The Llano County Commissioners Court passed a resolution Monday supporting a bill that, if passed into law, would allow counties to prohibit or regulate construction of wind energy electric-generating facilities in all or part of the county.

State Sen. Troy Fraser of Horseshoe Bay introduced S.B. 1226 and S.B. 1227 in February.

S.B. 1226 is a proposed amendment to Chapter 234 of the Local Government Code that would allow Gillespie County to set up buffer zones of one mile from habitable structures, a half mile from property lines, and 10 miles from federal or state natural areas. It would also give the counties the authority to restrict the location of wind farms within the county by "establishing other requirements."

Llano County Judge Wayne Brascom said that Fraser indicated to him that Llano County can be included in the bills as they are revised.

S.B. 1227 would attach a subchapter to Chapter 39 of the Utilities Code allowing counties to file resolutions with the state opposing the construction of wind farms in the county. The state would then compile and publish a list of opposing counties.

Firms wanting to build wind farms within counties on the state opposition list must hold a public hearing at commissioners court at least 90 days before leasing or buying the land and must post a bond covering the expense of decommissioning the facility.