A proposed Wibaux Wind Farm Project entered the public scoping phase of an Environmental Assessment with a public meeting held Wednesday, April 3rd in Wibaux, Montana.
The project is proposed by the AES Corporation to interconnect the Western Area Power Association’s (WAPA) electrical transmission system and includes construction of a 235-megawatt wind farm generating facility with between 40 and 70 wind turbine generators and associated pads.
According to the WAPA website, other project components would include “an electrical collection system, a new substation, a new overhead transmission line, access roads, a fiber optics communication system, energy storage facilities, meteorological towers, and an operations and maintenance facility”, and that the project would be located on private land approximately one mile west of the town of Wibaux. The website also states that construction of the Wibaux Wind Farm is proposed to being as early as spring 2025.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) is required by the National Environmental Policy Act before the project may begin. The EA includes a “public scoping phase”, where input is requested from the general public, government agencies, tribal governments and others to identify issues and alternatives that will help the WAPA define the scope of the Environmental Assessment.
Wednesday’s public scoping meeting in Wibaux was held in an open-house format.
“Around 50 people turned out and participated, indicating a significant amount of public interest,” Eric Barendsen, a WAPA Public Affairs Specialist, said via email. “After presentations about the purpose of public scoping and how it fits into the overall NEPA process, participants stayed for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes of question-and-answer discussions. This gave them an opportunity to discuss the project, learn more, and express their questions or concerns with the project developers from AES, environmental consultants from SWCA, and federal officials from WAPA.”
Barendsen said that questions from the public included the topics of potential visual impact to the landscape, cattle ranching, property values, wildlife, and local cultural and historical resources.
The WAPA is accepting further written comments from the public up until April 12th. Those comments may be emailed to NEPA@wapa.gov with the Wibaux comment in the subject line, faxed to (406) 526-8501, or can be mailed to the WAPA attention Gregory Liebelt at PO Box 145 Fort Peck, MT, 59223.
Once all of the environmental analysis requirements have been met, and if the WAPA finds there are no significant environmental impacts, the interconnection request will be granted and WAPA will prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact report. If significant impacts are identified, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process would be initiated. An EIS provides a more thorough evaluation of impacts and alternatives, as well as a more formal public involvement process.
More resources regarding WAPA’s role in the NEPA process are available on WAPA’s website, and you can learn more about the overall NEPA process from the United States Environmental Protection Agency website.