Title: Casselman Wind Power Project

Category: Land Development

With a company ready to buy its wind power for the next two decades, PPM Energy LLC on Monday announced plans to begin construction on a 23-turbine wind development in the summer. About a third of the proposed 1.5-megawatt wind turbines in the Casselman Wind Power Project are to be built on reclaimed surface-mining areas. The project encompasses nearly 2,000 acres near Rockwood and Meyersdale Pennsylvania - though the "footprint" of used land should be less than 40 acres. Turbine construction is planned for summer 2007. The turbines could be running before 2008, according to a release from PPM Energy, a Portland, Ore., based wind-energy supplier that sells to cities such as Seattle and a handful of California cities. FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron, Ohio, has agreed to buy power from the project for the next 23 years. The development represents a $61 million investment in the local economy with about 60 jobs during construction, and, once built, the turbines should require three or four permanent, full-time jobs. In addition, the state Department of Environmental Protection has awarded the project a $500,000 grant for green energy. In a press release PPM Energy's CEO said "PPM is delighted to enter into an agreement with such a strong company as FirstEnergy as we expand into Pennsylvania, which has one of the most progressive Renewable Portfolio Standards in the nation". Somerset Planning & Engineering Services was responsible for the site design that included layout and location of turbines, access roads, and support structures. In addition, they were responsible for development, completion and securing of the erosion & sedimentation permits, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and the local minor land development approvals.

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