Alternative-energy controversy pulsated through Neosho County’s political circuits Tuesday with a force tantamount to one of the gigantic 600-foot-tall wind turbines at the root of this neighbor-to-neighbor clash in southeast Kansas.
Spokes of a passionate debate reached into rural economic development, corporate secrecy, property values, political leadership and green energy. The scuffle raised questions at the Capitol about whether it was time for state government to set standards for turbine setbacks from homes, access to service roads by power companies, guaranteed payments in lieu of taxes and decommissioning of old turbines for benefit of counties without a zoning framework to guide wind farm projects.
This impetus was Apex Clean Energy’s strategy of investing an estimated $500 million in installation and operation of 139 massive turbines and to swiftly gain approval for the project in time to gain the full benefit of federal tax credits.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)