Falmouth Wind Turbine II No Longer Energy Efficient 3 Years

Massachusetts SRF ; Mass State Revolving Fund -Mass Clean Water Trust

Massachusetts Appeals Court: Upholds Falmouth Wind Turbine Nuisance Shutdown

In 2010 Falmouth installed it's first foreign-made wind turbine despite the refusal of General Electric to install a wind turbine because of residential setbacks.

In 2010 the Town of Falmouth Massachusetts went forward awarding it's second contract to erect a second 262-foot high foreign-made wind turbine the same size as the first turbine both generating 110 decibels of noise each. The total of both around 113 decibels of noise equal to a rock band playing 24/7.

The 1.65-megawatt (MW) wind turbines manufactured by Vestas are located at the Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility.

According to Falmouth officials each of the turbines was sold to the public save Falmouth up $500,000 each annually depending on production.

Both turbines installed in 2010 and 2012 were shut down in 2015 and 2017 respectively after 5 years of operation each generating, according to officials, a ten million dollar profit equal to the purchase price and installations of the turbines.

The Falmouth Wind II turbine is funded by 5 million loan in ARRA–Federal Stimulus and managed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection–State Revolving Fund.

" Outside legal counsel has advised 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 Project Regulatory Agreement ("PRA") and the Loan Agreement associated with the funding of Wind 11.

Under Federal Law and the(Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection) PRA and Loan Agreement, the 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)(l), 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.

If the change is such that Wind II continues to be used in a manner that is consistent with an "energy efficiency" project, the Trust will be able to approve such a change.

But if the change would result in Wind II being used in a manner that is not consistent with an "energy efficiency" project (for example either ceasing operations or curtailing them to the extent that Wind 11 operates for only a very limited period of time each day), the Trust will not be able to approve the request and the Town will not be allowed to utilize the ARRA funds with principal forgiveness."

Falmouth Owes 3.5 Million @ 2 Percent Interest

Letter To Town of Falmouth 5 Million ARRA MassDEP Loan
FROM State To Town
MASSACHUSETTS WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT TRUST aka 2020 Mass Clean Water Trust
April 2, 2013

http://www.falmouthmass.us/Doc...

http://www.falmouthmass.us/Doc...