To everyone who showed their support on Election Day!
Big Wind’s depredations continue, whatever the results yesterday. If you did not already, you can contribute to National Wind Watch now and at any time. Every dollar (pound, euro, krone, yen, etc.) goes to keeping the web site running.
Stripe: |
PayPal/Venmo: |
Osage Nation wins partial victory in case against wind development
Credit: By Michael Overall | Tulsa World | May 2, 2017 | www.tulsaworld.com ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
While ruling against the tribe on several other issues Tuesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court will let the Osage Nation challenge the validity of a 2011 county ordinance that allowed wind developments to be built in Osage County.
In a 5-1 decision, the justices overturned a lower court’s dismissal of the case, which argues that the Osage County Wind Energy Ordinance should be thrown out because county commissioners allegedly failed to give proper public notice before approving it.
Justice Noma Gurich, however, issued a dissenting opinion that criticizes the court’s majority for giving the tribe “one last futile attempt” to stop wind developments “instead of finally putting this case to rest.”
The tribe has filed several unsuccessful lawsuits in both state and federal courts to block or at least curtail wind developments in the state’s largest county, arguing that massive wind turbines are spoiling the prairie’s scenic beauty, endangering wildlife and interfering with the tribe’s access to its mineral estate.
The Supreme Court ruled against the Osage Nation on several other arguments, agreeing with a lower court that the tribe waited too long to file some of the legal challenges.
“The court’s decisions lean heavily in favor of the windmill companies,” said Holli Wells, the Osage Nation’s attorney general. “It is a sad day in Indian Country, especially for the Osage Nation and our revered eagle population.”
Owned by Enel Green Power North America, the Osage Wind development became operational in summer 2015, with nearly 100 wind turbines spread across 8,400 acres west of Pawhuska.
Enel officials did not respond to a request for comments.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share: