Scout Clean Energy will construct fewer wind turbines than originally planned as part of its Nimbus Project near Green Forest, a Scout official told the Carroll County Quorum Court on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
“… We’ve kind of consistently talked about no more than 40 turbines on this project,” said Dave Iadarola, project manager for Nimbus. “After a bunch of diligence and looking through design and some of the issues that we’ve had with that, we’ve decided that we are going to reduce that amount from 40 to 30. We will not have any more than 30 turbines on the hill.”
Scout, based in Boulder, Colo., 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 southeast of Green Forest. Scout says the project could generate up to 180 megawatts of electricity at peak demand — enough to power almost 30,000 homes. Scout officials have said the company 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. Opponents of the project also say Scout’s ownership can be traced to Chinese interests.
Iadarola also said the project has received the necessary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. In response to a question from District 3 JP Harrie Farrow, Iadarola said the towers will not all be the same height.
“They are varying heights,” he said. “Because of a concern that the (Department of Defense) about a radar system. So we have four primary locations that are approved at 591 feet. And then, because of how the FAA heights — they do it in 100-foot increments — the other 26 are approved at 698 feet. Our turbines won’t be that tall, but the approval is in 100-foot increments.”
In response to a JP’s question, Iadarola said 26 of the turbines will be 644 feet tall.
Farrow asked Iadarola if it’s possible there might be fewer than 30 turbines.
“Not at this point,” Iadarola answered.
Iadarola said Scout plans to meet with local fire departments regarding an emergency response plan. He also addressed the issue of checks from Scout to the circuit clerk’s office being returned for insufficient funds.
“Scout tried to record several agreements with the (circuit clerk),” Iadarola said. “And our check bounced. The reason for that was we recently switched banks. Because we didn’t have Carroll County as a vendor, they flagged it as fraudulent and they canceled the checks. Once we heard about it, we took care of the issue, paid the county’s fees immediately and then opened an account with the clerk’s office so it doesn’t happen again.”
TENSE EXCHANGE
Although there were no agenda items related to the Nimbus project, the topic continued to be a source of tension between county officials and opponents of the project. During the portion of the meeting designated for public comments, CR 905 resident Carolyn Rogers asked if county officials had any plans to hold a town hall meeting to discuss the potential impact of the Nimbus project on county roads.
“County Road 905 is basically a one-lane road, and when it rains a lot, it’s just a mess out there,” Rogers said. “There are a lot of people who are very concerned out there. We don’t know how many roads are going to be affected. I’ve seen the road haul map, and it’s 48 miles of road. … I think the residents deserve to know how they’re going to be affected. I’ve read other stories in other towns where roads are blocked. They’re rerouted. They’re closed down for weeks at a time. A lot of these construction vehicles go through, and there’s basically one way in and one way out on our road. I want to know what’s going on. So is there any plans from anybody, any county officials, for a town hall meeting?”
County Judge David Writer asked Iadarola if he could respond.
“We plan to have another open house,” Iadarola said. “We haven’t scheduled it yet, but we will be having one.”
“But my question was: Are there any county officials who were planning to have a town hall meeting?” Rogers said.
“I don’t know,” Writer responded.
“What does it take?” Rogers asked.
“You had two town hall meetings with Scout and you guys huddled up in a little bunch and you didn’t ask any questions,” Writer said, referring to opponents of the Nimbus project. “… So, no, I don’t have … anybody could come there, if they were pro-turbine or against the turbines, and ask questions. I asked a few questions. You guys didn’t do much. You should have took that opportunity to ask. As far as the county government, no. We don’t have answers. This doesn’t have anything to do with the county. This does not do with the county. The county has nothing to do with private contracts. All we have to do, and that’s with me is a RUA (road use agreement). OK? Now if he wants to have another town hall meeting, ask questions! Ask him! You sit here, you’re too busy saying: ‘You’re a liar.’ That’s what happens. That’s what happens. The county doesn’t have this information. If they do, if they want it, that’s great. I’ll be there.”
“So you won’t be saying anything about — I mean, these are your county roads,” Rogers said. “Why are we listening to Scout? You don’t have information about it?”
“I do,” Writer answered. “You ought to look at the RUA.”
“I’d rather hear from the county,” Rogers said.
“Well, this is not the place, because this is the JPs’ meeting,” Writer said. “It’s not mine.”
“I made my request known,” Rogers said. “Thank you.”
In response to a question from resident Arturo Calvillo, a landowner who has signed an agreement with Scout and has been vocal in support of the Nimbus project, Writer said CR 905 is “a two-lane road, in most places.”
WILLIAMS RESPONDS
Also during public comments, former county judge Richard Williams responded to comments made by District 1 JP Jack Deaton at the quorum court’s July meeting.
“Mr. Williams sitting back there was a county judge at one time when a company came in here and had interest in putting wind farms in,” Deaton said during JPs’ comments at the July 16 meeting. “That didn’t materialize, so it just kind of went away. But, you know, if there’d been as much time put into it back then as some people are putting into it now fighting these things, it probably wouldn’t be here now.”
At the August meeting, Williams responded.
“Yes, when I was county judge, concerning the wind farm, they did come to me on more than one occasion,” said Williams, who lives on CR 905 and has been an outspoken critic of Scout’s plans.
Studies found that Baxter, Boone and Marion counties all had more wind than Carroll County, Williams said.
“A gentleman from the wind industry and also a professor in that department at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville visited with me,” Williams said. “They told me there is not enough wind here and there will never be wind farms in Carroll County because there is not enough wind velocity. At that point there, why do you worry about getting rid of something that’s not ever supposed to happen?”
‘CRYPTIC LETTERS’
Also during public comments, local resident Bobby Wilson asked for an update on a committee that the quorum court had asked Writer to appoint for the purpose of studying the county’s land-use ordinance making recommendations on potential changes to the ordinance. JPs voted 9-0 at their March meeting to ask Writer to appoint a five-member committee. Wilson also asked about safety date sheets that JP Kellie Matt had requested from Scout.
Wilson, who lives in JP District 4, said he was speaking on behalf of neighbors who were unable to attend the meeting.
District 4 JP Hunter Rivett responded to Wilson’s comments.
“I’m a very open person,” Rivett said. “I’ll talk with anyone. And so I appreciate you talking with your neighbors. But I’ve received no contact from any of them. I have received this week cryptic letters with no return address. I would like to respond, especially given some of the material that was in them, but I can’t.”
Rivett then gave his phone number and mailing address.
“Please, if you send something in the mail, don’t make it cryptic and life-threatening and put a return address, please,” Rivett said.
During JP comments, near the end of the meeting, Rivett suggested that he might schedule a “meet and greet” event in District 4 and he and Wilson agreed to meet and discuss planning an event.
