White House Picks Searsburg Wind Facility As Priority

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STAMFORD, Vt. — The wind turbine expansion on Searsburg Mountain has been selected by the Obama administration as one of 14 infrastructure projects across the country for expeditious permitting.

According to a press release from the White House, President Obama has "directed agencies to expedite environmental reviews and permit decisions for a selection of high priority infrastructure projects that will create a significant number of jobs, have already identified necessary funding, and where the significant steps remaining before construction are within the control and jurisdiction of the federal government and can be completed within 18 months."

The Deerfield Wind/Searsburg Expansion Project in the Green Mountain National Forest would add 15 two-megawatt turbines to the 6 MW facility. The expansion is estimated to generate enough power for up to 14,000 homes. 

Deerfield Wind LLC has applied for a special use permit to use public lands under the management of the Forest Service. The issuance of the permit is a federal action that requires review under National Environmental Policy Act. USDA Forest Service is working to expedite a Final Environmental Impact Statement before December 2011.


The announcement comes as a result of the Presidential Memorandum issued in late August at the recommendation of his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

The federal reviews will not supersede local or state permitting, however, the council has stated that improving the efficiency and effectiveness of federal permit decisions and environmental reviews is a critical step to accelerate job creation.

Tags: Searsburg,   wind power,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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