Getting pointers on wind (11/03/2008)

The Jay County Commissioners took a crash course in wind farm management this morning.

Benton County extension director Jimmy Bricker spent about an hour with the commissioners laying out information and answering some logistical questions about wind farms. Benton County already boasts more than a hundred wind turbines, with hundreds more to come.

Jay County is currently in the testing phases, though a major wind project is a serious possibility in the county's future.

The commissioners wanted to compare the work Benton County has done to Jay's ordinances and regulations, which have already been set despite no concrete agreements to install turbines in the county.

Bricker went over copious amounts of information, starting with basic information about his county's current operating farm. The 135-turbine farm, 87 of which are producing electricity, covers approximately 5,000 acres within the county.

Bricker said the energy produced is usually exported to larger markets such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington D.C.

He started on the managerial aspect on a positive note, stating that generally wind energy installation is a major improvement for a rural county but that it takes a chunk of preparation.

"Most everyone is fairly happy," he said, but warned, "None of this stuff is a piece of cake."

Bricker stressed the extreme amount of planning and cooperation a wind farm takes throughout the area, between not only the county government and the developers, but also with zoning, landowners, and local agencies such as highway and law enforcement departments. The massive projects consume plenty of the county resources.

"Our county is under construction," he said.

But as Benton County served as the first major wind project in the state, Bricker said it helped to "set the standard" in research and collaboration with developers. The wind farm ordinance produced by the county serves as a model for other just about every county in the state considering a wind farm. Jay County's ordinance was based heavily off of Clinton County, which was modeled after Benton County.

Since most of the state is working on a similar framework, Bricker said it's made the process easier for both local government and the businesses.

"They come into this market knowing we set the standard," he said. "(Developers) know the numbers and it's in their budgets. It puts us in an economically competitive market.

"Even though that farm (Fowler Ridge) touches into three counties, they're all working on the same rules," Bricker explained, showing the benefit of the standardized model.

Outside of the increased tax base from the multi-million dollar turbines, Bricker focused on how wind energy developers have helped to improve the infrastructure in the county.

Since developers need a "critical mass" of landowners to sign with their company to create a farm, Bricker said the farmers leasing their land are usually collecting at least $5,000 a year in lease money. And since the county has covered most of the infrastructure matters in its ordinance, when the company approaches the landowner for a lease, "They're just looking at the money. No one's going to get poor from it."

Developers are also conscious of the infrastructure and have entered into agreements to replace and repair anything they damage.

"Do they tear up the gravel roads pretty bad?" asked commissioner Milo Miller Jr.

"Yes," Bricker said without hesitation. But said after the companies repaired the roads once the projects were completed, "We have never have better gravel roads ... than we do today. Our roads have to be maintained throughout the course of construction. It ended up being better after they left. The county does not pay one cent."

The money generated from building permits, which floated around $20,000 per turbine, was also used to improve infrastructure around the courthouse to handle the increased workload, including new equipment such as copiers for offices with an increased volume and sighting equipment for the surveyor's office as some examples.

The money generated from building permits, if not completely used at the conclusion of the project, is kicked into the county general fund. On the Benton County wind farm, the county was able to claim $70,000 in unused permit fees.

The commissioners also asked about abatements and how to make some cash on the farms. In Benton, when the county council granted an abatement, the developer had agreed to make payments, such as $4 million over four years, in exchange for those tax benefits. While it seems contradictory to make a payment for a tax-free status, the sums the companies pay during those tax-light years is typically far less than the taxes they'd pay without an abatement on the hundred-million dollar farms.

Bricker also briefly touched on public concerns including noise, wildlife destruction and the "not in my backyard" mentality some areas face. He assured the commissioners that advances in technology over the past years have created an extremely quiet, wildlife-safe and generally awe-inspiring appearance to the turbines. Since the blades never rotate faster than 15 rpm, there is little noise or vacuum created and the calm rotation he described as "like yoga" and said some people are absolutely mesmerized when they look at them.

In closing, Bricker told the commissioners he would be happy to work with them in the future as a wind project could get started in the county. He would also exchange some fee schedules with Jay/Portland Building and Planning director Bill Milligan for further information.

The commissioners were glad to get to stockpile of information and thanked Bricker for stopping in.

"I have to admire you for your foresight and planning," said commissioner Faron Parr.[[In-content Ad]]