ROXBURY – A lengthy presentation by the principals of the proposed Record Hill Wind Project and from several others affiliated with the plan drew questions from residents at a Department of Environmental Protection public hearing Thursday.

“My concern has always been how the sound is going to travel,” resident Linda Kuras said. She noted that sound studies conducted on the project were performed in August, a time when the wind is generally at a low ebb, and wondered if any study showed how sound can rebound off mountains around the proposed project area.

“We did look at this business of reflection, which causes a canyon effect,” said Charles Wallace of Resource Systems Engineering. “There’s nothing close enough to cause that.”

“Is that a fact that the wind is at its least during the summer months?” Kuras pressed.

“All of those measurements were in ambient conditions,” Wallace said. “What we have done is measure in all seasons. We believe we have captured the range of sound you’ll get in summer and winter.”

More than 250 hours of sound data was collected using calibrated meters stationed at different points considerably closer to the site than the nearest residence, Wallace stated. After data analysis, it was determined that if all wind turbines were operating at the same time, the decibel levels would range from 27 to 42.

At one point in his presentation, Wallace had everyone in the room be as silent as possible for a few seconds while a sound meter stationed in the back measured the sound levels. Even with people being as quiet as they could, the decibel level was still 32.

Angus King, representing Independence Wind, LLC, which proposed this project, noted in his presentation that the wind towers will help reduce Maine’s dependence on fossil fuels. Climate change was on the minds of many at the meeting, and one resident, Ann Morin, asked what could happen if climate change causes a shift in the prevailing wind direction and reduces the amount of power the towers could produce.

“People are concerned about the wind direction in the Atlantic Ocean and whether the currents will change,” she said. She also wondered what would occur as far as blasting and impacts on the watershed, referring to what is taking place in the Kibby Range north of Eustis with a wind project that is being constructed there.

“Maybe it’s in the process and will get better, but it looks awful now,” she said of the Kibby wind farm.

King provided a project outline before the comment and question period. Independence Wind has submitted an application to the DEP that will be considered over a six-month time frame.

“We hope and expect the town will be able to consider this at a special town meeting, hopefully as early as January,” he said.

The project consists of 22 turbines, each 250 feet in height from base to hub, and blades 116 feet high. Every other tower will have pulsing lights per Federal Aviation Administration rules, but no blades will have lights.

The turbines will turn 80 percent of the time, producing enough power to supply 20,000-25,000 homes per year. King explained that the project is expected to offset about 132 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

“The power will be going to the grid in Rumford. It’s not sold yet,” he said.

Independence Wind has a proposal to supply free energy to every full and part-time Roxbury resident for 20 years, or the life of the project, whichever is shorter.

“We’re going to pay up to 500 kilowatt hours (per month),” said project principal Rob Gardiner, noting that this makes the proposal inflation proof. “It’s only for the generating charge.”

If a home is sold during that time, the next owner would get the benefits.

Every residence that is a Central Maine Power customer as of September would be eligible.

With regard to the impact on Roxbury’s tax base, Gardiner noted that it would quadruple it. King pointed out that it will pay about 75 percent of Roxbury taxes in the foreseeable future, with residents’ taxes reduced two thirds due to the valuation increase as part of the project.

Morin, however, brought up another point, asking if devaluation would occur to the project if new technology made it obsolete. “Is that tax base going to change?”

“We’re assuming steady amounts of property tax, whether that’s real or personal,” Gardiner responded. He noted that the state would do the valuation based on how much revenue the project generated, not on the age of the technology.

Gardiner also tried to clear up a continuing misconception.

“We are not getting any tax breaks,” he emphasized. As far as tax increment financing, Gardiner stressed that the principals would not be seeking it.

“That’s what we’ve said, and that’s what you can enforce.”

Power from the 22 turbines will be collected in 34.5-kilovolt collector lines and delivered to an on-site collector substation located east of the main ridgeline. The majority of this collection system will be underground along the ridgeline and above ground while traveling down the mountain.

The power will be converted to 115-kV at the collector substation and transmitted to the grid through electrical lines owned and operated by CMP. Some of the lines will be upgraded prior to operation under a separate permit application.

Environmental studies completed at the site include spring and fall seasons of avian and bat surveys; a breeding bird survey; wetland delineations of the affected areas; vernal pool surveys; and a rare, threatened, and endangered plant species survey. Additional reports and surveys include an analysis of historic architecture; Euro-American and pre-contact archeology; visual impact analysis; and soils evaluation.

Tina Howard spoke supportively of the project.

“Living in Roxbury my entire life, I really think that my ancestors would be proud to know we have something of such value in Roxbury,” she said, noting she would be happy to have the project in town.