Scout Clean Energy confirmed Friday, June 28, that a construction trailer has been delivered to a location off Carroll County Road 905, south of Green Forest, in preparation for construction on the company’s planned “Nimbus Project.”
Scout, based in Boulder, Colo., plans to construct an industrial “wind farm” southeast of Green Forest, comprising wind turbines standing several hundred feet tall. The company plans for the project to expand over approximately 9,000 acres — about 14 square miles — in Carroll County, much of it along County Road 905. Scout says the project could generate up to 180 megawatts of electricity at peak demand — enough, the company says, to power almost 30,000 homes. Scout says it has signed lease agreements with more than 50 landowners to place wind turbines on their property. The company estimates that the 30-year project will generate more than $14 million in lease payments and $25 million in tax revenue for the county.
The planned project has drawn vigorous opposition from opponents who say it will be harmful to wildlife, have adverse health effects and pose a potential safety risk for humans and potentially cause significant damage to county roads, along with disturbing the natural beauty of the area and having a negative effect on tourism. Opponents of the project also say Scout’s ownership can be traced to Chinese interests.
The Nimbus project has been the topic of spirited public comments at Carroll County Quorum Court meetings for more than a year but the court has consistently voted down any legislation aimed at regulating the project or establishing any oversight process for similar large-scale industrial projects.
A Scout spokesman described the delivery of the construction trailer as “a significant milestone” in the project. The spokesman said the company has leased the land where the construction office will be located and that the landowner has voluntarily agreed to host the laydown yard and construction trailer.
The laydown yard hosting the construction trailer will be the central hub for coordinating the delivery and construction of the project, the Scout spokesman said.
