With Woodward County Commissioners campaigning against the project, the Oklahoma Land Commission voted 2-1 to kill a possible wind farm on school land in Woodward County.
The Land Commission is comprised of Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, State Auditor & Inspector Cindy Byrd, state School Supt. Ryan Walters, and state Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur.
However, during a recent meeting at the State Capitol, Byrd and Walters were absent. So that left the decision to the three remaining commissioners. Stitt voted for the proposed wind farm but Pinnell and Arthur voted against it.
Woodward County Commissioners, who learned about the project only recently, traveled to the Capitol to voice their opposition. As the Woodward News reported, County Commissioner Troy White made it clear he and his fellow commissioners did not oppose renewable energy investment in the county.
“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 bring many dollars from out of state into our county.”
White added, “We oppose the state taking revenue away from private landowners and taxpayers in the form of wind leases. We believe that our taxpayers will reinvest the money back into the communities where they’ve lived and raised their families for generations much better than the government would.”
The state proposal involved 1,790 acres, and a proposed state contract for a 55-year wind power ground lease was won by Daily Mill Wind, a subsidiary of Triple Oak Power of Portland, Oregon.