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Wind Power News: South Dakota
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission 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. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
S.D. Supreme Court rules for wind farm, landowner
The South Dakota Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a circuit judge’s decision in favor of Prevailing Winds LLC and a landowner in Charles Mix County. The state’s high court publicly released the decision Thursday. Circuit Judge David Knoff had ruled against a father, who claimed that a right to first refusal meant his son should have offered to sell farm ground back to the father, rather than be paid for an easement. The father opposed the wind project. Justice Patricia . . . Complete story »
State panel OKs letter on North Bend Wind
A state government panel that oversees aircraft and airports is sending a letter of concern about a wind-electricity project proposed in central South Dakota. The Aeronautics Commission approved a draft of the letter Wednesday at a special meeting. The decision came after a 30-minute executive session with some state Department of Transportation staff, including Secretary Joel Jundt. The letter will be sent to the state Public Utilities Commission, which is considering whether to grant a permit to the North Bend . . . Complete story »
Hughes County Commission postpones consideration of North Bend Wind Farm haul road agreement
The Hughes County Commission is postponing consideration of the haul road agreement for the North Bend Wind Farm. The topic had been scheduled to be on their April 4, 2022, meeting agenda. Hughes County Manager Kevin Hipple says since the wind farm is an issue which has generated quite a bit of public comment in the past, the Commission wanted to ensure the public was aware of all steps in the process. They issued public notices on the upcoming consideration . . . Complete story »
Mitchell city officials on alert after H&R salvage owner hauls wind turbine blades across state lines
While wind turbines have long been touted as a green renewable energy source, the disposal process of the blades has some questioning how green wind energy really is. Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson is among those who are skeptical about the greenness of wind turbines, in part due to the difficulty of recycling the blades and watching them take up landfill space. “When the blades are disposed of at the landfills, they sit there and last forever. They do not biodegrade. How is that considered a form of green energy?” Everson questioned. Complete story »
State board OKs tax break for North Bend Wind
A wind project proposed in central South Dakota has received approval for a state sales-tax refund, months before state regulators are set to decide whether the project can go ahead. North Bend Wind wants to erect up to 71 wind turbines in eastern Hughes and western Hand counties to generate up to 200 megawatts of electricity. The state Public Utilities Commission set a procedural schedule earlier this month and plans the evidentiary hearing February 2-4, 2022. The state Board of . . . Complete story »
Meade County Commission turn thumbs down to wind farm
STURGIS – It didn’t take Meade County commissioners long at all Tuesday to tell an out-of-state developer they didn’t want a wind farm in eastern Meade County. Scott Debenham, president of Debenham Energy of San Diego, Calif., had asked to be included on the commission meeting agenda for its Tuesday meeting. Debenham, speaking to the commission via phone, explained that the government is beginning to open Forest Service land for alternative energy development. He told commissioners he was seeking a letter . . . Complete story »
Deuel County landowners challenge wind permit
Lawyers for landowners, Crowned Ridge, and the PUC made their case before the South Dakota Supreme Court on Tuesday, Oct. 5. Deuel County landowners who live near a large wind farm are appealing the project’s state permit. Six landowners in four homes say the Public Utilities Commission violated their private property rights by not requiring Crowned Ridge Wind to get an easement. A.J. Swanson represents the Deuel County landowners who say their enjoyment of their property has been negatively affected . . . Complete story »
Party status approved for Harrold family fighting North Bend Wind Farm Project
PIERRE – The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has approved a request for party status from a rural Harrold family opposed to a proposed wind farm near their family farm and pheasant lodge operation. Commission Chairman Chris Nelson says Michael and Judi Bollweg have made three applications in the docket for party status… Brent Koenecke, a Pierre lawyer representing the North Bend Wind Farm project had no objection to the application by the Bollweg’s… Jim Malters, the lawyer representing the Bollweg’s . . . Complete story »
S.D. regulators reverse earlier ruling and add a residence to a wind farm’s second sound study
The rural Strandberg residence of Amber Christenson will be part of the Crowned Ridge I wind project’s second sound study after all this fall, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission decided Tuesday. The 2-1 vote reversed a decision the commission had made last month, when Gary Hanson was the only one Christenson could persuade that her place should be included too. The second study is intended to show the Crowned Ridge turbines in Grant and Codington aren’t louder than the . . . Complete story »
Crocker Wind again asks S.D. regulators for release of $1 million roads-damage bond
The developer of Crocker Wind Farm in Clark County is asking for a second time that the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission return the $1 million bond posted as financial protection against construction-related damage to county and township roads. The commission didn’t grant Geronimo Energy’s January request. The latest ask was added to the commission’s September 14 meeting agenda and includes several exchanges of emails and texts between Crocker plant manager James Simmons and local government officials from Clark County . . . Complete story »
