Champlain Wind/Bowers Mtn.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATON

Champlain Wind, LLC, (a subsidiary of First Wind Maine Holdings, LLC) submitted a permit application (known as the "Bowers Wind Project") to construct a wind energy project of up to 69.1 MW in Carroll Plantation (Penobscot County) and Kossuth Township (Washington County) within the Expedited Area for Wind Energy Development. The portion of the project area within Kossuth Township was added to the Expedited Area by the Commission in an earlier rulemaking that became effective on December 16, 2010. See rule making page for details of the earlier rule making by the Commission in Kossuth.

The Bowers Wind Project would include up to 27 turbines, associated access roads, up to four permanent 80-meter meteorological towers, a 34.5-kilovolt electrical collector system, an electrical collection substation, and an Operations and Maintenance building. The project would be constructed on three ridges in the project area: Bowers Mountain and an unnamed ridge to the south in Carroll Plantation, and Dill Hill in Kossuth Township. The electrical collector line would travel north for approximately 5 miles towards a proposed substation located adjacent to Line 56, an existing transmission corridor owned by First Wind. Champlain Wind's permit application was accepted for processing on March 14, 2011.

The application and other associated documents may be viewed by following the links below.

Questions about this matter may be directed to Fred Todd, Project Planner, Fred.Todd@maine.gov, (207) 287-8786.

DECISION

On Friday, April 20, 2012, at a meeting in Bangor, Maine, the Commission voted to deny this permit application. The basis for the decision can be found in the decision document below.

Event or Document Location Date File(s)
Decision Four Points by Sheraton - 308 Godfrey Blvd., Bangor, ME
April 20, 2012
2 - 4 PM
Decision
Decision: Request for Withdrawal The Waterfront Event Center - 8 Prince St. Lincoln, ME
April 6, 2012

Commission April 6th Agenda
Commission Memo
Procedural Order 15 (PDF)
Procedural Order 16 (PDF)

Plans for Reconfiguring Project  
March 9, 2012
March 9th Filing (2MB PDF)
PPDLW Response (2MB PDF)
Mott Response
Corrigan Response (PDF)
Palmer Response (PDF)
Public Response (PDF)
Decision: Request for Withdrawal The Waterfront Event Center - 8 Prince St. Lincoln, ME
December 7, 2011
Agenda
Commission Memo
Party Comments
Public Comments
Deliberation Session II The Waterfront Event Center - 8 Prince St. Lincoln, ME
October 19, 2011
Agenda
Deliberation Session I Ramada Inn - Ellsworth, ME
October 5, 2011
Agenda
Visual Deliberation Document
LURC September Commission Meeting Agenda     Agenda item
Applicant and Party Response to Public Comments  
July 25, 2011
CW Cover Letter and Exhibit A - Consultation with the Tribes (PDF 3MB)
CW Exhibit B - Property Values and Health Affects (PDF 26MB)
CW Exhibit C - Info on Nighttime Lighting Mitigation (PDF 4MB)
CW Exhibit D - LandWorks Response (PDF 10MB)
CW Forest Society of ME letter (PDF)
PPDLW Rebuttal Testimony (PDF)
Public Comments to Public Hearing  

Public Comments to Public Hearing (PDF 3MB)

Written Public Comments Submitted at Public Hearing  
June 27-28, 2011

Written Comments at Public Hearing (PDF 15MB)

Public Comments Received after Public Hearing  

Written Comments after Public Hearing (PDF 15MB)
Emails after Public Hearing (PDF 11MB)

Public Hearing and Site Visit Agendas Ella P. Burr Elementary School and Spectacular Events Center
June 27-28 and July 6, 2011

Updated Notice of Public Hearing (PDF)
Eighth Procedural Order Public Hearing Notice Schedule (PDF)
Public Hearing Audio
Public Hearing Transcript June 27th Evening
Public Hearing Transcript June 28th Evening
Public Hearing Transcript June 28th (PDF 2MB)
Public Hearing Transcript July 6th

Bowers Mountain Site Visit Ella P. Burr Elementary School
June 27, 2011

Memo (PDF)

Pre-filed Rebuttal  
June 17, 2011

CW Cover Letter (PDF)
CW Title Page and Index (PDF)
CW Gravel et al Rebuttal Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 17MB) (PDF)
CW Graham Rebuttal Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 1.2MB) (PDF)
CW Raphael Rebuttal Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 53MB) (PDF)
CW Lockwood Rebuttal Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 2MB) (PDF)
CW Selser Rebuttal Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 9MB) (PDF)
PPDLW Rebuttal Testimony (PDF)
DC Corrigan Bowers Rebuttal Testimony (PDF)

Applicant's Pre-Filed Testimony  
June 10, 2011

Cover Letter (PDF)
Volume I and II Title Page and Table of Contents (PDF)
Volume I Kearns, Kiely and West Pre-filed Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 5MB)
Volume I Gravel, Knapp and Prescott Pre-filed Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 2.2MB)
Volume I Walker Pre-filed Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 3.5MB)
Volume I Graham, Murchison and O'Neal Pre-filed Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 2.6MB)
Volume II Raphael Pre-filed Testimony and Exhibits (PDF 3.4MB)
Volume II Whitney Pre-filed Testimony (PDF)
Volume II Milliken Pre-filed Testimony (PDF)

Intervenor's Pre-Filed Testimony  
June 10, 2011

CLF Cover Letter to Fred Todd (PDF)
CLF Dr. Cameron Wake Testimony (PDF 1MB)
CLF Krich Bowers Testimony (PDF 2.2MB)
DC Corrigan Testimony Cover Letter (PDF)
DC Corrigan Testimony (PDF)
DC Bowers Initial Wind Project Letter (PDF 3MB)
DC David Tobey Testimony (PDF)
DC GLS Guides Association Statement (PDF)
DC MPGA Dale Tobey Testimony (PDF)
GM Bowers Cons Ben Testimony (PDF 5.4MB)
PPDLW Andrew Buckman Testimony (PDF)
PPDLW Charles Driza Testimony (PDF 1MB)
PPDLW Gary Campbell Testimony (PDF)
PPDLW Jerold Hamza Testimony (PDF 3MB)
PPDLW Kevin Gurall Testimony (PDF)
PPDLW Lindsay Wheaton Testimony (PDF)
PPDLW Louis Cataldo Testimony (PDF)
PPDLW Michael Lawrence ASLA Testimony (PDF 12MB)
Palmer VIA Lawrence Review (PDF)
PPDLW Steve Norris Testimony (PDF)

Response to Review Comments  
May 25, 2011

Champlain Response to Agency Review (PDF 2MB)
LandWorks Response to Palmer (PDF 4MB)
Baskahegan Report, Attachment to LandWorks Response (PDF 6MB)
PRG Response to Palmer (PDF)
General Response - Ex 1A Shts 1-21 (PDF)
General Response - Ex 1A Shts 30-308 (PDF 31MB)
General Response - Ex 1A Sht 400 (PDF 27MB)
General Response - Ex 1A Shts 500-600 (PDF 26MB)
General Response - Ex 1A Sht 700 (PDF 6MB)
General Response - Ex 1A Sht 800 (PDF 8MB)
General Response - Ex 1A Sht 900 (PDF 62MB)
General Response - Ex 10B (PDF)

Review Comments  

MNAP Response (PDF)
IF&W - IWWH Response (PDF)
IF&W Response (PDF)
DEH Response (PDF)
State Soil Scientist Response (PDF)
Carroll Plantation Meeting Vote (PDF)
Maine PUC Review Comments (PDF)
Palmer VIA Comments (PDF 5MB)
Palmer REVISED VIA Comments (PDF 5MB)
MHPC Comments (PDF 1MB)
Brown Sound Comments (PDF)
Sunrise County Tangible Benefits (PDF)
DEP Hopeck Comments (PDF)
DEP Waddell Comments (PDF)
Carroll Plt Tangible Benefits (PDF)
Washington County Tangible Benefits (PDF)
FSM Tangible Benefits (PDF)

Supplemental Filing by Applicant  
April 22, 2011

Letter of Submittal (PDF)
Exhibit A Certificate of Formation (PDF)
Exhibit B Decommissioning Report (PDF)
Exhibit C User Survey Reports (PDF 1.5MB)
O & M Bldg Soils - Narrative (PDF)
O & M Bldg Soils - Soil Survey (PDF 1MB)
O & M Bldg Soils - HHE 200 (PDF 2.5MB)
O & M Bldg Soils - Test Pits (PDF 4MB)
O & M Bldg Soils - Test Pits Logs (PDF)

Deadline for Requesting Public Hearing or Intervenor Status  
March 28, 2011

Memo To Commissioners (PDF 3MB)
Intervenor Requests (PDF 5MB)
Interested Persons Requests (PDF)
Public Hearing Requests (PDF 15MB)

Procedural Orders  

Procedural Order #1 (PDF)
Procedural Order #2 (PDF)
Procedural Order #3 (PDF)
Procedural Order #5 (PDF)
Procedural Order #8 and Hearing Notice (PDF)
Procedural Order #9 (PDF)
Procedural Order #10 (PDF)
Procedural Order #11 (PDF)
Procedural Order #12 (PDF)
Procedural Order #13 (PDF)

Development Permit DP 4889 Application
March 11, 2011

Application Forms (PDF 2MB)
Narrative (PDF 2MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 1-21 (PDF 34MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 30-308 (PDF 33MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 400 (PDF 44MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 500-600 (PDF 27MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 700 (PDF 30MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 800 (PDF 8MB)
Exhibit 1A Sheet 900 (PDF 60MB)
Exhibit 1B (PDF 43MB)
Exhibit 1C (PDF 3MB)
Exhibit 2A (PDF)
Exhibit 2B (PDF)
Exhibit 2C (PDF)
Exhibit 3 (PDF)
Exhibit 4A (PDF 3MB)
Exhibit 4B (PDF)
Exhibit 5A (PDF 5MB)
Exhibit 5B (PDF)
Exhibit 6 (PDF)
Exhibit 7A (PDF)
Exhibit 7B (PDF)
Exhibit 7C (PDF)
Exhibit 7D (PDF)
Exhibit 7E (PDF)
Exhibit 8 (PDF 2.5MB)
Exhibit 9A (PDF)
Exhibit 9B (PDF)
Exhibit 10A (PDF)
Exhibit 10B (PDF)
Exhibit 11A (PDF 17MB)
Exhibit 11B (PDF)
Exhibit 12A (PDF)
Exhibit 12B (PDF 10MB)
Exhibit 13 (PDF)
Exhibit 14A (PDF)
Exhibit 14B (PDF 2MB)
Exhibit 14C (PDF 3MB)
Exhibit 14D (PDF)
Exhibit 15A Soils Summit Part 1 (PDF 5MB)
Exhibit 15A Soils Summit Part 2 (PDF 31MB)
Exhibit 15A Soils Summit Part 3 (PDF 14MB)
Exhibit 15B Soils Collector (PDF 16MB)
Exhibit 15C Acid Rock (PDF)
Exhibit 16 Sound (PDF 2MB)
Exhibit 17 VIA Narrative (PDF 17MB)
Exhibit 17 Sheet 1-4 (PDF 14MB)
Exhibit 17 Photo Inventory Sheet 1-23 (PDF 35MB)
Exhibit 17 Visual Simulation No. 6-14 (PDF 35MB)
Exhibit 18 Shadow Flicker (PDF 25MB)
Exhibit 19 (PDF)
Exhibit 20 (PDF)
Exhibit 21 (PDF 1.3MB)
Exhibit 22 (PDF 2MB)
Exhibit 23A (PDF)
Exhibit 23B (PDF 2MB)

Notice of Accepting as Complete for Processing
March 14, 2011

Notice of Acceptance for Processing (PDF)

Notice of Intent to File  
January 21, 2011

Notice of Intent to File (PDF)