The 3GW Chokecherry Sierra Madre wind farm in Wyoming has cleared a major regulatory hurdle after the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued an environmental assessment for a 500-turbine first phase.
Developer Power Company of Wyoming (PCW) proposes to build the $5bn, 1000-turbine project on a mix of private and public land in Carbon County, including federal land administered by the BLM.
BLM also released a draft finding of no new significant impact. Is said it does not intend to issue a right of way grant for turbine development until the US Fish and Wildlife Service issues a letter of concurrence on the eagle conservation plan.
A public review and comment period runs through 8 April and information meetings are scheduled for 28 and 29 March.
The project is expected to create 1000 construction jobs, more than 100 permanent operations and maintenance positions and generate more than $300m in property tax revenue during construction and over its first 20 years of operation.
PCW is also developing an avian protection plan and eagle conservation plan. The developer has applied for an “eagle take permit”.
The developer plans to install 229 turbines in 2019 and 271 turbines in 2020 and has been collecting wind data since 2007 at the 220,000-acre site in south-central Wyoming which is part of a ranch owned and operated by an affiliate company.
The project wil export electricity about 800 miles to the Desert Southwest market composed of California, Arizona and Nevada.
PCW is owned by the Anschutz Corporation, a Denver-based privately held company.
Image: MorgueFile
3GW Wyoming giant edges closer
Environmental assessment issued for Chokecherry Sierra Madre project
By EBS