Green Mountain Power today announced in a statement that the latest sound monitoring report finds Kingdom Community Wind on Lowell Mountain continues to meet the standards set by state regulators. The report is part of an ongoing comprehensive compliance monitoring program and the results are filed with the Vermont Public Service Board.
“We are so pleased to share this information with Vermonters,” said Dorothy Schnure, GMP’s spokesperson. “Kingdom Community Wind is important for our customers because it provides reliable power at a stable price and we are committed to operating this facility in a manner that is consistent with regulatory standards.”
Lowell wind turbines in 2013. vtdigger.org photo.
The testing was conducted at four separate locations near the wind project. The 150-page document reports on 1,357 hours of data collected from May 22 to June 12, 2014. Sound levels at all four monitoring stations were below levels set by regulators for the project.
“I’m glad to hear that Kingdom Community Wind continues to meet state sound standards and I’m pleased that GMP continues to monitor this project carefully,” said Marie Harm, a Lowell resident who lives in close proximity to Kingdom Community Wind. “During the summer months, I’m often outside with my animals and I hardly ever notice the sound of the turbines.”
In addition to sound monitoring, GMP continues to test the water quality of streams near the project. The most recent annual report on this testing shows that Kingdom Community Wind is meeting Vermont’s strict Water Quality Standards. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. reported on extensive monitoring of streams in the vicinity of the Project in 2013, and found no evidence of water quality impacts due to the construction & operation of Kingdom Community Wind.
In summary, the report concluded: “The project streams at KCW project site show no indication of water quality impacts due to the construction and operation of the KCW project.”
For the second summer, GMP has offered public tours of KCW allowing Vermonters and out-of-state visitors alike to experience a working wind operation. So far this year, more than 1,000 people have visited the site including area schools, and people from all over New England and other parts of the country. Not only are these tours an exciting and one-of-a-kind experience for visitors, they are also a boon for the local economy. The tours have boosted business for Cajun’s Snackbar, a restaurant that experiences a noticeable increase in customers on tour days.
Jason Boutin, who owns Cajun’s Snackbar, said, “I look forward to Kingdom Community tour days because I know we will have a strong lunch crowd, which helps the restaurant and helps the Northeast Kingdom.”
Source: GMP 8.14.2014