News that TransAlta had stopped plans to build a wind turbine farm in McIntosh County spread like the wind last week.
“They called me Thursday and told me they pulled up stakes,” District 1 County Commissioner Bobby Ziegler said following Monday’s meeting of county commissioners.
He said they told him there was a long list of reasons, not the least of which was the uproar by local residents that began when they learned of the plans last October to build 121 wind turbines in western McIntosh County with a possibility of hundreds more.
President Trump also may have contributed to the abandonment. He made it known publicly that there would be no wind turbines in this country during his presidency.
The company earlier reported it was in the very early stages of the project and was still completing environmental and economic feasibility studies. The project was more than likely two to three years from beginning construction.
Ziegler said he expects an e-mail from TransAlta this week confirming the company’s plans.
“They gave a lot of combined reasons for pulling out,” Ziegler said. “Trump. Protests. Testing. They told me they probably put in their applications too early. They wished they had waited long. They said construction would not have started for another two years.”
Tim Stacy of Hanna was a leader of the charge against the Canadian company that had already signed agreements with 20 local landowners to place the wind turbines on about 20,000 acres of property around Hanna, Lenna and Stidham.
There was talk that as many as 900 turbines, some over 700 feet tall, would be erected in the vicinity of Lake Eufaula in McIntosh and Pittsburg counties.
None of the hundreds of county protestors could have been happier than Stacy, who appeared at Monday’s commissioners meeting to thank them for their support.
“I would like to thank each one of you personally. You were thrown under the bus week after week for three months – you guys are tough,” Stacy said.
He also expressed gratitude to County Clerk Deena Farrow for her assistance.
“You are really the hero. You put up with all sides. She deserves an award or a raise,” he said.
He said the fight against the corporations is not over.
He and others, including the commissioners, are continuing to work on a resolution and perhaps state law that will keep wind turbines out of the state.
“We’re not done yet,” Stacy said. “We won the battle, but the war is not over. Someone will try again.”
Stacy said the next step is to try to get the state involved.
“There’s a statewide petition going around right now,” he said.
At the state level, Reps. Tim Turner, RKinta, and Neil Hays, RChecotah have supported the protestors from the beginning, attending many of the many whose attendance grew with each gathering.
In a press release Monday, Turner and Hays applauded the decision by TransAlta to stop the Canadian River wind farm project.
“We have been informed today by Trans-Alta of their decision to cancel the Canadian Valley project,” the lawmakers said in the joint statement. “We want to express our gratitude to the citizens of House Districts 15 and 13 and the surrounding area for their active engagement and willingness to make their voices heard. Your support has been invaluable as we worked diligently with all parties involved to address concerns and evaluate the potential impact this project could have had on our community.
“Also, thank you to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and House leadership for standing with us through this process to assure that we are not affected by Biden’s green energy projects. This was truly a team effort.”
The lawmakers in December held a meeting with TransAlta during which they made it clear there was no pathway for the project to gain community support. They were prepared to introduce legislation this session to change feasibility study requirements to prevent the project from moving forward in their House districts.
Both Turner and Hays said the issue goes beyond the aesthetics of wind turbines and instead represents their interests in protecting their communities, which overwhelmingly do not support the turbines. They listed potential effects on water resources, infrastructure, public safety, wildlife and tourism as being among the biggest concerns.
Hays added, “While there are a lot of people to thank and many reasons to be excited about TransAlta canceling their wind project in Mc-Intosh County, the main thing that excites me is the people from across the State of Oklahoma who have stood up to make their voices heard.
“When We The People take a stand, when we fight to redress grievances with our government and refuse to remain silent, then great things happen. This is what excites me most about TransAlta’s announcement and to my constituents, it was an honor to stand with you as always.”
Hilbert, R-Bristow, said, “I applaud my colleagues Representatives Turner and Hays for their tenacious advocacy for their constituents’ concerns related to this project. This announcement today will undoubtedly bring great relief to Oklahomans around Lake Eufaula.”
Local opposition started to take off in October, with a series of town hall meetings across McIntosh County, and several well-attended meetings with the county commissioners and local legislators. The Muscogee Creek Nation voiced concerns about the project in November.
Sen. Jonathan Wingard, R-Ada, filed legislation to end state tax subsidies for wind farms.
Senate Bill 239 would eliminate the zero-emission subsidy for wind production after tax year 2025. Eliminating this tax credit will save taxpayers up to $16 million annually.
“Oklahoma taxpayers have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies for wind farms across the state, and it’s beyond time to end this costly practice,” Wingard said. “While new wind projects no longer qualify for these credits, existing operations continue to receive significant tax breaks even though Oklahoma families don’t benefit from these green-energy initiatives. It’s become abundantly clear that this money could be put to better use elsewhere.”
