Frank Seawright pointing out the proposed location of the Windham turbine project Credit: Terri Hallenbeck

A wind project developer offered Windham County residents more money and fewer turbines in the hope of winning their support in an election-day vote.

Iberdrola Renewables originally planned to build a combined 28 turbines in Windham and Grafton as part of the Stiles Brook Wind Project. The company still plans to build eight turbines in Grafton but, at a public meeting Tuesday, offered to cut from 20 to 16 the number of turbines built in Windham.

Iberdrola also offered the town of Windham a $1 million annual payment — an increase from their original $715,000 offer — for hosting the turbines. And, the company offered to pay each registered voter in Windham $1,174 a year for them to use as they please, said Iberdrola spokesman Paul Copleman.

At a meeting scheduled for Wednesday night in Grafton, Iberdrola will increase its annual financial incentive to the town from $285,000 to $500,000, and will offer each registered voter $428, Copleman said.

The company had previously offered payments to each town, but not to their voters.

Residents in both towns will vote for or against the project on Election Day, November 8. Iberdrola has said it will abide by the communities’ wishes. The fate of the project is unclear if one town votes for it and another against.

Windham boasts some 400 residents, while nearly 700 people live in Grafton.

A sign in Grafton against the project Credit: Terri Hallenbeck

The company scaled back the project in response to residents’ complaints that the turbines were too close to homes, Copleman said. Windham Selectboard chair Frank Seawright has said he expected Iberdrola to increase its offer, but that he would remain opposed to the project.

The project faces heated opposition in both towns. Last week, VTDigger.org reported that the Windham Foundation, which owns the Grafton Inn, formally opposed the project.

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Terri Hallenbeck was a Seven Days staff writer covering politics, the Legislature and state issues from 2014 to 2017.

4 replies on “Wind Developer Woos Windham With More Money, Fewer Turbines”

  1. Coalition for a Livable City ad? Where is it’s digital version? Are you giving the Sinburger ruse a free pass?

  2. Iberdrola/Avangrid used an open house format rather than a public meeting to announce their “new” plans — after more than four years. Typical playbook of the wind industry, claiming they listened to people and scaled it back. UPC did this in Sheffield, Ira Wind did it. The open house format is used by developers so that there is never an opportunity for public questions and answers. At the Grafton meeting tonight, Iberdrola/Avangrid’s attorney Andy Raubvogel answers questions about the money. First we learn that the corporation has given a pro-wind group in Windham $35,000 to hire a lawyer and negotiate in secret about how to sweeten the pot and win a vote. Then at two minutes into this video https://youtu.be/ZUl8t-a-Ssc a polite, intelligent man named Bill asks about the direct payment to registered voters and “How is that not a bribe.” https://youtu.be/ZUl8t-a-Ssc

  3. It’s a common tactic to present proposals that are way over-the-top, then scale them back ever so slightly to show they “compromised” and “listened to the residents”. In reality, they usually never intend to build the original proposal. I think it’s obvious in this case they never expected to install 28 turbines, which is a HUGE project for VT.

    And it happens with almost EVERY development proposal in the State, not just Big Wind. Having served on local boards, I see it daily. Unfortunately, the State and local Gov’ts promote this behavior, by allowing projects to be modified right up until a hearing or vote, rather than vote on the original proposal. It not only wastes people’s time, but it corrupts and falsifies the process. Often people or board members aren’t even sure what they’re voting on at the time.

  4. The AG has issued an opinion that the promise of a direct monetary payout only to registered voters a month before the warned election is not illegal. Sure seems to violate the law as it is undue influence to alter the vote of people about to be given at a general election. Read the statute here: http://legislature.vt.gov/statutes/fullcha…
    § 2017. Undue influence
    A person who attempts by bribery, threats, or any undue influence to dictate, control, or alter the vote of a freeman or freewoman about to be given at a local, primary, or general election shall be fined not more than $200.00. (Amended 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

    If this is allowed, vote buying could come your way on any issue. Renewable industrialists are doing great harm to our democracy.

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