Wind farm forums set

By Dan MacArthur
North Forty News

Three public open houses are scheduled this month to provide information about Colorado State University's wind farm proposed for the Maxwell Ranch.

The forums are set for Jan. 13 at the Livermore Community Hall, Jan. 14 at the Ault VFW Hall and Jan. 15 at Rice Elementary School in Wellington.

Each is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. The meetings will be in an open house format and may include a short presentation about the project by some of the project participants

Fact sheets and comment forms will be available and information boards on display. The displays will include an overview of the project, maps of the area, and information on wind farms including engineering, construction, siting and environmental considerations. They also will address transmission lines and Larimer County's 1041 permitting process.

Landowners bordering the Maxwell Ranch should receive a mailing informing them of the meetings. Additional public meetings will be held if a formal application for the proposed project is submitted.

CSU proposes to erect at least 100 electricity-generating wind turbines on the university's 9,000-acre Maxwell Ranch and another 2,000 acres of adjoining lands some 25 miles northwest of Fort Collins. The wind farm is projected to be operational within two years.

The "Green Power Project" is aimed at providing clean, renewable energy meeting all of CSU's needs while serving as an outdoor laboratory.

The wind farm also would generate millions of dollars to support the university through the sale of excess electricity not required for its own uses. The Green Power Project would generate enough electricity beyond CSU's demand to serve more than 70,000 homes, according to the university.