitat on the proposed site. Iberdrola Renewables, formerly known as PPM Energy, is seeking to build 17 windmills on two ridgelines in Searsburg and Readsboro. If approved, the windmills would provide 34 MW of electricity to 14,000-16,000 homes.

John Austin, Vermont Fish & Wildlife director of wildlife, said the ANR is concerned with a host of issues. They range from wildlife to forest fragmentation and potential impact on bear habitat, with the latter being the most critical. Austin said there is significant bear habitat on the western side of the ridge. The ANR believes that area should be off limits and proposes that development only occur on the eastern ridge, where the impact would be far less. Austin said there are significant numbers of beech trees along the western ridge. Austin added there is a direct correlation between the number of beech trees and the reproductive success of female bears. If the number of trees decreases, cub production also decreases.

“This project will run straight through the middle of the highest concentrations of American beech trees that bears currently use,” said Austin.

The suggested alternative is quarter-mile buffer zones around high concentration areas. Austin said the ANR could go into mitigation with the Deerfield Wind Project but the area in question is difficult to replace. “Given the nature of the habitat, it would take an outstanding mitigation offer,” said Austin.

Kristi Ponozzo, public affairs officer for Green Mountain and Finger Lakes national forests, said the U.S. Forest Service is aware of the ANR’s position. As for the ANR’s conclusions, Ponozzo believes studies are still inconclusive. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the scientific community as to how exactly this is going to affect bear habitat,” said Ponozzo. She added that the Forest Service has consulted with several scientists around the region since 2004 and they maintain the Deerfield Wind Project is consistent with the U.S. Forest Service’s plan. “We’ve been working extensively with the ANR on this project,” said Ponozzo. “We’re very respectful of their view on this.”

Austin, on the other hand, said the western ridge has long been an important area for black bear habitat. The Deerfield Wind Project is willing to discuss options for mitigation but he still questions whether it can be mitigated. “It would entail a lot of habitat, which is not easy to conserve and not easy to do. It speaks volumes for careful and thoughtful selections of sites,” said Austin.

On Tuesday, the Deerfield Wind Project suffered another setback, this time with the application process. The Public Service Board granted a request to suspend hearings to allow concerned parties more time to review documents by the project’s attorney, Dick Saudek. At the start of PSB hearings on Monday, a motion to suspend hearings was filed by Save Vermont Ridgelines Inc.; Industrial Wind Action Group Inc.; Thomas Shea, of Searsburg; Duncan Cable TV; and Cliff and Diana Duncan, of Wilmington. The intervening parties believe Saudek and the Deerfield Wind Project were responsible for “a gross abuse of process during discovery procedures.” Cliff Duncan said the group received so much information late Friday afternoon that they had no time to examine the contents. What alarmed the group in particular was that some of the documents were two months old. “Why did they have to wait until 4:45 on Friday afternoon before the hearing started on Monday, when (the documents) were already two months old?” asked Duncan. “Most of us believe it was an abuse of the process.”

Duncan said he, Diana, and his company, Duncan Cable, intervened after learning that other communities lost their regional broadcast television as a result of wind turbine placement. The Duncan Cable network operation is east of Wilmington and if the windmills were to be placed along the Searsburg-Readsboro ridgelines, interference would result. “I am very concerned about the financial costs of this to my ratepayers,” said Duncan. “If we have to go through all the trouble and expense that require us to get our signals from some other ways, I’m not sure how we do that.”

The PSB hearings are now postponed until December 1. Saudek thinks the delay will not have any effect on the Deerfield Wind Project. Instead it will only slow the process down. He explained that the PSB decision was commonplace. “There’s always the likelihood there will be changes and they result in delay,” said Saudek. “It’s a postponement due to the discovery process.”

As for Duncan, the postponement was a small victory for the intervening parties, including those who subscribe to his service. “The PSB agreed the ratepayers for cable service in this region deserve to understand what the effects of this are before it happens. The board agreed (with us).”