Colorado Highlands Wind Project
Western Area Power Administration, Rocky Mountain Region (WAPA) has received a request from Colorado Highlands Wind to modify its Interconnection Agreement for the Colorado Highlands Wind Project (Project). The modification includes expanding the existing Colorado Highlands Wind Farm by adding 11 wind turbine generators (WTGs) on approximately 1,200 acres of State and private land adjoining the eastern border of the existing Project. The electricity produced by the additional WTGs would be about 20 megawatts (MW) and would be transferred to WAPA’s Sterling-Frenchman Creek 115-kilovolt transmission line at WAPA’s Wildhorse Creek Switchyard.
The Project and the Project modification are located northeast of the Town of Fleming in Logan County, Colorado. As with the Project, the maximum blade tip height for the wind turbines for the modification is approximately 427 feet (130 meters). Other components of the modification would include underground electrical systems and access roads.
WAPA completed an environmental assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact in 2009 for the Project.
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Environmental Assessment DOE/EA-1611, Interconnection Request for the Colorado Highlands Wind Project, Logan County, Colorado (PDF) (January 2009)
- Finding of No Significant Impact, DOE/EA-1611 (PDF) (February 2, 2009)
- Mitigation Action Plan, DOE/EA-1611 (PDF) (Jan. 19, 2009)
WAPA’s current proposal to modify the Interconnection Agreement for the Project fits within a class of actions that normally require preparation of an environmental assessment, specifically section C7 of Appendix C to Subpart D of 10 C.F.R. Part 1021, the Department of Energy National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures.
In accordance with WAPA’s responsibilities under section 5.a.(8) of the Department of Energy (DOE) Order 451.1B, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance Program, WAPA has determined that the modification to the Colorado Highlands Wind Project requires the preparation of a supplemental Environmental Assessment.
Supplemental EA Determination, March 25, 2014
The final Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the project has been prepared and can be viewed below.
- Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment DOE/SEA-1611-S1 (PDF)
- Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF) (FONSI)
Comments may be sent to:
Regional Environmental Manager, J0400
Rocky Mountain Region
Western Area Power Administration
5555 East Crossroads Avenue
Loveland, CO 80538
JWood@wapa.gov
Last modified on September 17th, 2024