WECS: Wind Energy Conversion Systems and Meterological Towers

Some call them “windmills,” but at 200 feet in height or more, wind turbines, or “WECS”, these are not the iconic windmills that once pumped water from farm wells.  They are more aptly illustrated by the extensive wind farms that dominate the hills of Altamont Pass, Montezuma Hills of Solano County, or San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs, three of the prime wind resource areas of California.  Northern Marin County, while lacking wind speeds comparable to prime wind areas of the State, does include “wind corridors,” such as across the rolling ranchlands between Dillon Beach, Chileno Valley, and Petaluma.

A Wind Farm in Solano County, photo by Conor Dupre-Neary

Marin County’s WECS Ordinance: Status MCL has been tracking the County’s efforts to draft a WECS ordinance since 2008.  After multiple hearings before the Planning Commission, the ordinance was provisionally approved by the Board of Supervisors on July 27, 2010, pending minor word refinements.  The ordinance amends the County’s Development Code and sets standards for siting, design, and permit review for wind turbines varying from small (under 40 feet) to large WECS (over 200 feet), in all areas of the County except the Coastal Zone.  In adopting the ordinance, the County has moved ahead of the timeline of AB 45, which will require in January 2011 that local governments adopt statewide standards for small wind energy systems outside urban areas.

Although wind power may be attractive as a source of alternative green energy, wind turbines have environmental impacts which are well-documented and difficult to overcome.  Birds of many species, as well as bats, are very susceptible to fatal strikes, depending on the technology and operation of turbines.  The visual effects of individual turbines and wind farms are also well known.  Whether these aesthetic impacts are seen as “positive” or “negative” depends on the eye of the beholder.  Other issues include noise and safety, particularly near residential areas.  Although wind power is considered the least costly form of alternative energy, the environmental impact per megawatt (MW) of power generated is high.  Therefore, siting, size, environmental study, and design criteria –  and the opportunity for public comment – are critical.

Raptors such as this Red-Tailed Hawk are very susceptible to fatal strikes at WECS sites. Photo by Danny Perez, Flickr Creative Commons.

MCL’s Concerns Throughout the development of the ordinance, Marin Conservation League supported the efforts of the County to ensure that Marin’s environmental values would be protected and provide clear guidelines as to how WECS projects might proceed. MCL focused on three particular needs in the ordinance: (1) adequate biological surveys of bird and bat populations and other sensitive resources prior to permitting; (2) provisions for discretionary review and opportunity for public comment on all but very minor WECS installations; and (3) review of post-installation performance to determine effects on birds and bats, the most vulnerable wildlife, and ability for the County to require change in operation where warranted.  These concerns are fairly well addressed in the ordinance.

Current Applications for Meteorological Towers The prospect of exploiting Marin’s wind resources by wind turbines moved a step closer toward possibility with the approval by the County Zoning Administrator on August 26 of two permits that would allow meteorological towers (Met towers) 197.7 feet in height to be installed on two separate properties in northwestern Marin.  The applicant is NextEra Energy Resources, a multi-billion-dollar affiliate of Florida Light and Power and one of the largest alternative energy companies in the nation.  NextEra is a major player in the wind farms of Altamont Hills, which continue to be implicated in thousands of fatal bird strikes every year.  The company has been meeting with Marin ranchers to negotiate agreements to install their wind-monitoring facilities for more than a year, and applied to the county to erect the towers early in 2010.  Notice did not go out to the public until 10 days before the hearing in late August.  The staff report indicated that because the towers were “temporary” they would have no significant impacts on the environment and therefore were exempt from requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Appeal of the Permits MCL, along with Marin Audubon Society, Environmental Action Committee (EAC) of West Marin, and a number of individuals took issue with the claim of no environmental impact and filed appeals for both permits on September 2, 2010.  The appeals note the failure of the County to identify that the monopoles would be anchored by a dozen guy wires each, and that guy wire construction of communication towers such as those proposed poses an extreme collision hazard for both diurnal and nocturnal migrating birds.   Furthermore, the three-year term of the permits, while “temporary,” would still allow for impacts to occur during that time-frame.  Other points in the appeal documents include the failure of the staff report to provide topographic information (the total elevation of ridgeline plus tower height could reach 500 feet) or identify that nearby Stemple Creek/Estero de San Antonio is a sensitive bird habitat.

The appeal will be heard by the Planning Commission in Fall 2010. MCL believes that it is essential that the permitting of the two met towers not set a precedent for expedient review of possible future installations.  Any step toward implementing wind power in Marin County must adhere to strict environmental standards.

• August 26, 2010, Marin County permit approvals
• August 25, 2010, Letter to Community Development Agency re: Cornett and Jablons Coastal /Use Permits for two met towers
• June 14, 2010 - MCL oral comments before the Marin County Planning Commission regarding WECS
• April 26, 1010 - MCL letter to the Marin County Planning Commission regarding WECS
• January 11, 2010 - MCL comments before the Marin County Planning Commission