Dear Friends, This is to bring you up to date on our efforts to prevent industrialization of the Northern Laramie Range. <b>Unfortunately, the news isn’t good. More than 7 months after nearly 600 of you petitioned the Converse County government to prevent the industrialization of the mountains, the Northern Laramie Range remains unprotected, and the first massive industrial-scale wind facility in the mountains is well-advanced in its planning.</b> At a meeting of the Converse County Commissioners on February 16, Wasatch Wind, Inc., reported on its plans to install anywhere from 50 to 200 40-story wind turbines, and the associated transmission lines, substations and roads, on the mountain plateau between Boxelder and Mormon Canyon Roads south of Glenrock. They plan to widen and straighten Mormon Canyon Road, even constructing new roads, in part, to avoid going across U.S. Government-owned land, which could require them to comply with federal requirements for environmental matters, siting and public input. <b>The Converse County Commissioners have done nothing but encourage industrial development in the Northern Laramie Range despite strong citizen opposition. </b> They have rejected the recommendations of their own Planning & Zoning Commission and continue to ignore citizen support for action to protect the mountains, even though the first of these large-scale industrial facilities is fast coming upon us. <b>This is NOT about county-wide zoning.</b> The Alliance has proposed a narrowly-drafted resolution to protect from large-scale industry the mountain part of the county most heavily used for hunting and recreation, and in which the land use is most varied. It would have no effect on the 80% of the county outside the mountains. The legal foundations for this under Wyoming law are solid as a rock: <b>The County Commissioners have clear authority both to declare a moratorium to preserve the <i>status quo</i> and to adopt a targeted resolution of this kind, without adopting County-wide zoning.</b> At this point, it may seem that citizens have little hope that this particular group of elected County officials will act in the public interest and protect the important landscape, hunting and recreational values in the. Nor does it seem hopeful that this Board of County Commissioners will protect the private property rights of the neighbors in the area, whose land values and right to quiet enjoyment of their land will be destroyed by this development. <b>But it is not the time to give up. More than ever, if you value the quality of life in our area, you need to raise your voices.</b> Contact the Converse County Commissioners to let them know: 1. You want the mountains protected, now, through immediate adoption of Alliance’s proposed short-term moratorium and adoption of our proposal that large-scale industrial development be barred in the mountains, and 2. you’re not going to be fooled by statements that this can’t be done because it would require County-wide zoning. The next meeting of the Converse County Commissioners is on March 2 and 3, 2010, beginning at 8 AM each day at the Converse County Courthouse. The County Clerk, Lucile Taylor, can provide the agenda (lucile.taylor@conversecounty.org). Meanwhile, here is the Commissioners’ contact information: County Commissioners’ mailing address: 107 North 5th St., Suite 114, Douglas, WY 82633 Ed Werner (307) 358-4119 <ed.werner@conversecounty.org> Mike Colling (307) 436-9212 <mikecolling@conversecounty.org> Dave Edwards (307) 358-1169<warpaint@wyoming.com> Tony Lehner (307) 436-2208 <tvlehner@yahoo.com> Jim Willox (436) 358-2696 <jim.willox@conversecounty.org> Fortunately, there still are other important opportunities to prevent this abusive development: Probably in April, the State Land Board will consider Wasatch’s application for “special use” of state lands in the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area. We intend to participate in that process. In addition, Wasatch will have to go before the state Industrial Siting Council with its proposed project. We will participate in that process, too. With best regards, The Northern Laramie Range Alliance Steering Group To get in touch with us you can phone Sharon Rodeman at 307-258-1713, or e-mail to info@nlralliance.org. 2010-02-23T02:02:55-07:00 29 true false

The news isn't good – we need your help

2010-02-23T02:02:55-07:00

<a href="http://www.nlralliance.org/images/ad-3-large.jpg" class="floatleft boxed" rel="lightbox"><img alt="Pioneer" src="http://www.nlralliance.org/images//ad-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0" /></a> The ads carry a photo of the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area, including land on which Wasatch wants to build 400+-foot wind turbines. It urges citizens to contact County Commissioners to prevent this from happening. 2010-02-10T12:56:08-07:00 28 false false

Ads appear in Feb. 10 issues

2010-02-10T12:56:08-07:00

NLRA sent a letter to Wasatch CEO Tracy Livingston commending the withdrawal of the Duncan Ranch applications as a first step toward ending Wasatch's efforts to industrialize the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area of the Northern Laramie Range. Copies went to Converse County Commissioners and Planning & Zoning Commissioners, to financial backers of Wasatch Wind and to other stakeholders. A link to the letter may be found below. http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/wasatch_letter_feb_10.pdf 2010-02-10T12:52:53-07:00 27 false false

Letter to CEO Tracy Livingston

2010-02-10T13:01:46-07:00

NLRA supporters packed the community room at the Converse county Courthouse on January 19 to urge the P&Z Commission to recommend to the County Commissioners a resolution barring large-scale industrial development at elevations above 5,500 feet in areas of the County south and west of I-25. Supporters also urged the P&Z Commissioners to adopt an immediate 90-day moratorium to preserve the status quo while the permanent resolution is considered. The P&Z deferred consideration to a later date. 2010-02-10T12:38:49-07:00 26 false false

Converse Planning & Zoning Commission hears from more than 100 citizens opposed to industrial development in the mountains

2010-02-10T12:38:49-07:00

January 19 at 7pm in the basement of the Converse County Courthouse: The P&Z Commission will consider (1) whether there should be a 3-month moratorium on industrial development in the mountains and (2) whether the County should adopt a targeted zoning resolution to protect the mountains from large scale industrial development – including wind development. Wasatch Wind Inc and a handful of landowners in the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area are pushing ahead with plans to install an industrial scale wind farm across thousands of acres of mountain country – including the State-owned Duncan Ranch. [read more] Please view the flyer for full information, and see you on the 19th: http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/Jan19NoticeDraft2.pdf 2010-01-13T03:45:55-07:00 25 true false

Alliance urges everyone to attend the Converse County Planning and Zoning Commission hearing

2010-01-13T03:57:53-07:00

Dear Friends, This is to bring you up to date on recent developments in our efforts to protect the Northern Laramie Range and the quality of life in Converse, Albany and Natrona Counties. <b>The bottom line is that the situation remains urgent</b>: Although Rocky Mountain Power, working with your Alliance, has agreed not to put transmission-line corridors across the Northern Laramie Range, Wasatch Wind, Inc. has convinced a handful of local landowners to put their property at its disposal for construction of an industrial-scale wind farm in the mountains. This development, if it goes forward, will bring dozens of 400+-foot-high turbines and the associated roads and transmission lines into the Northern Laramies. <b>Converse County Commissioners and the Planning & Zoning Commission</b> As you know, earlier this fall, in an effort to head off just this kind of unwelcome industrialization, NLRA petitioned the Converse County Commissioners for a moratorium on industrial development over $10 million in areas of the County south and west of I-25. The Commissioners referred the petition to the County's Planning and Zoning Commission ("P&Z"). P&Z recommended a much broader moratorium, covering the entire County, which NLRA opposed on the grounds that it was unnecessary and could interfere with responsible development in the high plains areas of the County. The County Commissioners rejected the P&Z recommendation. The effect of this is that the Northern Laramie Range remains unprotected from the kind of wind and transmission development currently being promoted by Wasatch Wind, Inc. NLRA intends during December to renew its petition for a moratorium and zoning resolution covering only the mountain areas of the County. <b>Wasatch Wind applications to put wind turbines and related infrastructure on state land in the mountains</b> Earlier this month, Wasatch Wind finally made public what we had long suspected - that it has induced several landholders in the Northern Laramie Range to put their land at its disposal for the construction of dozens of wind turbines and the transmission links necessary to deliver to the grid whatever power they may generate. Wasatch and the landholders signed these deals early in September, but they delayed recording the leases until early November The Wasatch Wind proposal covers most of the country between Boxelder and Mormon Canyon Roads. Meanwhile, on October 5, Wasatch Wind filed with Wyoming's Office of State Lands and Investments so-called "special use" applications on more than 7,250 acres of State land within the area in which it proposes to construct its industrial wind energy facility, in order to be able to include these lands in the industrial facility it hopes to build across this mountain country. Wasatch's applications include most of the Duncan Ranch, on the edge of the mountains south of Glenrock. Obviously, the Wasatch proposal carries the potential to industrialize the entire area encompassed by the scenic Boxelder Rd - Mormon Canyon Rd circuit above Glenrock. It increases vastly the urgency of our efforts to prevent this kind of industrial development in the mountains. <b>Transmission Industry and Wyoming Infrastructure Authority Plans for Eastern Wyoming: A Vast Industrial Facility</b> At the end of this e-mail you will find the cover and pertinent excerpts from a report prepared for the Wyoming Legislature's Task Force on Wind Energy, describing the hopes of the transmission companies and its official-sector cheerleader, the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority ("WIA"), to industrialize the southeastern part of Wyoming. Please see especially pp. 26-29, which cover the web of wire that will enmesh our area. And note that the maps on these pages cover a system designed mainly to serve wind development in the central part of the state; if, as the state intends, the power is generated further east, the Laramies will be even more in the transmission promoters' sights, as noted on p. 27: "Note that the map shown is for a central Wyoming dominated wind resource development. The eastern Wyoming development scenario would have all of the collector lines ending in the east and routed through the Laramie Mountain Range." To make sure we all understand the import of this report, and other information that's come out in connection with the Task Force work, keep in mind that the WIA and its out-of-state, industry clients are promoting 10-15 gigawatts of "nameplate" windpower capacity in the state (actual production is only 35% of nameplate capacity, of course - we're not talking about the most efficient form of energy production here!). This would require 4,000-6,000 of the 400+-foot-high 2.5 megawatt turbines, or 6,700-10,000 of the slightly smaller 1.5 megawatt turbines such as those in operation at Rolling Hills. Assuming 50 acres per turbine, this development would consume as much as 750 square miles of countryside, without taking into account the miles of transmission lines necessary to connect all these wind farms to the grid. Bottom line: The WIA's intention, and that of the industry, is for the southeastern quarter of the state to become a vast industrial facility. Based on ownership patterns in the industry, little, if any of this facility will be owned by Wyoming citizens, nor will its highly-paid executive staff live in the state. On the contrary, as noted during Task Force testimony in August, post-construction employment in this facility will be relatively small, and salaries and benefits (judging from the experience so far) are likely to be significantly lower than in other sectors of the energy industry. They certainly will be lower than in a normally-diversified economy such as exists elsewhere in the US. Another certainty is that this kind of industrialization will prevent that diversified economy from ever emerging. This is not to suggest that there's no room for responsible wind development on the high plains, as we've said repeatedly to anyone who'll listen. Evidently, however, this isn't enough for our industry friends and the WIA. If Wasatch Wind gets a toehold in the mountains, the WIA "vision" for our part of the world will be much more difficult fend off. <b>NLRA activity</b> The <b>Steering Committee</b> continues working for Alliance members to protect the Northern Laramie Range and the quality of life in our part of Wyoming: As noted above, during December we'll renew NLRA's petition for a narrowly-targeted zoning resolution to forestall large-scale industrial development at elevations of 5,500 feet and higher south and west of I-25. NLRA has established the Northern Laramie Range Foundation ("NLRF") to increase public awareness of the natural, agricultural, recreational and historic assets of the Range. The Foundation plans its inaugural education programs for the spring of 2010. It recently filed - with the consent of grazing leaseholders - "special use" applications for conservation activities on state land in the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area (including the Duncan Ranch). The activities for which the Foundation is applying are not compatible with wind energy generation and provide an alternative for the Office of State Lands and Investments to meet its fiduciary obligations as trustee of state assets. The Foundation has applied to be qualified as a charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, which means that donations to support it will be tax-deductible; we'll send information shortly about how you can contribute. We're working with state officials and representatives of the responsible segment of the wind and transmission industries to try to ensure that Wyoming adopts policies leading to responsible wind energy development that protects the quality of life in our communities and countryside. Right now, there is a chaotic rush underway threatening that quality of life with little or no economic benefit to the State and its citizens. <b>What you can do</b>: We need for all of you to contact County Commissioners and Planning & Zoning Commissioners in Converse County to support our efforts to protect the mountain. We need all of you to attend P&Z and County Commission meetings where these matters are being considered. We will notify you by e-mail when these sessions are scheduled, and post information on the Alliance website: http://www.NLRAlliance.org. And we need your financial support, both for the Alliance directly (for its efforts to influence public policy) and for the education and conservation activities of the Northern Laramie Range Foundation. Here are the mailing addresses: Northern Laramie Range Alliance P.O. Box 3215 Casper, WY 82602-3215 Northern Laramie Range Foundation P.O. Box 3215 Casper, WY 82602-3215 We're working on establishing a secure site for online contributions to each of the organizations. THERE IS A MAJOR RISK THAT WASATCH WIND AND ITS COLLABORATORS WILL BEGIN INDUSTRIALIZING OUR MOUNTAINS. WE ALL NEED TO WORK TO STOP THEM. We hope you and your family have had a great Thanksgiving holiday. Best regards, The Steering Committee Northern Laramie Range Alliance Bret Frye, Kenneth Lay, Lisa Mangus, Willard McMillan, David Pestotnik, Sharon Rodeman, Steve Sibrel, Kevin Stowe, Tom Swanson, and Diemer True Report by the Wyoming Legislature's Task Force on Wind Energy regarding Transmission (Cover): http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/TaskForceTransmissionCover.pdf Excerpts: http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/TaskForceTransmissionExcerpts.pdf 2009-12-10T16:40:24-07:00 24 false false

Alliance December update covers Converse County Planning & Zoning and County Commissioners' actions, raises alert about industry plans for transmission development

2009-12-30T12:21:51-07:00

Dear Friends, On Wednesday this week (November 4th) at 11 a.m. at the Converse County Courthouse, the County Commissioners will decide whether or not to accept the Converse County Planning and Zoning Commission's (P&Z) recommendation to place a County-wide, three-month moratorium on new industrial development projects over $10 million. The Northern Laramie Range Alliance opposes a County-wide moratorium of this kind because it is unnecessary and disruptive insofar as it would apply to the high plains areas of the County north and east of I-25. The Alliance has proposed and continues to support such a moratorium in the mountain areas of the County south and west of the interstate. The reason for this is clear and compelling: A Utah wind promoter (Wasatch Wind), and a handful of landowners with which it has contracts, are attempting to establish, as Wasatch's first development in the Northern Laramies, an industrial-scale wind facility in the Boxelder Park/Mormon Canyon area. In addition to dozens of 400+-foot turbines, it would involve a new transmission link (which could be forced through using the statutory power of eminent domain), miles of access roads, and all the other infrastructure associated with these developments. Wasatch Wind has filed "special use" applications for wind development on the Duncan Ranch and other state lands in the area. If nothing is done, this development will continue and the quality of life for County residents - those who neighbor the proposed wind farm and all of the many people that use this country for hunting, fishing and other forms of recreation - will be irreparably damaged. This is why the Alliance has gathered and submitted nearly 600 petitions opposing industrial-scale wind development there and nearly 700 additional petitions opposing transmission lines. P&Z elected to recommend a moratorium across the entire county based on a view, as expressed by P&Z Chair Bobbie Larsen to Douglas Budget reporter Justin Pittman, that "our property north of I-25 is just as important as the land south of I-25." This, of course, misses the point. Property on the high plains is, indeed, equally "important," but it is important for different reasons and for different uses: Industrial development - especially wind development - may be appropriate, and welcome, in the high plains. It is inappropriate in the mountains, and it is unwelcome there to the large majority of landowners and the community at large. The right thing for the County Commissioners to do is to approve the original Alliance request for a moratorium in the mountains and reject the moratorium recommendation elsewhere in the County. Unfortunately, the County Commissioners are unlikely to take the simple step of adopting a narrower moratorium to address the issue in the mountains. The Chairman of the County Commission, wind energy activist and consultant Ed Werner (currently involved in organizing the next "Roping the Wind" industry conference), has previously stated that the situation isn't urgent enough to warrant a moratorium. Meanwhile, the County Attorney appears to have advised the Commissioners that they lack the legal authority to adopt a modified version of P&Z's recommendation. The Alliance has been advised by its counsel and other knowledgeable authorities in the state that this view is simply incorrect as a matter of law. The County Commission has said that no public comment will be allowed at its meeting on Wednesday, but we understand that the wind industry and the handful of landowners who want industrial development in the mountains are likely to attend and may seek an opportunity to speak, at least to individual Commissioners before the meeting and before the vote is taken. If you care about the long-term quality of life in Converse County and the Northern Laramie Range, make your voices heard: Write, e-mail or phone the Commissioners, and attend the meeting if you can. E-mail the Commissioners in care of Converse County Clerk Lucile Taylor. The e-mail address is lucile.taylor@conversecounty.org. Commissioners' names and phone numbers follow: Ed Werner, Chairman 307-358-4119 Mike Colling, Vice Chairman 307-436-9212 Dave Edwards, Commissioner 307-358-1169 Tony Lehner, Commissioner 307-436-2208 Jim Willox, Commissioner 307-358-2696 Converse County Commissioners 307-358-2244 With best regards, The Northern Laramie Range Alliance Steering Committee Bret Frye, Kenneth Lay, Lisa Mangus, Willard McMillan, David Pestotnik, Sharon Rodeman, Steve Sibrel, Kevin Stowe, Tom Swanson, and Diemer True 2009-11-03T02:21:44-07:00 23 true false

Alliance steering committee urges members to contact Commissioners

2009-11-03T02:21:44-07:00

<a href="/photos/PioneerSite.jpg" class="floatleft boxed" rel="lightbox" title="If Wasatch Wind succeeds, the ridge dominating the middle distance in this photo will become an industrial facility."><img alt="Pioneer" src="/photos/PioneerSite-sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0" /></a> If Wasatch Wind succeeds, the ridge dominating the middle distance in this photo will become an industrial facility covering tens of thousands of acres, including 400+-foot-high wind turbines, service roads, a substation and transmission lines. The owner of most of the private land involved has put it at the disposal of the Wasatch venture, which has filed for "special use" permits on more than 7,000 acres of Wyoming state land. The Alliance has requested a moratorium on large-scale industrialization in this area to allow time for the public to consider whether it wants this high country, and the rest of the Northern Laramie Range, to be industrialized. Click on the photo to expand. 2009-10-28T02:59:56-06:00 7 false false

If Wasatch Wind succeeds, the ridge dominating the middle distance in this photo will become an industrial facility

2009-10-28T02:59:56-06:00

The Northern Laramie Range Alliance has established a not-for-profit foundation to dedicated to preserving the agricultural, historic, recreational and natural heritage of Central Wyoming’s Northern Laramie Range. A new website has been set up for the foundation: http://www.nlrfoundation.org <a href="http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/nlrf_pressrelease.pdf">Read the Press Release</a> 2009-10-20T11:26:45-06:00 6 false false

The Northern Laramie Range Foundation

2009-11-02T06:48:03-07:00

Based upon petitions received to date from citizens opposing large-scale industrial wind power (550 petitions) and large-scale transmission development (663 petitions) in the Northern Laramies, the Northern Laramie Range Alliance has requested a moratorium on large-scale industrial development (over $10 million) there, to allow time for the County Commissioners to consider a resolution providing permanent protection for this area of the County. We need your support, so PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND this key meeting and let your Planning Board know how you feel about proposals to industrialize the mountains. For information, a Wasatch Wind affiliate (Pioneer Wind Park, LLC) has leased wind rights in the mountains and applied for wind-use permits on more than 7000 acres of state land, including much of the Duncan ranch. This is just the beginning.... 2009-10-14T02:08:09-06:00 5 true false

Alliances Urges Members to Attend Converse County Planning Board Meeting on October 20, 2009

2009-10-14T02:08:51-06:00

The NLRA stressed the need at the state or county level for policies that would put off-limits to industrial wind development mixed-use landscapes such as the Northern Laramies, where land holdings vary immensely in size and in the uses their owners make of them. This contrasts sharply with the high plains, where a few large and like-minded landholders can decide jointly to pursue industrialization using the wind association mechanism. The Alliance also urged that the Legislature consider providing, from a generation tax on electricity, much greater funding for conservation finance to enable ranchers to continue ranching without the need to go into the industrial wind-power business. The Alliance also pointed out that the scale and impact of industrial wind farms, such as the 100,000-acre "area of interest" identified by Wasatch Wind in the Northern Laramie Range, is so massive that its effects on neighboring property can't effectively be mitigated by common measures such as setbacks or screening. The presentation, remarks, and discussion note may be downloaded from the <a href="http://www.nlralliance.org/documents">Documents page</a>. 2009-09-13T14:20:45-06:00 4 false false

Links to presentation and speaking notes attached

2009-09-14T12:59:06-06:00

Mr. Walje told attendees that Rocky Mountain Power will not be seeking new transmission corridors through the Northern Laramie Mountains. The Alliance wrote Mr. Walje to reconfirm the company's new policy in a letter dated July 21. A copy of the letter can be downloaded from the <a href="../documents">Documents page</a>. 2009-07-25T17:07:32-06:00 3 true false

At the Alliance's July 9 meeting, RMP CEO Rich Walje announced the news

2009-07-26T11:50:47-06:00

Thursday, July 9: Come discuss anything and everything relating to the Northern Laramie Range Alliance, wind development in Converse County, the power grid, infrastructure, etc. We'll all be there to answer your questions and have an open discussion. Meet at the Douglas High School Auditorium at 7pm. For more information: http://www.nlralliance.org/downloads/invite_insert_06-26-09.pdf 2009-07-07T07:54:41-06:00 2 false false

July 9, 2009 at 7pm; Douglas High School Auditorium

2009-07-25T21:44:57-06:00