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.
District judge asked to be recused from wind project suit
A Neosho County District Judge has asked to be recused from a controversial renewable energy project. District Judge Daryl Ahlquist has asked to be recused from a civil suit seeking an injunction against Neosho Ridge Wind, a project to construct 139 wind-powered electrical generators on 44,000 acres leased in southwest Neosho County. Neosho Ridge is the only defendant with 45 non-leasing property owners as plaintiffs. Ahlquist’s letter, dated Thursday, was filed Friday and sent to Chief Judge Daniel Creitz in . . . Complete story »
Wind farm permit approved, not development plan
The Marion County Commission approved a conditional use permit, but not Expedition Wind’s development plan for the proposed wind farm project in the south-central part of the county on July 8. With nearly 50 onlookers in attendance, the only change in the CUP from the planning commission’s recommendation was the addition of a two-mile setback from the city limits of Peabody. After adding that language, the vote to approve the CUP was 2-1 in favor, with commissioner Dianne Novak casting . . . Complete story »
Wind farm approved in part
Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for development of a wind farm, but took no action on a development plan submitted by the company Monday. Audience members had been told earlier there would be no public comment at Monday’s meeting because meetings were earlier held for people to voice their opinions. Commissioners Randy Dallke and Kent Becker voted in favor of the application. Dianne Novak voted against. Commissioners took no action on a development plan also submitted by the wind . . . Complete story »
NextEra files suit against county seeking to overturn denial of its permit
NextEra Energy and some six dozen owners of land in Reno County filed suit in district court this week. The group seeks to reverse the county’s denial of a conditional-use permit for a proposed wind farm in the southeast part of the county. The suit was electronically filed by Pretty Prairie Wind LLC, the Kansas limited liability company NextEra created to develop the project. It also lists as parties to the suit individuals, businesses or trusts that have contracted with . . . Complete story »
Commission continues to discuss wind farm
Prior to the Marion County Commission acting on a recommendation from its planning and zoning board to approve a conditional use for a wind farm being developed in the south-central part of the county, some questions were raised regarding the process at its July 1 meeting. In providing the commission with information about the steps necessary to make a decision on this CUP at the July 8 meeting, Sharon Omstead, director of planning and zoning, Pat Hughes, attorney for the . . . Complete story »
Wind farm protest falls short
A 64-signature protest petition that would have forced a unanimous vote to approve a proposed wind farm is not valid, county commissioners learned Monday. Russ Ewy, a mapping consultant for the planning and zoning department, told commissioners that owners of slightly more than 6% of property within 1,000 feet of project boundaries of a conditional use permit application earlier approved by the planning and zoning commission had signed the protest petition. For the petition to be valid, owners of 20% . . . Complete story »
Limited countywide zoning still on the horizon
The Reno County Planning Commission will take up discussion of creating limited countywide zoning to address potential future commercial wind and solar developments, officials said this week. It just may be a while. Residents living near land leased by wind developers expressed appreciation for the commitment, but said that the delay leaves them unsettled. Particularly since a majority of the Reno County Commission said they would not impose a moratorium on energy conversion system development. Bush offers limited direction Reno . . . Complete story »
‘A landmark case’: After Kansas residents stop wind farm, is more resistance ahead?
When Jim Warta looks out on his Ellsworth County pasture, he sees 11 towering wind turbines – and money. “It’s good for the county, it’s good for the state, it’s good for America,” says the 77-year-old farmer, who built a new house with wind money. When Matt Amos looks out at the land near his Reno County home, he sees peaceful countryside. And he wants to keep it that way. “We’re just trying to protect our property rights, our property values . . . Complete story »
Wind farm project thrown in doubt
Any one county commissioner can now kill a proposed wind farm. A protest petition against development of a proposed wind farm in the southern portion of Marion County was filed Monday with the county clerk’s office. If the 64-signature protest petition is validated, county clerk Tina Spencer said, state law would require a 3-0 vote of the commission to approve a conditional use permit. According to the law, if a protest petition is validated, a resolution adopting a conditional use . . . Complete story »
Landowners want wind farm overseers fired
It wouldn’t be a county commission meeting without heated discussion of wind farms and roads. Monday, the topics combined when Enel Green Power’s David Mueller presented letters from 26 of Enel’s Diamond Vista wind farm property owners asking the county to fire the firm overseeing Enel’s compliance with road reconstruction standards. “They’re mad,” Mueller said. “They’re very, very upset.” After lengthy discussion, the issue appeared be that some landowners thought they were being forced to use only designated roads to . . . Complete story »
