Largest wind project in the U.S. reached environmental milestone

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the Department of the Interior that administers more than 247.3 million acres of public lands in the United States, has recently published a second Environmental Assessment (EA), along with a draft "Finding of No New Significant Impact", for the phase 1 of the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre (CCSM) wind energy project in Wyoming, USA.

The project comprises the construction of a 1,000 turbine wind farm on a 219,707 acres south of Rawlins in Carbon County. It is being developed by Power Company of Wyoming LLC, a wholly owned affiliate of The Anschutz Corporation. The project will be capable to generate more than 3,000 MW.

The total project investment is estimated at US$5 billion.

The EA analyzes and evaluates the phase I of the project that includes an initial development of 500 wind turbines, access roads and associated facilities. The EA follows the 2012 project Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision, which approved the CCSM wind project site as suitable for wind energy development.

The project area has 6 and 7 winds, which are the highest wind classes. Final turbine models have to be selected, it is expected that each turbine will be rated at up to 3 MW of nameplate capacity. 

Mary Jo Rugwell, acting state director of BLM Wyoming, said:

“The Bureau of Land Management is committed to responsibly developing renewable energy on our Nation’s public lands. We’re working in close cooperation with state, local and industry officials, as well as non-government groups, to evaluate these projects at a landscape-level, with extensive environmental reviews, to mitigate potential impacts and ensure that species’ needs are met along with renewable energy goals.”