The Authority is another step closer to its long-running wind energy project, which is likely to see more than two dozen giant turbines placed atop hills in rural Carbon County.

The project has begun receiving clearances from entities such as the FAA, but is still facing legal blocks from Penn Forest Township’s zoning hearing board, which has been fighting the authority with an array of tactics and lawsuits, including one solicitor Jim Broughal has motioned to quash, as the ZHB has shown no proof a suit is needed.

Broughal also insisted Executive Director Steve Repasch not attend the latest hearing in Penn Forest Township. Repasch said, “The reason being there’s a subpoena for me,” to supply information. The next hearing is likely to be held some time in October, but whether Repasch will be there, he concluded with a laugh, “It depends.”

The board then heard a lengthy presentation by Jason Du Terroil of Avangrid Renewables, of the huge Iberdrola energies group. He said early approvals – such as by the FAA – have been received for nearly 600 feet of clearance space for the turbines, but it’s still only the beginning. The things are so massive that not only would great concrete piers be sunk into the ground to anchor them, but roads would have to be created just to deliver the huge tower pieces to their sites.

Du Terroil said early estimates suggest the project will be ready to begin in December 2020, and will be operational one year later. The two original meteorological sensor towers are being dismantled after several years of use, he said, and he hopes all the zoning issues will be resolved by the end of next year.

Later, Special Police Officer Steve Mertz clarified a few encounters in the woodlands; that the new remote drone was successfully used to supplement patrols over the Labor Day weekend and that people continue to use the land to forage for foods. In this case, he said, there are many Eastern European people who come out to the woods to pick mushrooms, though they clam up when asked about specifics. “They’re very secretive about their spots.”

Board President Sharon Zondag said it was worth noting this additional benefit the authority’s properties are to the public, and suggested it gets included elsewhere. “There’s much that happens on our 22,000 acres that benefits the community not mentioned in the Land Use Policy,” she said, and within minutes it was part of that discussion.

It was noted that authority land follows Game Commission law, so in the most basic terms people are allowed to pick and take home edibles, “but not trees.”

The LUP update will likely see a vote in October, and if it passes will be posted on the authority’s website.

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m.