Prepared for: EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS 100 Cambridge Street - Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114 RENEWABLE ENERGY SITING STUDY ENV 09 POL 05 Prepared by: NOBLE & WICKERSHAM LLP Megdal & Associates April, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... ES-1 1.0 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Overview......................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Scope and Methodology ..............................................................................................1-1 1.3 Organization of the Report...........................................................................................1-2 2.0 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Permitting and Approval Processes .............................................................................2-1 2.2 Massachusetts Overview..............................................................................................2-3 2.2.1 Local Issues..........................................................................................................2-3 2.2.2 State Issues...........................................................................................................2-4 2.2.3 Federal Issues.......................................................................................................2-5 3.0 NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC INTERVIEWS WITH DEVELOPERS .....................3-1 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Methodology................................................................................................................3-1 3.3 Findings........................................................................................................................3-3 4.0 ANALYSIS OF SIX MASSACHUSETTS WIND POWER PROJECTS ................4-1 4.1 Purpose of Case Studies...............................................................................................4-1 4.2 Methodology................................................................................................................4-3 4.3 Findings........................................................................................................................4-3 4.3.1 Hoosac Wind Project...........................................................................................4-3 4.3.2 Berkshire Wind Project........................................................................................4-9 4.3.3 Princeton Wind Project......................................................................................4-14 4.3.4 Orleans Wind Project.........................................................................................4-18 4.3.5 Fairhaven Wind Project.....................................................................................4-22 4.3.6 Hull Wind I and II..............................................................................................4-25 4.4 Summary of Key Case Study Results ........................................................................4-29 5.0 REGULATORY PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES ...............................................5-1 5.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................5-1 5.2 Methodology................................................................................................................5-1 5.3 Summary of Findings...................................................................................................5-1 5.4 Findings........................................................................................................................5-2 5.4.1 Massachusetts ......................................................................................................5-2 5.4.2 Connecticut ..........................................................................................................5-4 5.4.3 Maine ...................................................................................................................5-5 5.4.4 New Hampshire ...................................................................................................5-7 5.4.5 Rhode Island........................................................................................................5-8 5.4.6 Vermont ...............................................................................................................5-8 5.4.7 New York.............................................................................................................5-9 5.4.8 Pennsylvania ......................................................................................................5-11 5.4.9 West Virginia.....................................................................................................5-12 5.5 Analysis of Different State Approaches to Permitting Wind Projects.......................5-14 L2009-123 i 165122 6.0 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................6-1 7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................................................7-1 FIGURES Figure 1. Locations of Six Case Study Projects..........................................................................4-2 Figure 2. Hoosac Wind Projects – Florida and Monroe Massachusetts .....................................4-4 Figure 3. Berkshire Wind Project Hancock and Lanesborough, Massachusetts ......................4-10 Figure 4. Princeton Wind Project – Princeton, Massachusetts .................................................4-15 Figure 5. Orleans Wind Project – Orleans, Massachusetts.......................................................4-19 Figure 6. John Young Windmill ...............................................................................................4-20 Figure 7. Fairhaven Wind Project – Fairhaven, Massachusetts................................................4-23 Figure 8. Hull Wind Project – Hull, Massachusetts..................................................................4-27 Figure 9. Timeline for Six Case Study Wind Projects in Massachusetts..................................4-31 TABLES Table 1: Developer Wind Projects By State ...............................................................................3-2 Table 2. Existing and Proposed Wind Projects to be Studied in Detail......................................4-1 Table 3. Permit Requirements.....................................................................................................4-3 Table 4: Summary of Actions, Venues and Rulings of Hoosac Wind Project ...........................4-7 Table 5. Hoosac Wind Project Timeline.....................................................................................4-8 Table 6. Berkshire Wind Project Timeline ...............................................................................4-13 Table 7. Princeton Wind Project Timeline ...............................................................................4-17 Table 8. Orleans Wind Project Timeline ..................................................................................4-21 Table 9. Fairhaven Wind Project Timeline...............................................................................4-25 Table 10. Hull Wind Project Timeline......................................................................................4-28 Table 11. Summary of Case Study Results...............................................................................4-29 APPENDICES Appendix A – Project Timelines for Case Studies Appendix B – State Regulatory Table Appendix C – Sample Interview Forms L2009-123 ii 165122 ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, AND SYMBOLS ACOE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers BEP Board of Environmental Protection BMPs Best Management Practices CARE Citizen Advocates for Renewable Energy CCI CCI Energy CEI Community Energy Inc. CMR Code of Massachusetts Regulations CPG Certificate of Public Good CSC Connecticut Siting Council CWA Clean Water Act DALA Division of Administrative Law Appeals DCNR Department of Conservation and Natural Resources DCR Department of Conservation and Recreation DEC Department of Environmental Conservation DEM Department of Environmental Management DEP Department of Environmental Protection DisGen Distributed Generation Systems DNH Declaration of No Hazard DOER Division of Energy Resources DPU Department of Public Utilities DTE Department of Telecommunications and Energy EEA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs EENF Expanded Environmental Notification Form EFSB Energy Facilities Siting Board EHB Environmental Hearing Board EIR Environmental Impact Report EIS Environmental Impact Statement ENF Environmental Notification Form EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration HB House Bill HMLP Hull Municipal Light Plant I&M Plant Iron and manganese removal treatment plant kV Kilovolt kW Kilowatt LURC Land Use Regulation Commission MEPA Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act MHC Massachusetts Historical Commission MMWEC Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company MRET Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust MTC Massachusetts Technology