How will the planning proceed?
Power Company of Wyoming LLC has and continues to collect wind data for use in siting the wind turbines to make the best use of the project area’s high-quality wind resources. Using meteorological towers, PCW has gathered wind data since June 2007. In addition, engineers have completed preliminary studies regarding the constructability of preferred wind turbine sites.
Since the project is partially located on federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, PCW has applied for rights-of-way. The BLM is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The BLM is the lead federal agency responsible for preparing the EIS in coordination with other state and local government agencies. (To learn more about the NEPA process, check out A Citizen's Guide to the NEPA (PDF).)
In addition to the EIS, PCW also will obtain other necessary state and local permits. Once the necessary rights-of-way and permits are obtained, construction of the project and commissioning of the wind turbines will occur in a phased approach over multiple years.
EIS/Development Timeline Summary
| November 2006 | Rights-of-way applications filed with BLM for wind energy site testing and monitoring in the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre areas. |
| June 2007 | BLM issued rights-of-way grants, and the initial meteorological towers were erected. |
| January 2008 | PCW filed rights-of-way application with BLM for wind energy development. BLM and PCW agreed that analyzing the proposed wind energy project in an Environmental Impact Statement was appropriate. |
| July 2008 | BLM published a Federal Register Notice of Intent to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement. |
| August 2008 | BLM conducted public scoping. |
| 2008-2011 | BLM conducting studies and surveys; reviewing and developing alternatives; preparing Draft EIS. |
| July 2011 | BLM published a Federal Register Notice of Availability to announce the Draft EIS. |
| Summer 2012 | Final EIS estimated to be released. |
| Fall 2012 | Record of Decision estimated to be published. |
| 2013 | Construction anticipated to begin; wind project will be built in a sequenced approach over multiple years. |