May 6, 2016
Texas

Wind farm worries in Wichita Co.

Samantha Forester, Reporter | KSWO | 2016-05-05 | www.kswo.com

WICHITA FALLS, TX – A member of Clay County Against Wind Farms spoke about potential effects one could have on Sheppard Air Force Base Thursday.

The presentation was held at Midwestern State University in the Dillard College of Business building.

“We’ve been dealing with the wind farm issue in Clay county for a number of years, but now where they have cited the last two developments that are going on in Clay county directly affect what’s happening in Wichita county as well as the north central Texas area as it pertains to Sheppard Air Force Base and the impact of what it would have there,” John Greer of Clay County Against Wind Farms said.

Wichita County Judge Woody Gossom was in the audience.

“I wanted to hear their information and I thought he prepared a very scholarly report pointing out that things aren’t exactly as they appear,” Judge Gossom said.

Judge Gossom said Wichita County has not been approached by anyone wanting to bring in a wind farm, but did say the county’s interest is in SAFB.

“I don’t want there to be an adverse effect on SAFB and while we talk about individual property rights we really have to look at what you’re giving up in that agreement with them,” Judge Gossom said.

Officials with SAFB said radar and training could be potentially affected by a wind farm being placed in the base’s air space.

“We have a role to execute on behalf of our president and anytime we have things like wind farms that may encroach upon our mission we have to speak up about that to protect that mission and continue to discharge the duties we’ve been entrusted with,” Commander of the 80th Operation Squadron Lt. Colonel TJ Lowe said.

Jimmy Horn with Horn Wind LLC in Windthorst said the company is doing testing to ensure there won’t be any problems with two new wind farms in northern and southern Clay county.

“From our preliminary analysis things are looking like there’s not any major issues, but we still have a little more analysis to do this week,” Horn said.

But if problems are forecasted by the group hired by Horn Wind LLC the company will consider abandoning the development.

Samantha Forester, Newschannel 6

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/05/06/wind-farm-worries-in-wichita-co/