Centuries ago, Don Quixote embarked on a misguided mission to save the world. Today, our coal-fire-up North Dakota legislators and their friends are working hard to save us from the ravages of wind power.
Many of the same folks that rant about "land owners' rights" are sponsoring legislation to deny land owners the right to develop wind resources because, well, some people don't like the way wind turbines look. These folks feel that a "setback" of up to 1500' from a turbine is necessary, whereas a 500' boundary around an oil/gas pad with associated, occasionally exploding, hydrogen sulfide producing, black smoke generating flares is about right.
What is the "setback" for coal-fired power plants that release tons of mercury and other toxic metals into the air to land back on North Dakota wheat fields? The same folks that rave about "one size fits all" federal regulation and demand "customized" state controls, seem to feel that the current FAA regulations related to wind turbines and aviation are insufficient and need tighter state regulation.
Some of the same folks felt that the federal standards for workforce safety in the oil/gas industry were adequate, even though North Dakota workers were experiencing the highest fatality rates in the nation, and that there was no need for creating state OSHA standards like that liberal Wyoming did.
Lastly, many of these legislators are currently struggling with 25 percent cuts to the state budget, necessitated by the crash in oil prices; whereas virtually all wind power projects (and their substantial tax contributions to county and state coffers) are based on 20-year contracts with guaranteed inflation factors built in.
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I have personally invested in wind energy and hope to profit from taking that risk, so I'm biased; but you might want to check out if any of these modern day heroes protecting us from wind energy have any support from the fossil fuel industry. On second thought, don't waste your time.
Best lives in Watford City, N.D.
