Neighbor News
Falmouth Wind II Turbine ARRA 5M Loan Investigation
US EPA OIG Office of Investigation: Reviewing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Loan On Falmouth Wind II
Reliable sources have acknowledged a review of the loan on the town's second wind turbine Falmouth Wind II has begun.
June 20th, 2017 several Massachusetts Superior Court Justices and appeals courts have shut down two municipal nuisance wind turbines owned by Falmouth.
The town of Falmouth borrowed $4,865,000 from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to construct Wind 2. The Mass Department of Environmental Protection project regulatory loan agreement states the town would not owe principal or interest as long as Wind 2 remains operational and energy-efficient.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The 5 million was provided to Massachusetts through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through a waiver provided by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds also cannot be used to create "a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety related to the implementation or use of covered funds."
Outside legal counsel has advised the state of Massachusetts that Wind II is subject to specific provisions of ARRA and applicable federal regulations and guidelines ("Federal Law') in addition to the terms and conditions of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Project Regulatory Agreement ("PRA") and the Loan Agreement associated with the funding of Wind II, Under Federal Law and the PRA and Loan Agreement.
Find out what's happening in Falmouthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
T
he Town must maintain Wind II as an "energy efficiency" project, as described in EPA guidelines dated March 2, 2009, in order to benefit from the financial subsidy provided by the Trust under ARRA and the Trust's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.
Under federal regulations governing the Trust's ARRA grant at 40 CRF Part 31.30(d) (1), if the Town chooses to change the scope or objectives for Wind II in any significant manner, the Town will have to request the Trust's prior written approval.
Article 14 Falmouth Wind Turbine 1 Hour Mark In Video
Town Meeting Fall 2019 Night Two November 13, 2019
Town admits they owe 3.5 million as Falmouth Wind Turbine # 2 NO LONGER ENERGY EFFICIENT
