Abstract: . . .  Any leasing arrangement for state forests and state parks, including the terms of the lease, payment provisions, and how the lease revenue is to be used is subject to legislative approval. Wind Energy and Property Taxes Utility-scale wind energy development can provide an economic boost to communities through increased property tax revenues. Vermont’s existing wind farm development at Searsburg represents a major component of Searsburg’s grand list and provides the town with substantial property tax revenue. In an effort to promote renewable . . .
. . . Economic Considerations and Impacts of Wind Energy (February, 2004) Construction and Operation Costs As the technology of wind turbines has advanced, the costs have decreased and the performance has increased. Wind power is now competitive with fossil fuel generation in many areas of . . .
. . .  several Vermont ski areas that operate on land leased from the state. Ski areas are generally responsible for taxes due on the structures that they own within the leasehold area, while the Agency of Natural Resources makes a payment in lieu of taxes to the town for state land under lease to the ski area. Page 14  . . .
. . .  quickly than in outlying Page 12 areas. This was true for the Searsburg project where property values within the immediate viewshed went up faster than in the outlying region. Though comprehensive in nature, the REPP study is not intended as a predictive tool for estimating impacts of wind energy projects on property values. Consequently, it should not necessarily be inferred that property values near proposed wind energy projects in Vermont will be similarly affected. The size of the wind turbines now being proposed for wind energy projects in . . .
. . .  developed on state land in Vermont, local communities would receive an increase in property tax revenues. The Agency of Natural Resources would continue to provide a “payment in lieu of taxes” to the town based on the state’s appraised value of state-owned land in the town. The wind turbines and associated structures and facilities on state land would most likely be privately-owned under the terms of a long-term lease with the State. In this case, the owner would be responsible for paying local property taxes based on the assessed value of such structures, . . .
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