PDA

View Full Version : goodbye Rausch Creek



Sudz
12-27-2009, 05:43 PM
http://www.republicanherald.com/news/residents-company-talk-wind-turbine-plans-for-rausch-creek-1.490955



Residents, company talk wind turbine plans for Rausch Creek
By Vicki Terwilliger (Staff writer vicki-t@citizenstandard.com)
Published: December 16, 2009

TOWER CITY - Being a lifelong resident of Reinerton for 77 years, Joseph A. Denkowicz came out to see what he called some "homegrown" opportunities.

Denkowicz was among the 50 people who attended Tuesday's informational open house for BP Wind Energy's proposed Rausch Creek Wind Farm held at Williams Valley High School.

A similar meeting will be held this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria at Tri-Valley High School in Hegins.

Those attending Tuesday's meeting had an opportunity to ask developers questions, see visual simulations of wind turbines, view maps and obtain reading materials outlining the project. On hand were Mike McCoy, BP Wind Energy's project manager; John Anderson, BP Environmental manager for the eastern U.S.; Hank Seltzer, BP environmental specialist; Ted Leisenring, coal mining consultant; Drew Silverman, meteorologist; and Mark Dypiangco, BP business developer.

Size and location

The project development area for the wind farm is within Schuylkill County on land leased from Rausch Creek Land LP. It would be located on approximately 2,000 acres south of Route 25, north of Route 209 and west of Interstate 81. It would include land in Hegins, Porter, Tremont and Frailey townships, and would be within Tri-Valley, Williams Valley and Pine Grove Area school districts.

The wind farm is expected to employ more than 200 workers at the peak of construction. Once the facility would be fully operation, it would employ a full-time staff of four or five people who would monitor and maintain the equipment.

According to literature provided by the company, the wind farm would use 50 to 60 wind turbines with a height of approximately 262 feet and rotor diameters of up to 328 feet. Most of the proposed areas for the wind turbines are in an area already zoned conservation/mining, McCoy said. Wind farms are an approved use in that zone. There are about seven turbines that are not within that zoned region, and a variance would be sought.

'Homegrown' energy

If operational by the target date of 2012, the Rausch Creek Wind Farm would generate enough emission-free electricity to power up to 45,000 average American homes.

That part of the project appealed to Denkowicz.

"I'm very interested in wind turbines, so we don't have to depend on foreign oil over there," said Denkowicz, a tree surgeon by trade. "I think this is an American shot in the arm. This (wind) is homegrown material," he said, adding he likes using coal, too.

One question Denkowicz did have was about what the company would do if the steel turbine towers themselves deteriorated. McCoy explained that the turbines are manufactured and treated to prevent erosion, and there is ongoing maintenance.

Noise and wildlife

Another resident, Robert Hohman, Keffers, also attended. Hohman, who formerly worked for General Electric Co. in Allentown, said he remembered seeing small, torpedo-type windmills in Nevada about 14 years ago during his travels.

"I came here because I just wanted to see what it's all about," he said. "It's been presented favorably, and there were men here to answer your questions ... I think we should all stand by and wait and see," Hohman said of the residential benefit potential.

Hohman said he had concerns about if there were any batteries involved with the turbines and the noise level generated. The company said there were no batteries. It also said while the noise level of a wind turbine from 1,000 feet was between 40 and 50 decibels - a vacuum cleaner is 70 decibels - the sound from a modern wind farm from 1,000 feet is similar to a kitchen refrigerator.

McCoy said BP has hosted informational open houses wherever a project is planned, and it has been the best way to maintain contact with the public.

"Most people want to know about the project location, the number of turbines and construction schedules. They also typically have questions about wildlife studies for birds and bats," McCoy said.

For more than a year already, studies have been conducted at the Rausch Creek site on birds, bats, wetlands and subsidence monitoring, and those studies are ongoing. McCoy hopes the Schuylkill project can begin seeking permits this coming summer.

BP has a wind farm project in Wyoming County, where permitting is nearly completed. That facility should be operational by 2011, McCoy said. The Rausch Creek Wind Farm would be BP's second in Pennsylvania, with seven wind farms already operating across the nation.

Sudz
12-27-2009, 06:36 PM
i hope i'm wrong

this explains why they clear cut half the park a few years ago and moved the entrance 3/4 of a mile away

some of the nicest wooded trail sections of the park (West Property) are now barren :smt010

so let me get this straight, it's OK to clear cut a forest to erect windmills - I wonder who BP paid off

ATL ZJ
12-27-2009, 06:54 PM
Are you sure that this will interfere with the Rausch trails? Or are you just upset about the trees being cut down? I don't think the new Ultra 4 racing series would have scheduled one of its IEC events at the park in May 2010 if it was in any danger of being shut down.

Coal Creek OHV in TN (Windrock) is partially a wind farm and it does not interfere with the trails there. In fact I think it helps ensure the trails will be there for the long-term because it provides revenue far beyond the day use fees that wheelers pay.

SirFuego
12-27-2009, 08:41 PM
Are you sure that this will interfere with the Rausch trails? Or are you just upset about the trees being cut down? I don't think the new Ultra 4 racing series would have scheduled one of its IEC events at the park in May 2010 if it was in any danger of being shut down.
I was thinking the same thing. From my understanding, there is a significant amount of "Rausch Creek" land that has no trails on it.

Who owns Rausch Creek? I can't remember when or where I heard this from, but I thought the land owner loved off-roading?

slim616
12-27-2009, 08:43 PM
Probably what will happen is as the wind mills are being built we won't be able to ride on that side of the property. But once they are finished I don't see why they would continue to keep the trail closed. At least with the wind mills they won't be able to use the land for anything else.

slim616
12-27-2009, 11:24 PM
Okay this is from bruce who runs R.C.

Everyone slow downhttp://marylandcreepers.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

At some point there maybe wind mills across the land but we have known about this for some time. We have had a wind tower sensor up on our land for over a year now doing studies. We have been staying in the loop on the who, what and why’s of the wind mills.

TRUST me we not closing because of the wind mills. The one thing that may happen is some tweaking of the trail markings and redoing the map for the changes.

There are plus sides to this project also. There will be a road that will run from the south property to the office area. Wind mill farms need a minimum 25 year lease so that is real good for us because we are part of the plan for that land.

I can’t get into a ton of details but trust me please we are in the loop and when things move forward we will keep everyone in the loop.

Did I say we are not closing so stop this rumor PLEASE before the “spin” gets put on this scare.

Later
Bruce
http://marylandcreepers.com/images/buttons/quote.gif (http://marylandcreepers.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=21698)

SirFuego
12-27-2009, 11:36 PM
That's great news. Go wind power!

Sudz
12-28-2009, 02:09 PM
Are you sure that this will interfere with the Rausch trails?

it already has - have you ever been to RC? - the west property had some of the coolest trails i've been on - now it's clear cut :smt010

Sudz
12-28-2009, 02:16 PM
Okay this is from bruce who runs R.C.

Everyone slow downhttp://marylandcreepers.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

At some point there maybe wind mills across the land but we have known about this for some time. We have had a wind tower sensor up on our land for over a year now doing studies. We have been staying in the loop on the who, what and why’s of the wind mills.

TRUST me we not closing because of the wind mills. The one thing that may happen is some tweaking of the trail markings and redoing the map for the changes.

There are plus sides to this project also. There will be a road that will run from the south property to the office area. Wind mill farms need a minimum 25 year lease so that is real good for us because we are part of the plan for that land.

I can’t get into a ton of details but trust me please we are in the loop and when things move forward we will keep everyone in the loop.

Did I say we are not closing so stop this rumor PLEASE before the “spin” gets put on this scare.

Later
Bruce

i posted the link & news article on the RC forum just before i posted here - i haven't gone back to read the comments cuz i figured there would be a lynch mob looking for me by now :punish:

:smt080

ATL ZJ
12-28-2009, 02:52 PM
it already has - have you ever been to RC? - the west property had some of the coolest trails i've been on - now it's clear cut :smt010

I haven't been yet, but all the pics and video I saw from the RCQ of Rausch's wide open area looked pretty cool. Not sure if that is the west side but I am ASSuming it might be. Places where you can really open a rig up on the east coast are extremely rare. If anything, having a wider variety of terrain has raised the park's overall value because it can be used for racing now too. It didn't look like there was a shortage of rock trails either! Correct me if I'm wrong though.

Sudz
12-28-2009, 03:14 PM
the RCQ is held in the comp course and surrounding area - no where near the west property - the west prop is situated in a valley where rock creek is located

moot point at this stage of the game

maps: http://rc4x4.org/sis/maps.php

ATL ZJ
12-28-2009, 03:30 PM
the RCQ is held in the comp course and surrounding area - no where near the west property - the west prop is situated in a valley where rock creek is located

moot point at this stage of the game

maps: http://rc4x4.org/sis/maps.php

http://gallery.lhsw.com/albums/koh_rcq_2009/DSC04117.jpg

http://gallery.lhsw.com/albums/koh_rcq_2009/DSC04118.jpg

Sudz
12-30-2009, 08:14 PM
those look official http://dnbforum.com/images/smilies/new_rolleyes.gif

can you make me a set for 2010?



http://gallery.lhsw.com/albums/koh_rcq_2009/DSC04117.jpg

http://gallery.lhsw.com/albums/koh_rcq_2009/DSC04118.jpg

ATL ZJ
12-30-2009, 09:03 PM
Are you accusing me of drawing those? :smt037 I'm flattered, but not that artistic.

I got sucked into the RCQ coverage because endurance racing is so addicting.... thought I remembered the west property being used, and apparently it was. I'm no expert but I'm not one to spread misinformation either.

SirFuego
12-31-2009, 12:09 AM
The West property had to be used for the RCQ because it went through Rock Creek...

There is actually a good amount of footage on the RCQ video showing the action on Rock Creek...