Pre-Filed Testimony and Exhibits of David Raphael - Vermont Public ...

Aesthetic Assessment of the Proposed Beaver Wood Biomass Facility
4. Orderly Development and Public Investments
Development by avoiding key scenic and natural features and providing a local
source of renewable energy that is necessary for such development to occur
4.2 Public Investments
Section 248 references and incorporates 10 V.S.A. Section 6086, which includes
Criterion 9(K) Development affecting public investments. This criterion considers
whether a project, as proposed, will unnecessarily or unreasonably endanger the
public or quasi public investment in public facilities, services or lands or materially
jeopardize or interfere with the function, efficiency or safety of, or public’s use or
enjoyment of or access to the public facility, service or lands.
The proposed Fair Haven Biomass Project will not unnecessarily or unreasonably
affect public investments or services in the Fair Haven area. The applicable
investments include the state highway, Route 4, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad
(although this may be a privately owned company running on a corridor that may or
may not have public investment), The State of Vermont Welcome Center, and a
public open space/recreation parcel at the end of Academy Road.
The site of the plant will be accessed from Route 4 directly with exit ramps, thus
providing for efficient flow in and out of the project site without any significant
traffic impacts or unacceptable physical impacts to the highway. The traffic impact
assessment conducted by Conley Associates did not conclude that there would be
any significant impacts accruing from this project and that the L.evel of Service (LOS)
at the intersection of Routes 4 and 4A would remain at the same level it currently
functions at. Therefore, there will be no material change affecting the safety or
operation of the highway, or specific impact to the physical attributes of the
investrnenL
There will be no specific impacts or changes to the existing rail line other than a
proposed spur (which would be privately funded and operated). The spur would be
consistent with the purpose and operation of the rail line and as such will not
adversely affect the operation or safety of the railroad.
There will be no direct impacts to the Welcome Center other than visual, and the
visual impact has been addressed in Section 2 of this report. As the Welcome Center
is not adjacent to the site (it is approximately .12 miles from the boundary of the
project site) there will be no direct physical impacts that could endanger the public’s
well being or safety, or interfere with the functioning of the Welcome Center. In
terms of the public’s use and enjoyment of the Center, the project will not affect the
public’s use of the site (aside from a gazebo which is closed-in and with a bench
facing in a different direction from the site). There is only one picnic table outdoors
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