Albany County planning commission recommends approval for Heirloom Energy pilot project

The Albany County Planning Commission on March 12 voted to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve a temporary conditional use permit for Heirloom Energy to test a novel wind-energy device on private land north of Rock River.

The recommendation, made after staff review and a public hearing, follows presentations from county planning staff and Heirloom Energy representatives about the project’s temporary nature, site access, and plans for wildlife and land reclamation.

Staff planner David Gertsch said the application addresses the required conditional-use findings and that the project’s temporary status and distance from occupied structures — nearly a mile — mitigate many nuisance concerns such as noise and air quality. He noted potential permitting requirements with the Wyoming Department of Transportation if the applicant uses a different access, and suggested the company work with Wyoming Game and Fish on wildlife impacts.

Neil Rickner, chief executive officer of Heirloom Energy, described the device as a “new kind of wind turbine” that operates on a rail system and can be shipped in…