OPSB reschedules hearings for Seneca Wind Farm

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Power Siting Board has rescheduled hearings regarding Seneca Wind LLC's hearing for 3-8 p.m. July 23 at Tiffin University, Marion Center, 235 Miami St. The hearing is to provide an opportunity for local people interested in the project area, who are not parties to the case, to provide testimony regarding the proposed facility, according an OPSB news release. An adjudicatory hearing is to take place at 10 a.m. Aug. 26 in hearing room 11A, at the offices of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus. The purpose of the adjudicatory hearing is for Seneca Wind, OPSB staff and parties to the case to present evidence regarding the facility, the news release said. If approved by OPSB, the proposed Seneca Wind Farm would be constructed on about 57,000 acres of leased private land in Scipio, Reed, Venice, Eden and Bloom townships. The facility would consist of up to 77 wind turbines with a total generating capacity of up to 212 megawatts. In a 73-page report filed last week, the OPSB staff recommended the OPSB board deny a certificate for the Seneca Wind project. The denial was based on lack of information from the Federal Aviation Administration and the ODOT Office of Aviation. In addition, the report recommended 50 conditions to be met should the board choose to authorize construction. A statement received Saturday from Dan Williamson of sPower said, "Once we have the FAA determinations, we will provide them to the OPSB and request an amendment to their staff report with a favorable recommendation." In the statement, Williamson said Seneca Wind received a letter about two weeks ago from the U.S. Department of Defense Siting Clearinghouse "stating this wind farm would have no impact on military operations, and we have provided that to the FAA and the OPSB Staff." Williamson said the company understands the FAA is backlogged with requests "and they are doing everything they can in a timely manner. We look forward to getting the determination of no hazard so that we can request an amendment to the OPSB staff report." The matter goes to the OPSB board for a final decision after the hearings are complete. Additional information regarding the proposed wind farm is available on the OPSB website at www.OPSB.ohio.gov in case number 18-0488-EL-BGN.