Wind Power News: Oklahoma
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
100 percent “green” energy far from feasible
Wishing something is so doesn’t make it possible, and nowhere in politics is the gap between aspiration and reality larger than in the push to quickly eliminate fossil fuel use. Some politicians and environmental activists want to require that all U.S. electricity be generated from renewable sources by the 2030s. That would mean replacing an overwhelming majority of current production, which is generated by coal- or natural gas-fired power plants. What would such a transition look like? Robert Bryce, a . . . Complete story »
U.S. Supreme Court leaves Osage County wind developments in doubt
With the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to hear a case against an 8,400-acre project west of Pawhuska, the future of wind development in Osage County seems clouded. Five years ago, after previous legal efforts failed to stop construction, the federal government filed a lawsuit arguing that massive wind turbines interfered with the Osage Nation’s mineral rights and that wind developers should have obtained permits from the tribe before building the project. A federal district court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that . . . Complete story »
Defense, NextEra extend deadline
The Department of Defense and NextEra Energy have extended the deadline to reach a mitigation plan on a wind farm along a route of airspace the military uses for training. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced the extension Friday. NextEra has been authorized to proceed with construction on turbines that have been approved by the FAA. Construction on the company’s wind farm west of Hinton was stopped in October after NextEra and Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission agreed to work . . . Complete story »
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to avoid Osage wind farm case
Siding with the Osage Nation, the Trump administration is urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to consider the case of a wind farm in northern Oklahoma, saying the matter is “not worthy of this court’s attention.” In 2010, a company now known as Osage Wind leased rights to 8,400 acres of private land to install 84 wind turbines and began digging large holes in Osage County. The Osage Nation, through its Osage Mineral Council, tried and failed to stop the . . . Complete story »
NextEra, Defense Department extend negotiation deadline
Department of Defense and NextEra Energy have extended the deadline to reach a mitigation plan on a wind farm along a route of airspace the military uses for training. Oklahoma Attorney General announced the extension Monday. NextEra has been authorized to proceed with construction on turbines that have been approved by the FAA. Construction on the company’s wind farm west of Hinton was stopped in October after NextEra and Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission agreed to work on a mitigation . . . Complete story »
NextEra, Defense Department extend deadline for wind farm plan
The Department of Defense and NextEra Energy have extended the deadline again to reach a mitigation plan on a wind farm along a route of airspace the military uses for training. As part of the extension, NextEra may proceed with construction on turbines that have been approved by the FAA. Construction on the company’s wind farm west of Hinton was stopped last month after NextEra and Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission agreed to work on a mitigation plan with the . . . Complete story »
Recent studies show flaws of wind power
The rap on wind power is that it isn’t practical. New research reinforces this belief, and suggests wind power isn’t as environmentally beneficial as claimed. The studies, authored by Harvard researchers and published in “Environmental Research Letters” and “Joule,” examined how much land area would be required to meet future U.S. energy demands if energy production increasingly transitions to green power sources. They also examined the environmental impact of wind farms. The land-area study concluded wind farms will need five . . . Complete story »
Energy company, Department of Defense extend deadline for wind farm mitigation plan
HINTON, Okla. –A deadline for a mitigation plan for a proposed wind farm near Hinton has been extended a fifth time. Last month, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced an agreement between NextEra Energy Resources and the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission to halt construction of a wind farm at the moment. Officials say the wind farm was being constructed along a route of airspace used by the United State Air Force for training. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration will . . . Complete story »
Wind farm abandons tax avoidance tactic that threatened school funding
BLACKWELL – Operators of a northern Oklahoma wind farm are abandoning a creative tax avoidance scheme that was drawing statewide scrutiny because of its potentially damaging impact on Oklahoma school funding. Representatives of Rock Falls Wind Farm LLC told The Oklahoman on Friday that they will pay more than $2.2 million in property taxes this year that will be split among school districts and other governmental entities in Kay and Grant Counties. Company executives decided to drop their claim that the . . . Complete story »
EDF to reverse Rock Falls Wind Farm property tax appeal
Energy company EDF Renewables intends to reverse its controversial Rock Falls Wind Farm bond agreement that had complicated school financial situations for northern Oklahoma districts, according to company representatives. The decision was made after an Oct. 24 meeting with school superintendents and will likely preserve revenues for those districts. “The conversation with the superintendents had an impact with us, and the message they delivered was received from our CEO to those working in the field,” EDF Renewables Senior Director of . . . Complete story »
