Published: June 12, 2009 08:50 pm      

Windmill debate goes round and round

TAZEWELL, Va. — The fate of a proposed wind turbine project for East River Mountain is now back in the hands of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors.

After several weeks of review by members of the county’s Planning Commission, the commission voted 3-2 Thursday to forward a proposed ridgeline protection ordinance back to the supervisors.

David Anderson, chairman of the supervisors, said he learned Friday from Tommy Childress, chairman of the planning commission, that the ridgeline protection ordinance was being referred back to the supervisors with several changes.

“They are sending it back to the Board of Supervisors,” Anderson said. “They said they did everything they could do with it. There were a lot of changes made from the original version. I haven’t seen the final version yet, but I do know it passed (the planning commission) 3-2.”

Anderson said the supervisors will have to schedule another public hearing on the ridgeline ordnance if the changes recommended by the planning commission are accepted by the full board. The supervisors meet again on Tuesday, June 30, to approve the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget.

Anderson said he didn’t know if the public hearing will be advertised on June 30 because his fellow board members are still awaiting the completion of a wind-energy economic impact study that Anderson opposed. Anderson voted against the study because it is being partially funded by Dominion and BP Wind Energy North America — the developers of the proposed wind turbine project for East River Mountain.

“I don’t see how you can get an unbiased study,” Anderson said. “I know the other board members want to get the information back from the study. I remember the motion. It (the wind study) was supposed to be completed within 60 days. It’s already been a good 30 days, so there should be an update on the 30th.”

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

However, the ridgeline protection ordinance — if adopted by the supervisors — could restrict the development of tall structures along certain protected ridges, including East River Mountain and Burke’s Garden.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com