Department of Energy 

January 14,2005 

Golden Field Office 

1617 Cole Boulevard 

Golden, Colorado 80401-3305 

DOE/EA-1516 

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 

For the 

PROPOSEDCLIPPER WINDPOWER, INC. LOW WIND SPEEDTURBINE 

DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, CARBON COUNTY, WYOMING 

AGENCY: U.S. Departmentof Energy,GoldenField Office 

ACTION Findingof No SignificantImpact(FaNS!) 

SUMMARY: TheU.S. Departmentof Energy(DOE)conductedan EnvironmentalAssessment 

(EA) for the ProposedClipperWindpower,Inc. Low Wind SpeedTurbineDemonstration 

Project,CarbonCounty,Wyoming,to evaluatepotentialenvironmentalimpactsof project 

constructionandoperation. 

DOE throughits NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory(NREL), would providepartial funding 

througha cost-sharedresearchanddevelopmentsubcontractwith ClipperWindpower,Inc. 

(Clipper)for this projectduringthe 3-yearperformancetestperiod. 

Clipper has developed a proprietary low wind speedturbine design that is capableof producing 

more electricity in low wind speedconditions than comparablewind turbines. The Clipper 

turbine would have a maximum output of2.5 megawatts (MW) of electrical power. Clipper has 

designedand constructed a full-scale version of the low wind speed turbine and has begunthe 

processof obtaining international certification for the low wind speedturbine model. 

Although ultimate deployment of the demonstrationturbine is anticipated to be at low wind 

speedsites (sites where high velocity winds are less frequentthan at "high wind speed" sites), 

the Carbon County, Wyoming site, where this turbine will be tested,is a high wind speedsite. 

This will allow testing of the turbine's operational characteristicsand efficiency to be completed 

in a shortertime frame than if testing were done at a low wind speedsite, becausethe wind will 

blow at high speedsmore often. 

Wind turbine model certification is a major step in providing electric service organizations, 

government agencies,businesses,and private individuals that plan to purchasea wind 

installation with assurancesthat wind turbine models have beentestedand meet certain design, 

manufacturing, performance, and safety standards. The Clipper low wind speedturbine design 

hasundergonenumerous tests, including drive train testing in the National Wind Test Center 

dynamometer. At this point, Clipper needsto test the demonstrationwind turbine under natural 

wind conditions before the designcan obtain international certification and can be put into full 

commercial production. 

FederalRecyclingProgram* PrintedonRecycled Paper
This EA analyzesthe potential environmental impacts of the DOE decision to partially fund the 

ProposedAction. In accordancewith applicable regulations and policies, the DOE conducted 

internal and external (public) scoping of the ProposedAction. This processdetermined the 

scopeand the specific critical elementsof the human environment to be addressedin this EA. 

Federal, state, and local governmentagenciesas well asNative American tribes were also 

contactedto identify potential issuesand concerns. In addition to the ProposedAction, the EA 

also analyzesthe No Action Alternative in detail. Other siting options were evaluated prior to 

scoping by Clipper. These options either would not meetthe needsof Clipper or would 

obviously result in more disturbanceand environmental impacts than the ProposedAction. 

However, theseoptions are included and discussedin the EA but were not analyzed in detail. 

DOE's Proposed Action is to partially fund the construction and three years of operation of the 

Clipper Windpower, Inc. Low Wind SpeedTurbine Demonstration Project. This funding would 

be provided through an NREL subcontractwith Clipper and would be administrated by NREL. 

The turbine installation and testing would be managedby Clipper. 

All discussionsandfindingsrelatedto the projectsiteandtheProposedAction arecontainedin 

theattachedFinal EA, includingtheapplicant-committedpracticespresentedin theProposed 

Action. TheFinal EA is herebyincorporatedby reference. 

Commentsonthe draft EA werereceivedfrom u.s. FishandWildlife ServiceandWyoming 

Gan1eandFishDepartment;the commentlettersareattached.As a result,consultationwas 

undertakenbetweenDOEandthosewildlife agencies.TheattachedErratadocumentschanges 

to the EA thatweremadeasa resultof the consultation.TheErratais herebyincorporatedby 

reference.The agencycommentlettersandDOE's responsesto thecommentsarealsoattached 

andareherebyincorporatedby reference. 

COPIES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOE 

GOLDEN FIELD OFFICE WEBSITE AT h!m://www.eere.energy.gov/golden/OR FROM: 

SteveBlazek,NEPA ComplianceOfficer


DOE GoldenField Office


1617ColeBoulevard


Golden,CO 80401-3393


(303)275-4723,(303)275-4790(fax)


steve.blazek@go.doe.gov


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DOE NEPA PROCESSCONTACT: 

Office ofNEP A Policy and Assistance 

U.S. Department of Energy 

1000 IndependenceAvenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20585 

(202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756 
DETERMINATION: 

DOE determines that providing partial funding for the construction and three years of operations 

of the Proposed Clipper Windpower, Inc. Low Wind SpeedTurbine Demonstration Project 

located near Medicine Bow, Carbon County, Wyoming does not constitute a major Federal 

Action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, as defined by the National 

Environmental Policy Act. All applicant-committed measuresidentified and included in the 

ProposedAction of the EA as conditions for Federal funding shall be incorporated in the NREL 

subcontractto Clipper. The preparationof an Environmental Impact Statementis not required, 

and DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact. 

, C~lof;9likr,14thday of January2005',-?< 

../ , 

Kersten 

'Manager 

Enclosure 

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