Granite Mountain Wind Energy Project

[sarah]

Granite Mountain Wind Energy Project

CHECK BACK FOR CONTINUOUS UPDATES!!! If you live in Apple Valley and found this on the search engine, please use the contact form here to get in touch with us and stay informed.

THE BLM NEEDS YOUR COMMENTS BY MAY 5th: eseehafe@blm.gov

OPPOSE THIS PROJECT - SIGN THE PETITION!!

Upcoming Meetings

none yet, stay tuned

NEWS

Apple Valley opposes wind turbines
BROOKE EDWARDS Staff Writer | April 21, 2008 - 4:03PM
APPLE VALLEY — The Apple Valley Town Council is adamantly opposing the 27 wind turbines proposed for Granite Mountain. The council is scheduled to vote Tuesday night, and is expected to recommend the San Bernardino County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors deny the project. Link to article

Bob Sagona and Peter Allan voted against opposing the turbines. Do they not realize this is an election year?
Please town hall and let them know how you feel!! (760) 240-7000 ext. 7800.

Granite Mountain LLC is now shaking in their boots. Granite Mountain LLC thinks the residents of Apple Valley do not oppose it because the public scoping meetings have been ghost towns. If you live in Apple Valley or ANY of the high desert, you need to be participating, or you just might have windmills in your backyard next. There are over 100 projects seeking windmills in OUR desert.

Past Public Meetings

Public Scoping Meeting:
June 10, 2008 at 5:00 PM at the Lucerne Valley Community Center, Hwy 247 Just east of Hwys 18/247 Junction (4-way stop in the middle of town)

Public Scoping Meeting:
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 from 6-8 p.m at the Mojave Mesa Elementary School located at 15552 Wichita, Apple Valley, CA.

Public Scoping Apple Valley #2:
April 29 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Granite Hills High School gymnasium, 22900 Esaws Rd

Public Scoping Apple Valley #1:
Tues, March 18, 2008 from 6-8 p.m. at the Mojave Mesa Elementary School located at 15552 Wichita, Apple Valley, CA.

What is it?

The proposed Granite Mountain Wind Energy Project (Granite Wind Project) would install approximately 27 wind turbines and ancillary electric facilities on approximately 2,640 acres of public and private lands in the Granite Mountains between Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley in San Bernardino County. The project will produce between 62.1 and 81 megawatts of power during normal operation. Granite Wind, LLC has applied for a right-of-way (ROW) from the BLM and the conditional use permit (CUP) from San Bernardino County for the development and operation of the project.

BLM, as lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act and the County of San Bernardino as lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act, will prepare a joint (EIS/EIR to analyze the site-specific impacts of the proposed grant of the ROW and CUP and a proposed amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan.

The NOI initiates the public participation for the EIS and a scoping period of at least 30 days. Scoping meetings will be held and announced through the news media and the BLM’s website (www.ca.blm.gov/barstow). The public comments received in this scoping period will be used to prepare the draft EIS/EIR to be published for full public comment and review.

Comments must be submitted in writing to the BLM’s Barstow Field Office, attention: Environmental Coordinator, BLM, Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, CA 92311, or by fax at 760-252-6099.

Documents pertinent to this proposal will be available for public review on the Barstow website or at the BLM Barstow Field Office during regular business hours of 7:45 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

For further project information contact: Project Manager (760-252-6032) of the Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, California 92311.

What Can I Do?

Attend town hall meetings! (You'd be surprised to see what's going on there!!) Spread the word! Tell your neighbors and friends. Post it on your websites. Call your local media sources:

Daily Press: 760-241-7744
Hesperia Star: 760-956-STAR
K-FROG 103.1: 760-244-2000
The Lucerne Valley Leader: 760.248.7878 Editor: Katherine Rosenberg
Stay informed: BLM Link


More Links

Source: BLM | Meeting details

This BLM link includes a public meetings page which is BLANK!!
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/ene...dprojects.html

I'm getting more info on this ... will post as it comes in.

[flatpoint]

So, does this meen we can still wheel in this area? This, and the proposed expantion of MCAGCC,29 Palms, is freaking me out....

[USMC 0369]

So, does this meen we can still wheel in this area? This, and the proposed expantion of MCAGCC,29 Palms, is freaking me out....

I'm sure Sarah will chase down the info, but if I'm correct, the land would be transferred to the Department of Energy wouldn't it? This is pissing me off!

[sarah]

I'm not sure, but I am sure that I will be at the meeting on the 18th.

[Roger]

Hey guys how do you think I feel living in Lucerne Valley??? I can feel the squeeze from all directions:
East: USMC wanting JV
South: LADWP is proposing a high transmission line along the base of the San Bernardino mts
West: The Ungly wind turbine project (look at I-10 and SR 62)
North Lucerne: Proposed large housing development.

Maybe we'll sell out and move to my wife's family property in Land Fair Valley (homesteaded in 1906)

Oh and I forgot, everyone I talk to in Victorville would like to move to Lucerne Valley.

Man am I getting depressed. . .

[USMC 0369]

Hey guys how do you think I feel living in Lucerne Valley??? I can feel the squeeze from all directions:
East: USMC wanting JV
South: LADWP is proposing a high transmission line along the base of the San Bernardino mts
West: The Ungly wind turbine project (look at I-10 and SR 62)
North Lucerne: Proposed large housing development.

Maybe we'll sell out and move to my wife's family property in Land Fair Valley (homesteaded in 1906)

Oh and I forgot, everyone I talk to in Victorville would like to move to Lucerne Valley.

Man am I getting depressed. . .

TOTALLY HIGHJACKING THIS FOR A MOMENT.

Roger, never notice you lived in Lucerne Valley. I've GOT to ask you this. What in the HELL is up with the Moose in a cage on 247?

[Roger]

TOTALLY HIGHJACKING THIS FOR A MOMENT.

Roger, never notice you lived in Lucerne Valley. I've GOT to ask you this. What in the HELL is up with the Moose in a cage on 247?

I like to think of that moose as being located in West Johnson Valley instead of LV! I have no idea what that is all about. I guess it's too big to mount over their fire place?

[sarah]

That moose rocks! Hope to see some MJR's at the meeting.

[Roger]

I dunno Sarah, I get pretty pissed and uncivil, I may not be the best rep to go....

[Max7]

My Front Yard!

I heard about this a couple months ago and I would like to know if it will effect my view? It is not right that Edison could possibly take public land. Somehow we as "off-roaders" consistently have our lands taken away FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT GREED AND POWER!

[Mitch]

Hey Nick,

What are you smoking - A moose in a cage in Lucerne?

Max, If they mess with your view we WILL take care of them.

[USMC 0369]

Hey Nick,

What are you smoking - A moose in a cage in Lucerne?

Max, If they mess with your view we WILL take care of them.

Dude, you've never seen the Moose?

[Max7]

Dang me!

That moose rocks! Hope to see some MJR's at the meeting.

I would be there in a second, but dang it I will be working until the 19th. I will be writing letters though, any additional help I can give just let me know!

[sarah]

Rick and I went to the town council meeting last night, and they talked about this project. The developers made a presentation and had some maps on an easel, but no handouts. Will it affect our trails? Other than the ridge line, probably not, but I wouldn't rule it out. Are we paying for it in our tax dollars? You bet! Consider this:

A case study of how wind power is dependent on government subsidies and dictates is the Cape Wind project, a proposed wind-turbine complex slated to be built offshore from Cape Cod in Nantucket Sound. That project became notorious because of opposition from ultra-liberal U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, who was not concerned about the cost but didn’t want the view from his yacht infringed upon. David G. Tuerck, executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute, analyzed the pro forma information on the project and noted: “What we found was quite remarkable. Cape Wind stands to receive subsidies worth $731 million, or 77 percent of the cost of installing the project and 48 percent of the revenues it would generate.” This project was given final approval by the State of Massachusetts last March, and is now awaiting other government approvals. Source

How much subsidies do wind power developers get?
At the federal level, the production tax credit and double-declining accelerated depreciation can pay for two-thirds of a wind power project. Additional state incentives, such as guaranteed markets and exemption from property taxes, can pay for another 10%. Source

I'm no expert on this but, so web search has let me to the following resources:
National Wind Watch: What to do if you're targeted
Flyers and Fact Sheets

We need to see everyone at the meeting next week - let's fill that place!!

[Roger]

Sarah,

I think I'm going to attend. I've got a better idea where it is located and I don't like it. I studied the website you linked regarding fighting these projects. They have a lot of good information. Thanks for posting it. See you there and save me a seat!