Wyoming Infrastructure Authority

REVE – REGULACION ECOLICA CON VEHICULOS ELECTRICOS

Power Company of Wyoming LLC’s Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project is a 1,000 wind turbines wind farm to be located south of Rawlins in Carbon County, Wyoming.

The proposed wind power project will have two sites – Chokecherry with 675 wind turbines and Sierra Madre with 325 wind turbines – situated on about 98,500 acres of a ranch owned by an affiliate company.

With the potential to generate 2,000-3,000 megawatts of clean energy, the project will ensure a reliable, cost-effective supply of renewable electricity that’s unmatched in the West.

This output will help America reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, diversify energy sources and meet growing demand for renewable energy resources.

At the same time, the wind farm project will generate hundreds of good jobs, millions of dollars in tax revenue and other economic benefits for Carbon County. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2011 or 2012.

Located entirely in Carbon County, Wyoming, the wind project spans a combination of private lands owned by The Overland Trail Cattle Company LLC and federal lands managed by the BLM.

What benefits will the project bring?

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project will have the wind turbines and electric infrastructure necessary to reliably and cost-effectively generate between 2,000 and 3,000 megawatts of clean, sustainable electricity.

It is situated on land that has some of the best winds in the state and in the country. The project area has Class 6 and 7 winds, which are the highest wind classes. While a final turbine model has yet to be selected, assuming a minimum of 1,000 2-MW turbines are installed, the project would produce enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 homes per year.

In addition, this wind project will:
* Provide zero-fuel-cost, zero-emissions electricity.
* Support national and regional renewable energy goals, such as state-mandated Renewable Portfolio Standards and greenhouse-gas reduction targets.
* Capture and leverage natural resources wisely and responsibly.
* Create thousands of construction jobs and an estimated 114 permanent operations and maintenance jobs.
* Contribute millions in property taxes and sales and use taxes, among other economic benefits.

PCW begins sage-grouse monitoring program as part of comprehensive wildlife conservation plan

Continuing to advance the implementation of its wildlife conservation plan, Power Company of Wyoming LLC this week began a significant multi-year greater sage-grouse monitoring program at its wind power project site.

Forty female sage-grouse on The Overland Trail Cattle Company ranch are being tagged with lightweight GPS devices that will provide scientific data and insight into seasonal habitat uses by the species.

The tagged sage-grouse will come from both within and outside of the proposed development area for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. Seasonal usage in the early stages of the monitoring effort will serve as a pre-development baseline to which future use of the wind development area by sage-grouse can be compared.

Designed by expert wildlife biologists at SWCA Environmental Consultants, the tagging and monitoring program uses proven capture techniques, established industry protocols, and GPS technology successfully deployed in other state wildlife programs. It is just one element of a comprehensive wildlife conservation plan that PCW and TOTCO have submitted to state and federal agencies to guide conservation measures accommodating ongoing ranching/agricultural operations and wind development.

“Sage-grouse are concentrated near leks in the spring, so now is the best and least disruptive time to begin our ongoing monitoring program,” said Garry Miller, PCW’s director of land and environmental affairs. “The important data we’ll gather in year one will help us begin to understand patterns of habitat use and future trends in mortality, nest success, recruitment, migration and other factors within the population, over the next decade.”

The tiny GPS tags weigh the equivalent of five nickels and a penny, have a mini photovoltaic cell to recharge internal batteries for up to 5 years, can be quickly deployed with minimal stress to the birds, and are designed to minimize visibility to predators. They record altitude, heading and speed that identify migratory pathways and overall use of the landscape.

The valuable scientific data that the tags gather from each sage-grouse each day will be relayed via satellite to the biologist team. Then, biologists will complete a variety of standard statistical and spatial analyses to, among other goals:

* Identify the factors that determine use of an area by sage-grouse.
* Help determine locations for additional conservation and habitat improvement projects.
* Monitor the success of conservation and habitat improvement projects.
* Demonstrate the relative use of the wind development areas to enable a better understanding of how grouse in the assessment area and populations as a whole respond following wind project development.

“Coupled with our conservation measures, this solid, science-based monitoring program will ensure we’re achieving our goal of a net conservation benefit to sage-grouse,” Miller said.

Besides the monitoring program, PCW and TOTCO have other wildlife conservation efforts under way as part of their overall environmental commitment, including:

* Installing dozens of bird diverters on the guy wires for all new meteorological towers, which are located on the ranch to gather vital data about the wind resources. Diverters are intended to reduce the potential risk of collision and avian mortality.
* Marking fences across the ranch to reduce the potential risk of sage-grouse mortality.
* Identifying fences across the ranch to be moved or eliminated altogether.
* Identifying ranch roads to be closed and reclaimed.
* Designing metal-mesh bird ladders to be built and installed in stock tanks across the ranch, making it easier for sage-grouse or other species to obtain drinking water while also reducing the risk of drowning.

PCW and TOTCO create significant wildlife conservation plan

In line with its overall commitment to environmental protection, wind energy developer Power Company of Wyoming LLC has drafted and proposes to enter into a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances among PCW, The Overland Trail Cattle Company, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which incorporates a comprehensive Conservation Plan.

The CCAA and Conservation Plan commit PCW and The Overland Trail Cattle Company to implementing significant, long-term conservation measures on the 311,000-acre Overland Trail Ranch, which consists of a checkerboard of federal and non-federal lands.

The CCAA and Conservation Plan will guide conservation measures accommodating ongoing ranching and agricultural operations, including cattle grazing, and developing the proposed Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, while providing a net conservation benefit to the Greater Sage-Grouse, Northern Leopard Frog and Wyoming Pocket Gopher.

The draft plan identifies threats and conservation measures to achieve a landscape-scale, integrated conservation approach for these species across the mix of land ownerships.

“Power Company of Wyoming LLC intends to make its wind power project a best-practice example of responsible renewable energy development,” said Bill Miller, President and CEO. “Our investments of time, resources and expertise have yielded a comprehensive, science-based plan that will conserve the area’s Sage-Grouse and other species while allowing our wind energy project to move forward.”

The Conservation Plan complies with applicable state and federal rules and regulations, including Wyoming’s Stipulations for Development in Core Sage-Grouse Population Areas. These stipulations say that development may occur providing it will “not cause declines in Sage-Grouse populations.” The plan also shows that development can be done consistent with conserving Sage-Grouse and that PCW can reduce or eliminate threats through science-based conservation measures.

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project is a 1,000-turbine wind farm to be located in Carbon County, Wyoming, on about 98,500 acres of the Overland Trail Ranch. Although renewable energy development is proposed on a portion of the ranch, it will result in less than 5 percent permanent disturbance, leaving more than 95 percent of the existing vegetation communities intact and dedicated primarily to wildlife management and conservation.

With the potential to generate 2,000-3,000 megawatts of clean energy, the wind project will ensure a reliable, cost-effective supply of renewable electricity and will generate hundreds of good jobs, millions of dollars in tax revenue and other economic benefits to Carbon County and Wyoming.

Power Company of Wyoming LLC is a wholly owned affiliate of The Anschutz Corporation, a privately held company based in Denver. Through its affiliates, The Anschutz Corporation has been actively involved in the West for more than 70 years in the field of natural resource development. The Anschutz Corporation’s activity and investments in the energy field reflect a strong commitment to responsibly developing and managing natural resources.

HUMMINGBIRDMINDS.COM BLOG

OFFICE OF GOVERNOR DAVE FREUDENTHAL
State Capitol
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Ph. (307) 777-7434

April 8, 2010

****** PRESS RELEASE ******

Contact: Press Secretary Leigh Anne G. Manlove
Phone: 307.777.7437
Mobile: 307.421.0197
E-mail: lmanlo@state.wy.us

Governor Hosts Community Conversation in Douglas April 27: Wind Projects and Power Transmission Are the Topics

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wind projects and power transmission lines are the topics for a question and answer session in Douglas with Governor Dave Freudenthal later this month. The “community conversation” on wind development and electrical transmission line siting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, April 27, 2010, at the Douglas High School Auditorium.

“I’ll be there to hear from people and to answer questions,” Freudenthal said. “There is a lot happening with wind development in Wyoming, and I want to hear what people have to say.”

“These are complicated subjects, and folks are entitled to a straightforward conversation on what we can all agree are difficult, sometimes polarizing issues, related to wind development opportunities and electrical transmission line siting,” Freudenthal said. “People need to know where the State stands on a whole range of issues relating to wind power and electrical transmission, ranging from sage grouse to property rights.”
Some developers say Wyoming is “anti-wind,” Freudenthal said. On the other hand, some property owners are concerned about private property rights in the face of wind-related development.

“Let’s get together and talk about it,” Freudenthal said. “Maybe we can ask the lobbyists and hired guns to take a seat in the back row, and let the other folks have their say.”

The Douglas “community conversation” is the first of several that the governor is expected to host this year. Other local meetings on wind development and power line siting issues are being planned for later this spring and summer.

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Wyoming Governor’s Office
Leigh Anne G. Manlove
Press Secretary
OFFICE (307) 777.7437
MOBILE (307) 421.0197
EMAIL lmanlo@state.wy.us

Office of Gov. Dave Freudenthal
Press Secretary Jonathan Green

State Capitol, Room 124

Cheyenne, WY . 82002

307-777-7434

March 5, 2010

****** For Immediate Release ******

Contact: Press Secretary Jonathan Green

Phone: 307-777-7437
Mobile: 307-421-0197

E-mail: jgreen3@state.wy.us

Governor unsurprised by sage grouse decision, vows to press on with state’s efforts

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Gov. Dave Freudenthal said he is unsurprised the Fish and Wildlife Service declined to list the greater sage grouse as endangered but found the species to be threatened.

Freudenthal thinks sage grouse populations are stabilizing but accepted the ruling from Fish and Wildlife Service.

Audio 100305a-Gov-Sage_Grouse.mp3 (344kb; :21)
Freudenthal: “Naturally, I would have preferred a ‘not-warranted’ finding. I accept the determination that has been made by the Fish and Wildlife Service. I am encouraged by the fact that the Department of the Interior is willing to work with us so that part of the burden of maintaining the species is borne on federal land and does not simply burden private and state land.”

The Governor said Wyoming will continue working to safeguard habitat for the sage grouse through Freudenthal’s core areas imitative.

“Over the course of the next year, we will keep working with the core area policy to make sure that we clearly demonstrate that our sage grouse are secure, but also to ensure that the policy works for the state,” Freudenthal said.

“People still need to go to work - and work in Wyoming means working on the land in the oil patch, in the mine and on the ranch, sometimes right next to or within core areas. In this regard, I look forward to robust investments by our federal partners to facilitate sage grouse preservation in Wyoming, particularly to help private landowners,” the Governor said.

Freudenthal thanked the sage grouse implementation team for helping to develop sound conservation policy.

“Absent the policy shift developed by the team, I have no doubt that the bird would have been listed. The candidate listing gives us a fighting chance while an endangered or threatened listing would have taken the wind out of our sails. Now is the time for us to roll up our sleeves and hone our strategies to make sure Wyoming’s birds are never listed - no matter what happens elsewhere in the West,” the Governor concluded.
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Jonathan Green
Press Secretary,
Office of Gov. Dave Freudenthal
307-777-7437 Desk
307-421-0197 Mobile
** This email may be subject to public records disclosure law and hence may be released to third parties.

Freudenthal Raises Power Line Siting Issue With Feds
Gov. talks energy in D.C.

By JEREMY PELZER - Star-Tribune capital bureau - with wire reports | Posted: Thursday, February 4, 2010 12:00 am |

CHEYENNE — During a White House meeting on Wednesday, Gov. Dave Freudenthal advocated erasing federal requirements that power companies seeking to build transmission lines on public land must first examine alternate routes on private land.

Freudenthal and 10 other state governors also discussed coal usage, carbon sequestration and a wide range of other energy topics during the meeting with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Freudenthal raised the power line siting issue after hearing concerns last week from Lincoln County residents over the proposed route of new transmission lines through the area.

The lines would be part of the Gateway West Transmission Line Project, a proposed $2 billion, 1,150-mile power line that would carry electricity to customers in Wyoming, Idaho and other western states. The project is a joint venture between Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power.

Scheduled to be completed by 2014, Gateway West has faced delays as landowners in Lincoln and Converse counties, as well as in east-central Wyoming and Idaho, have opposed the proposed route of the power lines.

“The problem … does come up on every single project,” said Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Dave Eskelsen. “Where private land is involved, we are asked by private landowners, ‘Why can’t you use public lands?’”

Eskelsen said while the exact route of the lines is still being worked out and the power companies have usually been able to find alternate routes on private land, the Gateway West transmission lines will end up crossing over some federal land.

But with landowners’ concerns in mind, Freudenthal wants reforms that would erase the priority given to public lands in laying out power lines, said gubernatorial spokesman Jonathan Green.

Instead of simply favoring the construction of transmission lines on private land instead of public lands, Green said, power line routes should be determined using a variety of other factors, such as the environmental impact, cost and the impact on local residents.

Without addressing the power line siting issue specifically, Freudenthal said in a prepared statement that “there were a lot of good things said by the federal government” during the White House meeting.

“I just have to wait and see if any of it happens,” he said in the statement.

A Forest Service spokeswoman said no one was available for comment late Wednesday afternoon.

Freudenthal said he and the other state governors also held a “broad discussion” on a wide variety of energy topics, with “quite a bit of emphasis” on coal utilization and carbon capture and sequestration. The latter issue deals with the idea of reducing fossil fuel emissions released into the atmosphere by diverting and storing them underground.

Many of the governors were from coal- and corn-producing states, and were invited to the White House as Obama seeks to rally support for a languishing energy bill and bolster his image as a leader willing to work with Republicans as well as Democrats.

“There’s no reason we can’t work on a bipartisan way to get this done,” Obama told governors in the White House State Dining Room.

A presidential task force on energy on Wednesday recommended more aid for the biofuel industry with a combination of federal dollars and private-sector investments. The United States’ current production of 12 billion gallons annually is hardly the 36 billion that federal lawmakers have mandated by 2022.

Obama also announced a new task force to study coal’s role in the nation’s energy needs.

Energy has served as a major plank of the president’s domestic agenda, finding places on his travel schedule, in his speeches and in his budget proposal released on Monday. In that plan, Obama’s team called for tangible accomplishments that Democrats can champion as they head into a 2010 campaign season that has become more perilous since Republican Scott Brown won a special election to replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Officials said their recommendations would build on some $786 million allocated for environmental projects ranging from ethanol research to pilot programs at biorefineries. The plans also would mesh with Obama’s budget proposal, which called for ending oil and gas subsidies, a move that could save $36.5 billion over a decade.

Besides Freudenthal, Wednesday’s meeting included Republican Govs. Jim Douglas of Vermont — the chairman of the National Governors Association — Bob Riley of Alabama and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer of coal-rich Montana and six other Democratic governors also attended.

Contact capital bureau reporter Jeremy Pelzer at 307-632-1244 or jeremy.pelzer@trib.com

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 03, 2010

Presidential Memorandum — A Comprehensive Federal Strategy on Carbon Capture and Storage

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THE SECRETARY OF LABOR
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT
AND BUDGET
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY
COMMISSION
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY POLICY
THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY

SUBJECT: A Comprehensive Federal Strategy on Carbon
Capture and Storage

For decades, the coal industry has supported quality high-paying jobs for American workers, and coal has provided an important domestic source of reliable, affordable energy. At the same time, coal-fired power plants are the largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and coal accounts for 40 percent of global emissions. Charting a path toward clean coal is essential to achieving my Administration’s goals of providing clean energy, supporting American jobs, and reducing emissions of carbon pollution. Rapid commercial development and deployment of clean coal technologies, particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS), will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.

My Administration is already pursuing a set of concrete initiatives to speed the commercial development of safe, affordable, and broadly deployable CCS technologies. We have made the largest Government investment in carbon capture and storage of any nation in history, and these investments are being matched by private capital. The Department of Energy is conducting a comprehensive clean coal technology program including research, development, and demonstration of CCS technologies and is pursuing important international cooperative initiatives to spur demonstration and deployment of CCS. The Environmental Protection Agency is developing regulations that address the safety, efficacy, and environmental soundness of injecting and storing carbon dioxide underground. The Department of the Interior is assessing, in coordination with the Department of Energy, the country’s geologic capacity to store carbon dioxide and promoting geological storage demonstration projects on public lands. All of this work builds on the firm scientific basis that now exists for the viability of CCS technology.

To further this work and develop a comprehensive and coordinated Federal strategy to speed the commercial development and deployment of clean coal technologies, I hereby establish an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage (Task Force). You shall each designate a senior official from your respective agency to serve on the Task Force, which shall be Co Chaired by the designees from the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Task Force shall develop within 180 days of the date of this memorandum a proposed plan to overcome the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years, with a goal of bringing 5 to 10 commercial demonstration projects online by 2016. The plan should explore incentives for commercial CCS adoption and address any financial, economic, technological, legal, institutional, social, or other barriers to deployment. The Task Force should consider how best to coordinate existing administrative authorities and programs, including those that build international collaboration on CCS, as well as identify areas where additional administrative authority may be necessary. The Co Chairs shall report progress periodically to the President through the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Ultimately, comprehensive energy and climate legislation that puts a cap on carbon pollution will provide the largest incentive for CCS because it will create stable, long-term, market-based incentives to channel private investment in low carbon technologies. My Administration’s new CCS strategy will pave the way for this energy transition by identifying and removing barriers to rapid commercial deployment and by providing greater legal and regulatory clarity. This will help to spur private investment in CCS in the near term — investment that will create good jobs and benefit communities.

This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

The Secretary of Energy is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA