Tall turbine issue to come before Logan Township

Logan Township may take another step tonight toward allowing some of the tallest wind turbines in the nation to be built in Chestnut Flats.

The planning commission has recommended supervisors permit Gamesa Energy USA to build 335-foot tower turbines. To do that, Gamesa will need supervisors' permission because under township ordinance, a wind turbine tower can be up to 270 feet.

That is a typical height and comparable to turbines built on the Blair/Cambria county border.

Supervisors meet at 6 p.m. today at the municipal building, and if they grant Gamesa's request, the township will be a step closer toward permitting construction of turbines that will be visible from downtown Altoona, Mill Run Road, Old Mill Run Road and along Route 36.

The turbines will be slightly shorter than the 345-foot tower turbines built in Scurry County, northeast Texas, regarded as the tallest turbines in the United States. The tallest turbines in the world, with 429-foot towers, are located in Emden, Germany.

Several months ago, Gamesa representatives asked Logan officials to consider permitting taller turbines after supervisors declined to consider allowing turbines to be built outside the township area zoned for wind farms. At that time, supervisors said they were satisfied that the township zone designated enough land for wind development.

At its June 15 meeting, the planning commission concluded that the taller height was acceptable, although members questioned the potential for noise, the impact on the view and maintenance. Those attending said the additional height would not contribute to those issues.

Also at that meeting, Maurice Lawruk of the Altoona Water Authority revealed that the proposed wind turbines, many to be constructed on authority land, will generate $1 million in revenue for the authority.

The planning commission when it met Tuesday also agreed to forward supervisors an engineering report concerning the project with several recommendations. One will allow overhead electric lines from the wind turbines to the substation, rather than requiring those lines to be buried underground. Stephanie Shoenfelt of Keller Engineers told supervisors that would be preferable to avoid disturbing a significant amount of ground.

Other recommendations include allowing gravel access to the site, requiring one access rather than two to the farm and allowing steeper-than-permitted slopes to remain on the site.

These requests will also need to be reviewed and written into a land development plan before construction begins.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.