As the elections are nearing, timing could not be better for President Obama’s goal of accrediting 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy from land sites.
Since 2006, those working with the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project have been planning to build the two different wind energy sites. With last Tuesday’s signing of the Record of Decision by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the Bureau of Land Management is now licensed for environmental analysis on the site.
The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project proposal indicates two separate sites of more than 100,000 acres each with a total of 1,000 wind turbines. The location is about 10 miles south of Rawlins in Carbon County. In an effort to remain environmentally sustainable, the wind complex is expected to utilize around 2,000 acres.
This project brings up many benefits both environmentally and economically. Its southeastern Wyoming location offers Class 6 and Class 7 winds, some of the highest in the nation. The wind turbines and electric infrastructure will generate 2,500 megawatts of pure, sustainable energy.
The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project estimates approximately one million homes will be powered as a result of the wind energy. This not only offers a cost-effective energy approach, but an environmentally stable one as it will annually reduce up to 11 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Besides being an environmental positive, this project should fuel the economy as well. The project itself will create thousands of construction jobs and more than 100 permanent working positions once the site is operational. Because the wind energy site will be paying property, sales, and use taxes of up to a yearly $42 million, extensive funding for local schools, hospitals and other community centers will be provided.
In addition to this project, 33 similar projects have been signed by Ken Salazar. Among these are 18 solar plants, seven wind farms, and eight geothermal plants. All of the facilities will eventually produce the 10,000 megawatts initially sought after by President Obama.
There are also some major drawbacks that the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project brings forth. The initial cost involving construction of the site is an estimated $4 to $6 billion dollars. Another negative is the fact that these two sites will have turbines covering 350 square miles. While much of this land is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, some of the land used will be non-government owned.
Wind turbines in general tend to be unaesthetic in appearance and have been known to kill up to 37,000 birds each year. However, it has also been proven that hundreds of millions of birds die each year running into buildings, power lines and other inevitable standing structures.
Since Obama took office in 2009, wind and energy sources have doubled. Last week’s decision to put forth the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre project goes along with Obama’s goal and original plan to expand American made energy in a productive and reliable manner.
According to the Power Company of Wyoming website, construction will begin in the summer of 2013. The project is to be built over multiple years.
