DRB Approves Hyde Park's First Wind Turbine

by Ben Hogwood

Rick Fearing has wind, and he's going to take full advantage of its
benefits.
Fearing lives on Diggins Hill Road, a remote area of Hyde Park which is
not currently wired for electricity. "It's horribly expensive to bring
power in over the hill" from McKinistry Hill, he said, adding he would
have to destroy over a half mile of land to do so. Instead, Fearing is
going to use both solar power and a wind turbine to power his house.
With the tower being approximately 84 feet high, Fearing first had to
get permission from the Hyde Park Development Review Board to begin the
project. During the initial meeting, on June 1, the board concluded the
visibility of the project may be an issue. With Fearing's property near
the Green River Reservoir, the board was concerned as to whether the
wind turbine would be an eyesore to people on the reservoir.
The meeting recessed until Tuesday, July 6, so the Friends of the Green
River Reservoir could give testimony regarding the visual impact.
At the meeting, Milford Cushman, representing FGRR, displayed simulated
photos of the tower's potential impact on the reservoir viewshed. FGRR
decided if the tower was painted in dark earth tones, there would be no
adverse impact to the view from the lake. "The overall impact of the
turbine is fairly minimal," said Graham Govoni, chair of the Development
Review Board. He said the turbine does not go above the ridgeline of the
surrounding hills and, in fact, Fearing's roof is more visible from the
reservoir than the turbine will be.
Based on that information, the board approved the project with certain
conditions. Fearing must paint the tower in earth tones, as FGRR
suggested. In addition, if Fearing does not use the turbine for one year
he must disassemble it, and if conventional power is ever offered in the
area at a reasonable cost, he must switch over and remove the tower.
Fearing said he needs the wind turbine, in addition to the solar panels,
because the sun isn't a reliable commodity in this area. "If you get
three or four cloudy days, you're not storing power on your battery," he
said. "This area is fairly consistently windy," he said. The combination
of the two will create enough energy to keep the batteries charged and
power his property.
Fearing knows that talking about towers is a scary issue. "You have to
think about what's good for you and what's good for the community," he
said.
While the tower may have limited impact on the surrounding views, the
impact on Fearing's wallet is a different matter. He said the tower and
solar panel units will cost a combined $25,000, but still costs less
than bringing power over from McKinistry Hill and, apart from having to
buy a new battery every now and again, it is a one-time payment.
Vermont Solar Works will begin construction on the project in
approximately two weeks, and estimates it will be complete two weeks
after that.
"I'm thrilled about it," said Fearing