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The Caledonian-Record Online Edition   ·   Thursday August 7, 2003
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Illuzzi Urges Moratorium On Wind Turbines



By JEANNE MILES, Staff Writer
NORTHEAST KINGDOM, VT - Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, R-Essex-Orleans, strongly supports renewable energy.

He even has his own personal wind turbine, which he says runs "flawlessly." But his 30-foot windmill pales compared to the three large commercial wind projects planned for the Northeast Kingdom.

"These are massive projects," Illuzzi said Wednesday. "They are highly visible and literally in people's back yards."

For that reason, Illuzzi would like to see a temporary moratorium on the construction of these farms. He believes the state needs time to come up with a policy which is well thought out. He also wants to make sure everyone gets a chance to participate in developing such a policy.

Part of that policy should be a change in the permitting process, Illuzzi said. As it stands now, the three members of the Public Service Board make the final decision on who gets a permit to erect these turbines.

Illuzzi said the PSB is too insulated and too sympathetic when it comes to investor-owned utilities. He said the board is appointed and legislators are elected, which make the latter more accountable to the public. It should be the elected officials who set the policy.

Illuzzi believes it is possible to come up with a policy by the end of next year's legislative session. Until then, no permits should be issued, he said.

Of the four major wind projects planned for the state, three are located in the Northeast Kingdom. This has a number of people asking why here.

Illuzzi said he thinks he knows why: "Because it is the most rural part of the state and developers would face the least amount of objection."

Mathew Rubin, manager of East Haven Wind Farm, plans to erect turbines on East Mountain and on land owned by Essex Timber Company. If the project is completed as planned, it will be the largest wind farm in the Northeast.

Another large project is planned for Lowell by EnXco, a developer of wind power based in California, along with the Vermont Public Power Supply Authority and Vermont Environmental Research Associates of Waterbury.

EnXco also wants to place two temporary towers on top of Umpire and Kirby mountains, which are located in the Victory State Forest.

Rep. Cola Hudson, R-Lyndon, said there will be no activity at the Kirby site until the state amends the long-range management plan for state lands. This will take some time and public hearings will take place. Hudson said he had not considered a moratorium on wind development but the state does need a policy which should involve the public.

"We need a good up-front discussion," Hudson said.

Illuzzi made his thoughts known about a moratorium on wind development during a press conference Monday morning in Colchester. The press conference was called by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group to announce its goal for Vermont to get 20 percent of its energy from renewable resources by the year 2020 -- a goal Illuzzi supports. It was not about just wind, Illuzzi said.

"The question came up and I answered it," he said.

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