Wind Power News: Kansas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
First hearing in wind farm lawsuit sets deadline
A hearing was held last week in a lawsuit filed against county commissioners over conditional use permits granted to a wind farm company working to build turbines in the southern portion of the county. At that hearing, district judge Steven Hornbaker set a deadline for all sides of the lawsuit to provide information requested by the others and set April 7 for a second hearing. Although Randy Eitzen and 70 other plaintiffs filed the lawsuit Aug. 14 against Marion County . . . Complete story »
Despite rumors, 3rd wind farm not looking at county
Rumors of a potential third wind farm in Marion County turn out to be untrue. County commissioners have clearly heard the rumor. Commissioner Dianne Novak, speaking at a recent commission meeting, said she’s heard talk that a wind farm is signing lease agreements in the Goessel area. Commissioner Jonah Gehring said he’d been contacted about a wind farm allegedly recruiting for leases in the Goessel area as well. NextEra Energy did sign some leases in the Goessel area about three . . . Complete story »
Judge decides to hear wind farm case
Those who have been fighting hard against the wind farms that they believe are attempting to take over Marion County were pleased on Tuesday by Marion County Eighth Judicial District Court Judge Steven Hornbaker’s rulings. “I think it went good,” said Plaintiff Randy Eitzen who filed against the Board of Marion County Commissioners regarding decisions they have made involving Expedition Winds business in the county. The judge heard both sides regarding allowing more time for discovery before determining if the . . . Complete story »
Jayhawk Wind Farm Project causing concerns in Bourbon County
SOUTHEAST KANSAS – Tensions heighten with Bourbon County residents as they go before commissioners to voice their concern with the Jayhawk Wind Farm Project. This afternoon, commissioners held a forum along with representatives from Jayhawk Wind to hear how the turbines could affect the community. Kim Simons lives in the county and isn’t happy about the possibility of a turbine being on her property. She says she’s afraid the turbines won’t benefit those whose land they’re on. And, she adds she . . . Complete story »
County’s wind farm advisory group dives into study topics
The five-member committee charged with studying the impact of wind energy in Labette County on Tuesday began digging into the weeds of topics related to wind development. Tuesday was the second meeting for the group that organized in late December. The next meeting will be at 5 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Labette County Public Works building in Altamont, 901 S. Huston. The Labette County Commission formed the committee to look into wind farm regulations after a German utility expressed . . . Complete story »
Roads closed north of Emporia after semi overturns
Road L and Road 240 were shut down for several hours Thursday after a semi tractor-trailer overturned. At 10:33 a.m. Thursday, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Emporia-Lyon County EMS responded to the report of a rollover accident in the 2300 block of North Highway 99 – about five miles north of Emporia. According to Lyon County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Williams, an oversized 2018 tractor trailer hauling the base of a wind turbine failed to negotiate the curve while heading south . . . Complete story »
Wind farm windfall varies widely in state
Kansas counties are on their own when negotiating payment in lieu of taxes agreements with wind farm companies looking to install turbines in their counties, and payments vary widely from one wind farm to another. The most recent figures available, from a 2017 study by Flatland, a Kansas City-based public broadcasting system, show payments to counties range from $1,000 to $6,500 per megawatt produced. Marion County’s agreements place it near the bottom for payments for wind farms in the state. . . . Complete story »
Watch out for energy easements
Recently, on a warm fall day, I stopped at my 77-year-old father-in-law’s farmhouse because he was meeting with a salesman for the fourth time regarding a transmission line easement. I walked into his sunporch to find four men with the sole purpose of persuading him to sign. Weeks later, he had to chase off surveyors who were trespassing on his property. Stories of wind salesmen tell us that they manipulate retirees with phrases such as, “you’ll leave a ‘green’ legacy,” . . . Complete story »
Battle reignites over $2.5B Midwest transmission line
A new decade will give rise to an old debate over a project promising to bring cheap wind energy to Eastern states. At issue is the Grain Belt Express, a proposed 780-mile transmission line stretching from southwest Kansas to the eastern edge of the PJM Interconnection grid in Indiana. Next month, the dispute over whether it should be built or not will resurface in Missouri, when the Legislature convenes. The $2.5 billion direct-current transmission line has been vetted by utility . . . Complete story »
Allowing eminent domain is an unjust law
How you feel about wind energy isn’t as important as the issue of eminent domain. The argument of increased tax base is false. Since the company is a for-profit company, the tax burden will be passed on to consumers and the profits will follow the company. It will probably not be a local contractor to install the line and unlikely have few if any subcontractors. How does this help the local economy? Higher utility rates due to hidden taxes and . . . Complete story »
