20050914Comments.pdf

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Jean Jewell
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Tuesday, September 13 20056:09
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WWW Form Submission:
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
5 : 09 : 14
Case: PAC-E-05-09
Name: Gaylen Jensen
Street Address: 980 Westwood Dr.
C i t Y : Rexburg
State: ID
ZIP: 83440
Horne Telephone: [phone]E-Mail: j enseng~byui. eduCompany: UP&L
mailing list _yes _no:
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Comment description: I am excited whenever a renewable energy source is developed! Wind
power makes so much sense; we need to do anything we can to move it along as fast aspossible. The developers of this proj ect having been trying for years to get this proj ectin operation. I have been watching from afar and am disappointed in all the waitinginvol ved. Please move this along! Let's reduce our dependence on foreign energy! Pleasedont let the big energy companies keep the farmers out of the picture. It is a greatcombination for a farmer to get some extra income from their property. Everyone wins.
Transaction ID: 9131709.Referred by: http: I Iwww. puc. state. id. usl scripts/polyform. dIll ipuc
User Address: 157.201.152.147User Hostname: 157.201.152.147
~ .;tvr-=- /JM"f '1/11105- /-r, iTvV 0/ 'l ~~ ,SEP-13-2005 03:27PM FROM-BONNEVILLE COUNTY 208-529-1319 T-944 P,OOl F-705" ,',.:',",""
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Septenlber 13,2005
Idaho P~1blic Utilities Col'1l,mission
Jean Jewell
208-334-3762 Fax
Case #P AC- E-O5-
Dear Idaho Public Utilities CoIl1111ission,
As County Conunissioners we ve been watching the progress of the
Schwendiman sTI'1all wind power prodL~ctiol1 facility with great interest. Our support of
tlle anenlQlneter installation since 2002, the project location, and the fact that the
Schwendiman have been farming in our county for several generations are all positives
for this project. SmalJ wind fanns are important to us as well as the large ones. Clean
alternative energy along withjob creation is important as well.
Thank YOll for yo\.lr consideration as we hope small wind power generation can be
a reality here in Eastern Idaho.
irn1an, Bonneville County Con11nissioners
Sep 12 05 07:19a Power Quest pr . 0 0/"
--11.
(20B J 524 -0402 p. 1
Regarding Case IfP AC..O5-09 Schwendiman wind farm
My Name is Tory Talbot. My Brother Trent and I are 5th generation farmers and own the
property directly East of the proposed Schwendiman wind fann sight. Weare
ADAMA TEL Y OPPOSED to the erecting of the 300 ft. plus tan wind mills. Our
objections are four fold.
First, thes~ wind mills are extremely expensive and it i~ higWy questionabl~ as to whether
or not they will pay for themselves, let alone be profitable. Federal Govermnent Grants
are use to put the wind farms up and if that isn t costly enough, the utility consum~s are
asked to pay any additional costs of power generation. This just adds insult to injury after
oW' Tax Dollars are used to put up these towers, we are then ask to pay a higher price for
any electricity they happen to generate. We urge the commission to consider cost/ben~fit
of these wind farms.
Second, the general public has no Idea the foot runs East of Idaho F aHs will change
forev~r. These 300 ft p1u.~~ tall towers arc far from b~ing unobtrusive. The proposed
Schwendjman wind farm is located on top of ridge appTox. 3 miles East North East of
Iona. One wiIl see these monstrosities for as far away as Shelly. With a11 of the truly
rural land, we question the placement of these unsightly structures so close to and in
plane view of a populated area. Most folks who live here are outdoors enthusiasts and
hold in high regard the beauty of the local landscap~.
Third" the environmental concerns regarding these wind mHls. The rEX CREEK WILD
LIFE MANAGEMENT AREA is on1y about 4 miles Due East of the proposed
Schwendiman wind faun. All the studie.s we have able to find, conclude these wind
fanns to be highly damaging to wild life. The noise, although not apparent directly
around the towers, is very loud farther away and can be herd up to 5 miles away. After
speaking to the head of the IDAHO Fish & Game Dept. we discovered they are adamantly
opposed to these wind farms being place so dose to a wild life refuge.
Forth, These wind farms have a negative effect on land values. Although the property
surrounding the proposed sight is agriculture, it is on the hill side that is plane view from
many towns and cities in the valley. These huge structures are unsightly at best and drive
dowu land values.
We urge th~ commission to take into consideration these points before giving any kind of
approval to Schwendirnan' s proposed wind farm. If we arc going to have these as a
source of electricity, it seams to make sense to put these wind mills in locations where
people are not forced to look out their front doors and see them. It also seams prudcnl to
build fewer numbers of these faJ'ms that have n'J.ore mills in them, thus preventing the
countryside from being littered with srnaller groups of these wind mill~. We feel it
would be in the public s interest to examine these issue in depth before making any
decision. Weare going to do what we cat) to raise pubic awareness of this and lry to urge
relocation of the mills on propo~ed sight sought by Schwediman.
Sep 12 05 07: 19a Power Quest pr ~~~~5'
n~ C)
(20B J 524 -0402 P 4
Regarding Ca~e #P AC-OS.O9 Schwendiman wind farm
My Name is Trent Talbot. My Brother ToQ' and I are 5th generation farmers and own the
property directly East of the proposed Schwcndiman wind farm sight. We are
ADAMATEL Y OPPOSED to the erecting of the 300 ft. plus tall wind mills. Our
objections are four fold.
First, these: wind mills are extremely expensive and it is highly questionable as to whether
or not they will pay for themselve~. let alone be profitable. Federal Goverrunent Grants
are use to put the wind fanns up and if that isn t costly enough, the utility Consumers areasked to pay any additional costs of power generation. This just adds insult to jnjury after
our Tax Dol1ars are used to put up these towers, we are then ask to pay a higher price for
any electricity they happen to generate, We urge the commission to consider costlbenefit
of these wind farms.
Second. the general public has no Idea the foot hills East of Idaho Fans will change
forever. These 300 ft plus, tall towers are far from being unobtru~ive. The proposed
Schwendiman wind farm is located on top of ridge approx. 3 miles East North East of
lon3. On~ wil1 see these monstrosities for as far away as Shelly. With all of the truly
rural land, we question the placement of these unsightly structlU'CS SO close to and in
plane view of a populated are~ Most folks who live here are outdoors enthusiasts and
hold in high regard the beauty of the local landscape.
Third~ the environmentAl concerns regarding these wind mHls. The TEX CREEK WILD
LIFE MANAGEMENT AREA is only about 4 miles Due East of the proposed
Schwendiman wind fmm- AU the studie$we have able to find, conclude these wind
farms to be highly damaging to wild life. The noise, although not apparent directly
around the towers, is very loud farth~r away and can be herd up to 5 miles away. Afterspeaking to the head of the IDAHO Fish & Game Dept. we discovered they arc adaroantly
opposed to these wind fanns being place so dose to a wild life refuge.
Forth, These wind ranDs have a negative effect on land val ues. Although the property
surrounding the proposed sight is agriculture~ it is On the hill side that is plane view from
many towns and citie~ in the valley. These huge structures are unsightly at best and drive
down land valuef.:,
We urge the commission to take into consideration these points before giving any kind of
approval to Schwendiman' s proposed wind farm. If we are going to have these as a
source of electJ:'icity, it seams to make Sense to put these wind mills in locations where
people arc not forced to look out their front doors and see them. It also seams prodent to
build fewer numbers of these fanns that have more mills in them, thu.'t preventing the
COlU'1try~jde f.-om being littered with smaller groups of these wind mills. We fcel itwould be in the public s interest to examine these issue in depth before making any
decision. We are going to do what we can to raise pubic awareness of this and try to urge
relocation of the mills on proposed sight sought by Schwediman.
A. A-
'1Jt~/o~
Ii 10 A ,v~
:, H
September 13, 2005
State of Idaho
Public Utilities Commission
Boise, Idaho 83701
To the Commission:
Re: Case # P AC-E- 05-
Regarding the proposed Schwendiman Wind Farm Project, I wish to register my
objections and concerns as follows:
Location:With the vast amount of wasteland in this state, I question why the
wind farm should be placed in a growing area of residential subdivisions and near
the Tex Creek Wildlife Refuge. It would seem far more plausible to seek an area
that would not devalue the tax base of the county and state.
Profigwilitv:Studies show that wind farms are not cost efficient. Why, then
does the government, state and federal, fund such projects, I believe we need
alternative sources of energy, but they must be cost effective.
Environmental Impact:Placement of the proposed wind farm near populat~d
areas poses many environmental concerns, an environmental impact study has
been made, I hereby request a copy of such,
The Tex Creek Wildlife Refuge was created by the Idaho Fish & Game
Department, Funding for this preserve came ITom the taxpayers of Idaho, To disrupt this
wildlife refuge is a gross waste of state tax dol1ars.
I urge you to reconsider the placement of the wind farm. Surely, there are far
more appropriate locations in the state that would not devalue the land and tax base of this
valley.
Respectfu~ly, ~ 9~UV'
Patricia J. Smith
3106 Springwood Lane
Idaho Falls, ill 83404
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