### 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.

Paper FederalRecyclingProgram* PrintedonRecycledThis 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-committed practicespresentedin 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 responses to 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 

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