Previously permitted wind farm blows back around

A local wind farm project that received a permit from Carbon County 14 years ago and was never developed could be revived.

The Cheyenne-based renewable-resource energy company Terra Moya Aqua Global Wind first obtained a conditional-use permit for the wind farm project, which was proposed for Simpson Ridge, located just east of Rawlins. Although the project never broke ground, Carbon County officials say the permit issued back then is still good.

“Back in 1999, this county issued a conditional use permit for a wind energy project on Simpson Ridge,” said Mike Kelly, deputy attorney for Carbon County. “That project’s conditional use permit went to a firm by the name of Terra Moya Aqua. At the time we issued those permits there was no expiration date put into them like we have now. Terra Moya recently, within the last month or two, divested that permit, and actually, they sold it or transferred it to a new firm.”

The new firm interested in developing the Simpson Ridge project is known as Polstream USA. However, Kelly said Simpson Ridge is on a sage grouse habitat area which holds restrictions on development.

Kelly said also the Simpson Ridge project in 1999 was established well before the governor came up with the sage grouse core area and protections, and noted developers of wind projects with fewer than 30 wind turbines are not required to go through the state board known as the Industrial Siting Council (ISC).

“One thing I think the new developers are looking at is potentially avoiding any requirement to get an ISC permit,” he said. “I believe what they are trying to do is limit it to a 29-tower development.”

For the next step toward possible development, Carbon County planning officials requested that Polstream USA meet with the Carbon County Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss future plans. The discussion will take place at the planning and zoning commission meeting 10 a.m. July 1 in the Carbon building, 215 W. Buffalo St., in Rawlins.