Feb 24, 2021

No wind regulations vote from county commission Tuesday

Posted Feb 24, 2021 11:19 AM

By NICK GOSNELL

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —  After hearing a half hour each of impassioned testimony both for and against new wind farm regulations in Reno County, the Board of Reno County Commissioners again weren't ready to make a decision Tuesday.

"I'm not going to be ready to vote today," said commissioner Daniel Friesen. "I don't know that going through what we went through two weeks ago is going to produce any significant work today. I think we're down to a couple key points and what I saw the staff bring back on the red lines, I think is, it's clear, there's just a couple things. Perhaps that's better in a meeting after things are absorbed here."

Proponents of wind in Reno County talked about economic development and specifically showing Siemens Gamesa that the county is committed to an industry that has brought them jobs.

"Over the months of planning and negotiating, I think I was in every meeting or on every phone call," said former State Senator Dave Kerr. "I don't recall a single time anyone said to Siemens, we'd really like to have those jobs here, but, we're not so excited about the towers. In fact, we might come up with setbacks and covenants so severe that you probably won't be able to sell any units here."

Opponents of wind mainly consisted of the people that are in the area previously laid out for the NextEra project, simply not wanting the project there.

"When we built our homes, we were under kind of an unspoken agreement with the county that we wouldn't be subjected to shadow flicker from 500 foot tall towers," said Andy Helton with Reno County Citizens for Qualify of Life. "We wouldn't be subjected to noise of any level from an industrial facility in the middle of our rural county. How about we go back to that?"

It still wasn't clear as of the end of Tuesday's meeting exactly where the regulations would lie. The commission's next meeting is March 9.

CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.