Wind power may increase worth of Pinon Canyon
The Pueblo Chieftain|Tammy Alhadef|September 16, 2006
TRINIDAD - Local ranchers and concerned citizens filled the Massari Performing Arts Center Thursday night to voice frustrations over the proposed Pinon Canyon expansion. While many came with the same complaints and ideas, a new kind of voice emerged from the crowd when one man suggested the area’s potential for wind energy could substantially increase land values. "If it has the potential to be a wind farm, that could bring in a lot of money for the county and the property owner," he said. "If that makes the land too expensive, the army might just decide to go elsewhere. The potential for wind energy could raise the cost of the appraisal value. If that’s added in, it will raise the bottom line."
TRINIDAD - Local ranchers and concerned citizens filled the Massari Performing Arts Center Thursday night to voice frustrations over the proposed Pinon Canyon expansion. While many came with the same complaints and ideas, a new kind of voice emerged from the crowd when one man suggested the area’s potential for wind energy could substantially increase land values. "If it has the potential to be a wind farm, that could bring in a lot of money for the county and the property owner," he said. "If that makes the land too expensive, the army might just decide to go elsewhere. The potential for wind energy could raise the cost of the appraisal value. If that’s added in, it will raise the bottom line."
TRINIDAD - Local ranchers and concerned citizens filled the Massari Performing Arts Center Thursday night to voice frustrations over the proposed Pinon Canyon expansion.
While many came with the same complaints and ideas, a new kind of voice emerged from the crowd when one man suggested the area’s potential for wind energy could substantially increase land values.
"If it has the potential to be a wind farm, that could bring in a lot of money for the county and the property owner," he said. "If that makes the land too expensive, the army might just decide to go elsewhere. The potential for wind energy could raise the cost of the appraisal value. If that’s added in, it will raise the bottom line."
Another speaker was Billy Tate Hill, …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]TRINIDAD - Local ranchers and concerned citizens filled the Massari Performing Arts Center Thursday night to voice frustrations over the proposed Pinon Canyon expansion.
While many came with the same complaints and ideas, a new kind of voice emerged from the crowd when one man suggested the area’s potential for wind energy could substantially increase land values.
"If it has the potential to be a wind farm, that could bring in a lot of money for the county and the property owner," he said. "If that makes the land too expensive, the army might just decide to go elsewhere. The potential for wind energy could raise the cost of the appraisal value. If that’s added in, it will raise the bottom line."
Another speaker was Billy Tate Hill, whose property was condemned during the initial Pinon Canyon land acquisition in 1983. Tate said, "It’s like a snowball from heck rolling towards us. We need to act now." Others agreed.
Another man whose property was taken in 1983 said, "My family fought condemnation and lost. You can’t just say, ‘This is the most beautiful place on earth and I don’t want to sell.’ You’ve got to let them know why it’s not in the best interest of national defense."
Others expressed the need for national awareness.
"We need to get a little more global than we are right now." said Mack Louden, director of the Pinon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition, and owner of Marty’s Feed. He asked those in the audience to call everyone they know and get them to write letters to their congressmen.
"If we can get 50,000 letters from Ohio, 50,000 letters from West Virginia, it could make a difference," he said.
"We have a multitude of tools at our disposal. You all have something that could help us," said Louden.
Abel Benevides said, "If the army told me, 'We're gonna defeat the insurgents and your land is the key,' I'd be the first one to give it to them. But they're not going to do that. It's urban warfare we're fighting over there. They'd do better to buy a city block in Colorado Springs."