IMPORTANT NEWS: Rocky Forge Wind has submitted the final version of the application to the Virginia DEQ. This version includes comments received from the public and the responses of Rocky Forge Wind. The submission was made on December 2, 2016, and the DEQ now has 90 days to review the application and rule if the application is complete or incomplete. The set of submissions that Rocky Forge Wind made is available at PBR documents.
This page has news and opinions about the Rocky Forge Wind project. Not all news items are recent, but have been reported and are still posted on the web, and are considered to still be of interest. Opinions are what they are. If you wish to bring a new item or an opinion piece to our attention, please use the Contact Us page to submit it. We also welcome original opinions, but please be aware that our editorial review process will screen all submitted opinions for language, libel, etc.
News
22-June-2016
The following article was published in the News-Gazette. It describes the comments made by several members of Virginians for Responsible Energy at the June 13th Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors meeting. The comments were made to thank the board for sending a letter to Apex and the DEQ expressing concerns about the Rocky Forge project, and to provide information to rebut the News-Gazette editorial that endorsed the project. Apex Opponents Counter Pro-Project Comments
06-June-2016
The local Lexington radio station WREL (96.7) interviewed one of our members about the Rocky Forge project. The full interview is about 12 minutes long, and is divided into two parts.
02-June-2016
The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Apex and the DEQ stating their serious concerns about the Rocky Forge project. Rockbridge BOS 6-2-16 Apex Energy letter re Rocky Forge Wind Energy Project
27-Apr-2016
The following article was published in the News-Gazette. It provides an excellent summary of why the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council and Virginians for Responsible Energy are opposed to the Rocky Forge Wind project.Right Idea …Wrong Place
06-Apr-2016
Terry McAuliffe, the governor of Virginia announced at the VMI Environment Virginia Symposium that the Rocky Forge Wind project is part of his vision for a new state economy powered in part by renewable energy. Governor McAuliffe Champions Rocky Forge Wind
31-Mar-2016
The following article appeared in the W & L Rockbridge Report. The report is produced by students at W & L. Note that the claim of producing electricity for 20,000 homes made by Apex has been shown to be greatly exaggerated. http://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2016/03/31/14133/
28-Jan-2016
The Botetourt Board of Supervisors approves Special Exception Permit for the Rocky Forge Wind project. Botetourt County Approves Rocky Forge
Opinions
22-June-2016
The following letter was published in the News-Gazette and provides excellent points about the damage that will occur if Rocky Forge is built. Rocky Forge Is About Willful Destruction
15-June-2016
In the June 15 issue of the News-Gazette, two letters were printed from members of Virginians for Responsible Energy. The first is a letter responding to an editorial that appeared in the June 8 News-Gazette in which the newspaper endorsed the Rocky Forge Wind project writing that it is “a step in the right direction”. Birds Bats People Losers In Rocky Forge Scheme
The second letter was in response to a letter to the editor in the June 8 News-Gazette, in which the writer also endorsed Rocky Forge, using some of the same reasons as the editorial. RFW Not Responsible Use of Taxpayer Funds
The News-Gazette has weekly guest columnists on a rotating basis, and the columnist this week was Hugh Bouchelle. Bouchelle The Health of the Eye
01-June-2016
In the June issue of The Rockbridge Advocate (the cover page actually says May, but inside pages are dated June), the following letter to the editor written by the RACC Wind group (part of the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council) provides many reasons why Rocky Forge is “the right idea (sometimes), definitely in the wrong place”. Wind farm raises a pile of questions
27-Apr-2016
The following letter to the editor was printed in the Lexington News-Gazette. It provides an excellent summary of the reasons why Rocky Forge Wind should not be approved. Wind Turbines Have No Place On Steep Ridges
06-Apr-2016
The following letter to the editor was printed in the Lexington News-Gazette. It raises questions about how “green” the proposed Rocky Forge Wind project is. Letter to News Gazette April 6
23-Mar-2016
The following letter to the editor was printed in the Lexington News-Gazette and the April edition of the Rockbridge Advocate. It raises questions about the impartiality of the Secretary of the Virginia Department of Natural Resources in expressing approval for the Rocky Forge Wind project before all the necessary impact analyses have been performed. Letter to News Gazette March 23