Woodward County commissioners got word late last week about the meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, which was set for Monday morning. The meeting was to include a final approval of an up to 55-year wind power ground lease on pubic land (school land) for the private development of wind energy in Woodward County.
Woodward County commissioners got word late last week about the meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, which was set for Monday morning. The meeting was to include a final approval of an up to 55-year wind power ground lease on pubic land (school land) for the private development of wind energy in Woodward County.
Woodward County commissioners were successful Monday in their bid to be heard by Commissioners of the Land Office in a protest against wind energy development on public land here.
Woodward County commissioners got word late last week about the meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, which was set for Monday morning. The meeting was to include a final approval of an up to 55-year wind power ground lease on pubic land (school land) for the private development of wind energy in Woodward County.
It was a contract that had already been discussed among the CLO officers, and had already been let for public auction in February this year before Woodward County Commissioners were made aware there were plans to develop six tracts of public …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Woodward County commissioners were successful Monday in their bid to be heard by Commissioners of the Land Office in a protest against wind energy development on public land here.
Woodward County commissioners got word late last week about the meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, which was set for Monday morning. The meeting was to include a final approval of an up to 55-year wind power ground lease on pubic land (school land) for the private development of wind energy in Woodward County.
It was a contract that had already been discussed among the CLO officers, and had already been let for public auction in February this year before Woodward County Commissioners were made aware there were plans to develop six tracts of public land in Woodward County, White said.
The contract was won by Daily Mill Wind LLC, owned by Triple Oak Power of Portland, Or.
The contract was originally set for a vote one week ago, said Chairman of the Board of Woodward County Commissioners Clint White. The death of Gov. George Nigh and the timing of his funeral postponed it.
“It's important to note that this item was also tabled for review by State Auditor Cindy Byrd (a member of the commission) until the issue was discussed with Woodward County commissioners,” District 1 County Commissioner Troy White said.
White spoke against the contract approval Monday morning.
CLO members include Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Byrd, Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters and the President of the Board of Agriculture Blayne Arthur.
Byrd and Walters were absent Monday. Stiff voted in favor of the contract and Arthur and Pinnell voted against the contract.
“The Woodward Board of County Commissioners does not oppose renewable energy investment in Woodward County,” Troy White said in an interview after the meeting. “However, we believe school land should remain as pure and unmolested as possible. Many cattlemen rely on school land in their grazing operations and it also serves for hunting and recreation, which brings many dollars from out of state into our county.”
He said Woodward County Commissioners believe government should not compete for private contracts against local landowners.
“We oppose the state taking revenue away from private landowners and tax payers in the form of wind leases,” he added. “We believe that our tax payers will reinvest the money back into the communities where they’ve lived and raised their families for generations much better than the government would.”
Had the leases been approved, the state would have made a minimum of $14,320.00 for the first two years the state would have collected $8 per acre in the second year for the 1,790 acres in Woodward county for a total of $14,320.00. That figure would raise to $10 per acre in year five of the lease.
During electric production the state would have also collected an annual royalty of $5,000 per megawatt capacity with a 2% increase beginning on the first anniversary of production. Annual production royalty would have earned the state 4% of gross revenue, increasing by 2% annually, according to the details of the proposed contract provided on the meeting agenda.
“We understand that the CLO has a fiduciary responsibility to raise as much money as possible off of school lands to fund the public school system. So we understand and appreciate Gov. Stitt’s position,” Troy White said. “However, the impact locally always has to be considered in my opinion. That cost should never be balanced on the back of private landowners.”
Currently seven counties have wind turbines on school land in the state of Oklahoma, Troy White said.
Clint White said because all of the land in the eastern half of the state is tribal land, there is no public (school land) land – therefore there is no way to make revenue like the state can in Western and Northwestern Oklahoma. That puts Western and Northwestern Oklahoma in the position of providing education dollars for the whole state, he said.
“All that money would have been redirected and divided throughout the state to support pubic education,” he said.
Troy White said in an effort to still invite development and investment on private lands here, Woodward County Commissioners offered another idea.
“We offered a solution to Triple Oak Energy, that if they absolutely need school land for connectivity for their project, that we would not oppose underground transmission lines on school land,” White said. “It’s underground, there is no noise pollution, sight pollution and minimal disturbance to grazing lands and wildlife.”
Clint White said he was thankful for Arthur and Pinnell's support, as well as Reps. Carl Newton and Mike Dobrinski, who were also in attendance Monday morning.
“Their leadership and support were instrumental in this outcome,” Clint White said. “Protecting private property rights while preserving the intended use of public lands is a principal I will continue to stand for on behalf of the residents of Woodward County.”