Letter to the Editor - Doing it right: the Wells & Eddy County Wind Project Initiative

I’m writing as president of PRC Wind, a pioneering wind energy company that specializes in partnering with communities that want to host wind energy projects. I’m writing to congratulate Wells and Eddy County residents on their amazing progress exploring wind energy over the past 15-plus years. This community had a hunch, and attacked the simple question: “Can a wind energy project benefit their community?” They did the hard work to engage residents and leaders across the area to find answers. Ultimately, the community formed W-E Wind in 2009, a community-based wind energy task force for Wells and Eddy Counties. W-E Wind’s straightforward approach to bringing people together to find common ground is an example we can all learn from.

W-E Wind did it right. The first thing they did was engage local stakeholders to determine whether wind energy was an opportunity that would bring benefits without harm. What they found is not surprising – not only can wind energy fit well from a health and safety perspective, but the economic benefits are immense. A new project would attract investment that would support new jobs and economic development, and an operating wind farm would deliver tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue and land lease payments into the local economy.

I have seen these economic benefits realized in many communities over 30 years. Some memorable examples include: grandparents that could newly afford to retire (and stay) on the farm; a student’s college tuition paid off; an elementary school’s funding approved; fire and rescue equipment upgraded; new local businesses sprouted up; and of course, many jobs created. W-E Wind is right on the money: Wind power is a powerful economic development tool.

The second thing that W-E Wind did right was listen to the community’s desire that wind energy should be developed well, without harm to the community or environment. W-E Wind took this to heart and did their research. They looked into all the information, sorting the facts from the not-facts that circulate in media, and drilled down to base decisions on peer-reviewed hard data. They even took steps to ensure that there would be prudent local ordinances in place to augment the existing state permitting process. North Dakota has a very robust permitting process in which numerous federal and state agencies participate. Now thanks to W-E Wind, the counties also help ensure that quality wind energy projects will be developed.

In 2018, W-E Wind contacted PRC Wind to find out if our development team could help them make their vision of a wind project into reality. I’d never seen stronger community support for a wind project, and after six busy years working together, W-E Wind’s project is closer than ever to being built. Most importantly, the project is close to delivering those big community development results. Over 20 years, the W-E Wind project is projected to pay $42.5 million in lease payments to the local community, and $37.5 million of tax revenue as well (two-thirds of which also goes to the local community). That’s $80 million of revenue straight from the wind! And that’s not to mention the many new jobs and economic development benefits to the area.

I cannot overstate the quality work that the W-E Wind team has done on behalf of their community, balancing the desire for economic development with responsible and prudent process. W-E Wind recognizes that wind energy is an American energy resource, not subject to embargo by foreign nations. In today’s world, we need to build on all that we have here to power our communities. I applaud the Wells and Eddy communities for their tireless effort to help secure America’s future right here at home.

For general fact sheets about wind energy (click link): https://cleanpower.org/facts/wind-power/.

Sincerely,

Paul White

President, PRC Wind

Minneapolis, Minn.