EDP Renewables, a national company headquartered in Houston, has options on about 10,000 acres of Allen County farmland and will learn Nov. 29 whether planning commissioners will recommend zoning to permit wind farms countywide.
Discussion of wind farms has surfaced in two previous planning meetings. At the first meeting no opposition was expressed. At the second, with “six or seven people there, some were opposed,” County Counselor Alan Weber said. Opposition centered on esthetics, he said, with those so disposed thinking the 400-foot towers with three blades rotating to generate electricity were unsightly.
Location of a wind farm here — one is operating in Coffey County and another is proposed for Anderson — would give the economy a boost, Weber reasoned. “It would be like the (Enbridge) pipeline with crews working here for a year or so. Then, there’d be about 12 local workers,” looking after production.
The company would make annual lease payments to landowners, and a somewhat lesser amount to people living near land where towers were erected.
With current law, wind farms enjoy a 10-year property tax abatement, but usually make a payment in lieu of taxes, which can be negotiated by commissioners, Weber reported. “That’s happened elsewhere,” with no reason to think it wouldn’t here, he added.
“If they come it would be good for citizens,” said Commissioner Tom Williams.
“The only negative is having 400-foot towers” about the countryside, said Chairman Jerry Daniels. “It would be like the pipeline, only you don’t see it underground.”
Wind farm moving ahead
