FEBRUARY 11, 2025|
Photo – BluEarth Renewables energy projects in Carbon County – Courtesy BluEarth Renewables
President Donald Trump’s executive order, temporarily suspending the Department of the Interior’s authority to issue permits, has delayed the Two Rivers Wind Energy Project.
In 2018, Canadian power company BluEarth Renewables took over development of the Two Rivers Wind Energy Project north of Medicine Bow. When completed, the project is expected to generate 280 megawatts of power from 38 wind turbines.
Speaking to Bigfoot99 last November, Executive Vice President of Regulatory, Engineering, and Construction Jamey Fitzgibbon explained that the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, permitting process was nearly complete. Fitzgibbon said he was hoping to meet with the Board of Carbon County Commissioners in early 2025 to request permission to begin construction.
During the February 4th Board of County Commissioners meeting, Planning and Development Administrator Kristy Rowan said BluEarth Renewables applied for the required permits to begin construction of the Two Rivers Wind Energy Project and associated transmission lines last month. However, the Canadian power company has asked that approval of their application be delayed due to President Trump’s Executive Order 3415.
Executive Order 3415 temporarily suspends the authority of Department of the Interior bureaus and agencies to issue permits, including those for renewable energy projects, such as Two Rivers. The order is set to expire on March 21st.
Planning and Development Administrator Rowan informed the board that she will wait to process BluEarth’s conditional use permit applications until she hears from the Canadian power company.
Carbon County zoning regulations require construction on energy projects to begin within two years of a conditional use permit being issued.
Speaking to Bigfoot99 last November, Vice President of Construction Fitzgibbon said he hopes to begin construction in 2026, and start generating electricity two years later, in 2028. It is unclear if Executive Order 3415 will delay that timeline.
