Wind Farm Area Assessment – Benton County, Indiana

Challenge

In August 2006, Mundell performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for the Orion Energy Group of a proposed wind energy conversion facility in Benton County, Indiana. The site was the location of the future Benton County Wind Farm, the first wind energy conversion facility in Indiana. The facility consists of approximately 87 turbines distributed over about 24 square miles of farm land. The facility includes, in addition to wind turbines, a substation, an operations and maintenance building, site access roads, underground electrical lines and above ground transmission lines. The site is mostly agricultural, with a few scattered residential and commercial properties. The area includes mixed residential, commercial and industrial areas within the towns of Earl Park and Raub situated in the central and northwestern portions of the wind farm.

Action

Mundell completed the Phase I ESA scope of work over this large tract of land with special ‘large-tract’ observation techniques and records searches. Site reconnaissance included significant visual review of this large area, with specially-designed historical records analysis and regulatory database searches. Interviews with residents and on-site staff were also completed.

Results

The results of the Phase I ESA allowed for the future development of the Benton County Wind Farm, with no significant environmental concerns observed that would hinder the proposed construction within this area. The wind farm operation began in April 2008, supplying over 130.5 MW of sustainable energy to Duke Energy and Vectren Energy Delivery.