Rattlesnake Flat Windfarm forges ahead

LIND — Nearly $42 million worth of construction costs in building permits were issued for Adams County between Feb. 1 and March 25.

The bulk of the permits were issued March 24-25 for work contracted by Blattner Energy Inc. for the Rattlesnake Flat Wind Project.

Permits include construction of 23 wind turbines valued at $1,645,467each, for a total of $37,845,730.

Fourteen of the wind turbines will be located at 350 S. Marcellus Road, another one at 47 N. Seivers Road, two along East Providence Road, three at 76 S. Dewald Road, one at 91 S. Dewald Road, one at 1271 E. Phillips Road and one at 1300 E. Phillips Road.

Six of the turbines will go on land owned by the Seivers Family Trust; three each on land owned by the Knodel Family Ltd. Partnership, Marciel Smith and land leased from the state.

Two more will go on land owned by Kathey K (Balcom) Fritchle; two each on land owned by Edwin G. Jr. and Michaele Len Hatter; and one each on land owned by Meilke Farms LLC, Michael W. Gust, Roger D. Smith, and David and Karen E. Baumann.

Two earlier permits for construction of wind turbines by Blattner Energy Inc. were purchased Feb. 11-12; one valued at $1,645,467 for land owned by the Seivers Family Trust at 1104 E. Providence Road; and one valued at $1,352,449 for land owned by the Stoddard Family Trust at 1473 E. Phillips Road.

“We received applications for 57 and issued permits for 23 so far. We’ll probably issue the remainder in the next couple of weeks,” Adams County Building Department Assistant Director Andie Lorenzsaid March 26. “We have all of them permitted, but we’re just finalizing some address details.”

Construction began earlier this month on the16.45 MW Rattlesnake Flat Wind project, near Phillips Road.

“So far, we’ve got a laydown yard (to store equipment) and beginning dirt work,” Blattner Energency spokesman Cory Dugan said March 26.

So far, the firm had not received a stop-work order due to governmental restrictions in place to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

Developer Clearwater Energy Group entered a 20-year power purchase agreement with Avista Utilities a year ago, to provide approximately 50 average megawatts of renewable energy, or as much as 144 megawatts of nameplate wind capacity with deliveries scheduled to begin this year. Avista said it intended to recover the cost of the power purchased through its retail rates.

Avista could not be reached for comment by press time.

Other permits

Other building permits issued since Feb. 1 are (owner, address, contractor, work and valuation):

• Warden Hutterian Brethren, 315 S. Roxboro Road, Warren Hutterian Brethren, office building, $56,000.

• George C. and Marie H. Walker, 2139 W. Hampton Road, George C. and Marie H. Walker, steel building equipment shop, $109,825.

• Brandon J. Axtman, 786 S. McKinney Road, Quality Structures One., Inc., shop building, $35,063.

• Gabriel Garza, 710 S. Elliot Lane, Gabriel Garza, single-family residence, $260,000.

• Richard D. and Kelly D. and Callahan, 752 S. O’Brian Road, Richard D. and Kelly D. and Callahan, removal of a mobile home, $2,000.

• Washtucna Community, 705 E. Booth Ave., Ackerman Heating and Air-conditioning, installation of two new furnace systems, $13,573.

• Sprague Templins, LLC, 2008 N. Durry Road, Northern Craftsman Construction, remodel of a building for a Subway restaurant, $25,000

• C. Transport LLC Martinez, 1839 W. Yeisley Road, C. Transport LLC Martinez, single family residence, $309,760.

• Robert M. and Ann Y. Ashton, 2145 W. Hatton Road, Premier Landscaping/Design LLC, swimming pool liner, $15,000.

• David W. and A. Kaye Freeman, 2073 W. James Road, Premier Landscaping/Design LLC, swimming pool liner, $15,000.

• Jose C. and Alicia Mendez, 685 S. Taylor Road, Dunn Wright Roofing and EXTR LLC, re-roof home, $19,170.

• Schoonover Hutterian Brethren, 2194 B, N. Schoonover Road, Schoonover Hutterian Brethren, installation of a manufactured home, $36,000.

• Ryan S. and Nicole S. Sams, 1021 S. Sundance Road, Straight A Contracting LLC, pole building, $40,000.