Published: March 08, 2009 08:57 pm      

Supervisors seek neutral input on wind energy

TAZEWELL, Va. — Tazewell County officials are seeking an independent study on wind energy.

The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority has agreed to complete an economic analysis on wind energy at no cost to the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, according to board chairman David Anderson.

“We are not trying to study this to death, or prolong it,” Anderson said of a decision on the wind turbine project proposed for East River Mountain. “The critical thing is to get an unbiased study, and a neutral study.”

Anderson said the supervisors will seek input from a steering committee that is working to finalized a proposed ridgeline protection ordinance before launching the independent study. Anderson said the study shouldn’t take very long to be completed.

“We are going to get answers from the steering committee on what they want studied, and what they want looked at,” Anderson said. “We want to get input from the steering committee before doing the study. There has been a lot of questions, and we just want to make sure we get an unbiased study.”

Anderson said VCEDA will select the agency or institution to conduct the wind analysis study. He said Virginia Tech, or other regional institutions, could be selected to complete the study.

The proposed ridgeline protection ordinance — if adopted by the board — could restrict the development of tall structures on certain protected mountain ridges, including East River Mountain and Burkes Garden.

Dominion and BP Wind Energy North America Inc. have purchased 2,560 acres of land in Tazewell County. The two companies are hoping to have wind turbines operational on East River Mountain as early as 2012.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com