‘Wind farm’ opponents keep up fight
Credit: October 25, 2023 | carrollconews.com ~~
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As has been the case for the past several months, a steady stream of citizens turned out for the Oct. 17 meeting of the Carroll County Quorum Court to speak about Scout Clean Energy’s plans to construct a “wind farm” near Green Forest.
Speaking during the portion of the meeting set aside for public comments, several individuals repeated their concerns about the project, which opponents say poses significant risks to the health and safety of animals and humans as well as detracting from the area’s natural beauty. Environmental concerns, especially the potential negative impact on the area’s water supply, have been raised repeatedly during quorum court meetings over the past several months.
Scout, based in Boulder, Colo., plans for the Nimbus project to expand over approximately 9,000 acres – about 14 square miles – in Carroll County, much of it along County Road 905 southeast of Green Forest. Scout says the project could generate up to 180 megawatts of electricity at peak demand – enough to power almost 30,000 homes. Scout says it has signed lease agreements with more than 50 landowners to place wind turbines on their property, The company estimates that the 30-year project will generate more than $14 million in lease payments and $25 million in tax revenue for the county.
The planned wind farm has been a topic of public comments at quorum court meetings for the past several months, with some justices of the peace responding that they have no authority to intervene in the project.
-A proposal that would have regulated setback distances and sound limits for towers in the county, sponsored by District 1 Justice of the Peace Jack Deaton, was voted down at the quorum court’s August meeting. A large contingent of county residents turned out for that meeting after receiving a mailer about what the mailer described as an effort to initiate zoning regulations in the county.
“I brought an ordinance in a few months ago, addressing this,” Deaton said at the Oct. 17 meeting. “The wind farm company caught wind of it, sent out a bunch of propaganda. The next thing you know, all these constituents were hounding our JPs to vote against my ordinance.” At the Oct. 17 meeting, Deaton sponsored an agenda item for discussion of “planning vs. zoning.”
District 6 JP Craig Hicks said county residents will turn out in large numbers to oppose any move to restrict what they can do on their property.
“If you think this courtroom is full now, you just wait,” Hicks said. “If you want to start talking about planning and zoning, you’re going to see your constituents come out and show out. And they did, a couple of months ago. I had somebody a lot smarter than me tell me, and I think it’s worth repeating: “Planning is a vision; zoning is how you get there.’ I’m not for planning and zoning. Our quorum court voted on an ordinance and I think the majority wasn’t for it, either.”
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