June 9, 2018
Letters, Missouri

Kudos for vote against wind farms

Your letters June 8, 2018 | www.newspressnow.com

The people residing in Caldwell County should be proud of their elected county officials once again. The Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation for the commissioners to reject the Grain Belt Clean Line had statewide implications. Caldwell County joined Clinton County as one of the few Missouri counties that blocked approval to build the line across our state.

In April, Caldwell County’s Planning and Zoning Board recommended the Caldwell County Commission amend their zoning ordinance to regulate Solar Energy Systems and Wind Energy Conversion Systems. This decision came after receiving the record of hearings previously held in 2016 by the Clinton County Planning and Zoning Board, studying transcripts of Clinton County testimony and exhibits, giving public notice, and holding a public hearing this past April where 15 witnesses gave direct testimony.

The Board voted unanimously 10 to zero to recommend authorization for Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems while prohibiting Commercial Wind Energy Systems.

The order amending the zoning ordinance states, in part: “The use, installation and maintenance of Commercial Wind Energy Systems is a prohibited use within all zoning districts. A Commercial Wind Energy System is an electrical generating facility of greater than 100 kilowatts in total nameplate generating capacity, comprised of one or more wind turbines and accessory facilities, including, but not limited to, power lines, transformers, substations and meteorological towers, which operate by converting the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy.”

The Caldwell County Commission found it was in the best interest of the citizens of Caldwell County to adopt the Caldwell County Planning and Zoning Board’s proposed amendment by a vote of three to zero on May 7, 2018.

Congratulations to everyone contributing to this decision!

Glenn Dyer

Stewartsville, Missouri


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/06/09/kudos-for-vote-against-wind-farms/