While the United States’ output of wind energy has increased by leaps and bounds over the past two decades, New Hampshire state government does not have any statewide regulations or use goals for wind power or alternate energy.

The state Office of Energy & Planning (OEP) favors the use of alternate energy technology, but is aware of the difficulties in locating a facility. Joe Broyles, OEP’s Energy Program Manager, believes alternate energy– such as wind power– has both positives and negatives. “Renewable energy diversifies our energy supplies,” said Broyles, adding that locating alternate energy plants in communities keeps money in the local economy that would otherwise have left. While Broyles is quick to point out the environmental and economic benefits of alternate energy, he is also aware of the resistance it faces in finding a location. “People were emphatic that they didn’t want it [alternate energy site] in their town,” said Broyles, referring to public response to a proposed state energy plan. This attitude is commonly known as NIMBY- Not In My Back Yard. Broyles said that he respects the rights of those who did not wish to have energy plants in their communities. He made it clear that while the state was favorable toward alternate energy technology, it would respect the tradition of local control with regard to its location. “The first thing you do is start with the local people– you don’t run roughshod over them,” said Broyles. He added that local planning and zoning boards had to take the lead on the issues arising from alternate energy sites. The state’s planning role, said Broyles, should be to provide support in crafting local regulations. “Consideration is underway to create a document to help planning and zoning boards with [the issues of locating] renewable energies,” said Broyles. While the OEP does not currently have statewide ordinances, Broyles added that OEP was working on a model planning ordinance for energy technologies, which could be used by communities throughout the state. Broyles urged communities to resolve the tension between alternate energy and hostility to development. “You can’t have it both ways, [and] everything has plusses and minuses.” New Hampshire’s primary energy provider, Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), has taken a fairly hands-off approach to the development of wind power in the state. Martin Murray, PSNH spokesman, noted that PSNH is not in the business of creating power. However, PSNH would assist any company looking to produce power in new and efficient ways. “Our role in any generation project would be to help facilitate the project if it makes sense from the company side,” said Murray. Since the energy deregulation of the mid-’90s, Murray said, it is independent providers who generate power. PSNH then ties the projects into the PSNH grid for distribution to customers. Murray discussed the economic benefits of renewable energy, such as wind power, stating that PSNH is always on the lookout to bring low-cost energy to its customers. “We are certainly promoters of renewable energy projects,” said Murray. Like Broyles, Murray emphasized the importance of local initiatives. “Ultimately, the decision [to create alternate energy resources and technologies] has to come from the company and community itself,” he said. In Vermont, the state government takes a far more active role in the location of wind power facilities, according to Rob Ide, director of Energy Efficiency at the Vermont Public Service Department. “It’s a centralized decision-making process,” said Ide. According to Ide, the Vermont State Public Service Board reviews all applications for energy facilities, regardless of type. “An application for a wind farm site would be viewed the same way as an application for a natural gas site,” he said. If the Public Service Board determines that a proposed energy facility meets its criteria, the energy company will be granted what is called a ‘Certificate of Public Good’. This certificate grants the company the right to locate its facility. Although local feedback is taken into account, the board alone is empowered to offer the certificate. At present, there is one permitted wind farm in Vermont, located in Searsburg. According to Ide, a developer has filed to install four wind turbines in East Haven, Vt. The board has not yet granted or denied a Certificate of Public Good to this developer. Unlike Vermont and New Hampshire, Maine has specific requirements for how much energy must be obtained from so-called ‘renewable’ sources such as hydropower, biomass power, wind power, and solar power. According to Beth Nagusky of the Maine Energy Council, state law mandates 30 percent of all energy in the state must come from these renewable sources. Such a mandate is referred to as a “Renewable Portfolio Standard,” or RPS. Because Maine has an RPS, the creation of alternate energy facilities such as wind farms is encouraged, said Nagusky. “We are in support of and would like to see more wind [power facilities],” said Nagusky, noting the location of a new wind farm in Mars Hill, Maine. According to Nagusky, the law– Title 35A-1390 in Maine’s statues– has a compliance provision that gives it teeth. If an energy distribution company does not meet the threshold of 30 percent from renewables, they are given one year to come into compliance before a fine is levied. Nagusky said this gives companies an incentive to produce energy at a lower cost than the fine. While Vermont does not have an RPS, its state senate recently passed a proposal to create such a standard. Although the proposal eventually stalled in committee in the State House, it indicates that Vermont could soon have alternate energy standards. Were Vermont to have an RPS, New Hampshire would stand alone in Northern New England without renewable standards. General Impacts of Wind Power While state governments and municipal boards deal with the legal issues surrounding the location of wind power facilities, advocacy groups and individuals grapple with the larger issues of alternate energy. Brad Kuster, staff attorney for the New Hampshire office of the Conservation Law Foundation, said New Hampshire does not currently have a strong market in wind energy. “New Hampshire is a little bit behind with respect to the siting of wind farms,” said Kuster. He noted that wind farms have environmental impacts like any other facility, such as potential disruption of bird flight paths or impact on ground animals’ habitats. Other advocacy groups advised caution with respect to environmental impacts. The Audubon Society, a nonprofit advocacy organization whose mission is “to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity,” sees opportunities and dangers from wind power and its infrastructure. “New Hampshire Audubon is in favor of wind power in general,” said David Houghton, president of the New Hampshire Audubon, “it is a clean, renewable and a plentiful energy source in the United States. Anything that we can do to reduce our use of fossil fuel is a good thing.” Although the Audubon favors wind power, it finds possible ecological problems with the infrastructure required– in particular the wind towers. “We need to be careful where we put wind towers so that they do not obstruct the high traffic areas and corridors of birds and bats,” said Houghton. He said each site should be evaluated on its own merits. Lisa Linowes, of the group Lyman Citizens for the Protection of Gardner Mountain, believes that wind power is not worth the problems it brings to the local communities. The citizens’ group was formed in opposition to a proposal by UPC Windpartners, an energy company devoted to wind power, to erect anemometers– towers that measure wind speed– on Gardner Mountain in Lyman. “It’s not a great source of electricity,” said Linowes. She compared the projected 30 mega-watt output of a functioning wind farm to the thousands of mega-watt capacity offered by nuclear power plants such as Seabrook. Linowes also cited noise and visual blight as problems associated with wind turbines. “For that you take out a ridgeline? No way– you have to start looking at the trade-offs,” Linowes said. Wind developers urge energy consumers and citizens to look at the positives. “UPC is trying to create a domestic energy source for New Hampshire that will provide clean and affordable power to New Hampshire,” said Tim Caffyn, development manager at UPC Wind Management. Caffyn said complaints that the wind turbines were loud were inaccurate. He said people should look at the benefits first. “Locals are eminently sensible people,” said Caffyn. He cited the increase in New Hampshire population as a reason to look to wind power as a future source of energy. Kuster said that both sides of the argument must be heard before locating a wind facility. “A fair analysis really requires you to look at all those other costs. Everything we do has a cost,” said Kuster. He said continued use of conventional energy sources could lead to more global warming and environmental damage, which may not ordinarily be considered as an immediate cost. Kuster stressed the importance of community dialogue. “Our experience on the ground is that it’s really important that all of the people concerned start talking,” said Kuster.

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