Rewrite passed to Grant County wind ordinance
MILBANK, S.D. -- The Grant County Commission has passed a rewritten ordinance dealing with the transmission of electricity from wind farms proposed for the area.
Officials say the ordinance is in response to developers' interest in building wind turbines along the Coteau Ridge in the Summit area. Companies already are negotiating with landowners for easements to build turbines.
Advisers to the county commission said the new ordinance leaves the door open to use public rights of way in some circumstances. Also, some disputes would be settled by the state Public Utilities Commission.
"The ordinance actually deals with areas inside the wind farm," said Krista Atyeo-Gortmaker, Grant County planning and zoning officer. "The actual transmission lines will fall under PUC regulations.
"The county would like to stay with the private landowner easements. That's kind of how developers have been working anyway."
The ordinance in Brookings County, which has had some wind farm development, has been the model for upgrading other counties' statutes, said Todd Kays of the First District of Local Governments in Watertown.
Wind power is a fledgling industry that's still struggling for understanding, Kays said.
"We want to help developers as well and if we see something that comes up that's a problem and not a threat to the public, we'll be able to go back and amend," he said.
Atyeo-Gortmaker said the goal is to get rules in place but not to have a government fingerprint on everything.
"We don't want to over-govern," she said. "But we want to put out some rules and regulations so when we sit down at the table, we're all on the same page."
The ordinance mentions the proposed Big Stone II power plant being built and providing the connection to the Upper Midwest power grid.