Wind energy study details Tazewell County impact

By CHARLES OWENS

TAZEWELL, Va. — A proposed wind turbine farm for East River Mountain would provide $9.2 million in new revenue to Tazewell County over a 20 year period, according to the findings of a new wind energy economic impact study.

The study, which was made public Monday through the county’s website, will be discussed in detail at tonight’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at Tazewell Middle School with a wind turbine discussion scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

According to the wind energy study compiled by Sprinsted Inc., sales tax revenue and local employment is expected to be “significant” during the construction phase of the wind turbine farm. However, long-term employment was estimated by the company at only 10 to 15 full-time employees who would be charged with maintaining and monitoring the wind turbines.

The report states that Dominion and BP Energy are planning a $200 million project that will consist of approximately 30 to 40 wind turbines that will create 150 construction jobs during the construction period and $10 million in new revenue from local products and services.

According to the report, the primary benefits of the wind turbines will come in the form of property tax receipts through taxes collected from the wind turbine farms and their equipment. However, the report also concludes that the revenue — while significant in the early years of the project — will steadily decrease as the assets depreciate.

Members of the Mountain Preservation Association — a local citizens group opposed to the wind turbine farm — are questioning the validity of the report because it was partially funded by Dominion and BP, according to Dr. Teresa Paine, a member of the citizens group.

“We just want to raise awareness and let people know this is a critical issue for Tazewell County,” Paine said Monday — adding that members of the association will address the wind turbine issue during a citizens comment section of the board’s agenda tonight. “There are other companies waiting in the wings to find out whether we are going to allow Dominion and BP to do this. We want people to realize this isn’t just about East River Mountain. It’s about the entire county. Every ridgeline in our county is under threat right now. Not just East River Mountain. It’s starting with East River Mountain, but this issue is a county wide issue. East River Mountain doesn’t stop at the state line. It moves into West Virginia and all the way down to Rich Creek.”

Opponents of the wind turbine farm argue the project will adversely impact property values and tourism.

The report released Monday provides two scenarios as to how a wind turbine farm on East River Mountain could negatively impact tourism and property values. In the first scenario, it predicts that any possible negative tourism impacts would offset the project benefits by approximately $1 million over a 20 year period. That would result in a 11 percent reduction in the expected total benefits of the project, according to the report.

In a second scenario provided by the report — where the negative impacts are doubled — the impact is estimated at 22 percent. If both hypothetical impacts are combined, the project benefits would be reduced from $9.2 million to approximately $7 million, the report said.

The study also includes a hypothetical scenario of a 5 percent impact on residential property values as a result of the wind turbine farm that could lead to a reduction in property tax revenues by $266,000 in the first five years of operation of the wind farm.