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CITY, N.D. – (NewsDakota.com) More than 70 rural residents in Barnes and Stutsman Counties have signed a petition opposed to the proposed construction of a wind farm along the western edge of the Barnes County line.

One of those landowners opposed to the Geronimo Energy wind farm is Dwight Grotberg. He asked the Barnes County Commission to deny any pending or future permit to build the wind farm.

But Barnes County Commissioner Rodger Berntson said some people may change their mind if the company sweetens the contract.

The commission told Grotberg the company has a few more steps to take before it can build a wind farm. First, the Barnes County planning and zoning board must approve or deny any proposed permit. Here is a portion of Grotberg’s presentation to the Barnes County Commission recorded on November 13th during a regular commission meeting.

Grotberg said 40 landowners in Barnes County and about 30 landowners in Stutsman County have signed the petition in opposition to the proposed wind farm.

This is the second proposed Wind Farm by Geronimo Energy. Last year, landowners agreed to lease 25,000 acres of their land for the 200 megawatt Courtenay Wind Farm south of Courtenay, North Dakota. The $300 million dollar investment by Xcel Energy with 100 wind turbines will generate enough electricity to power 105,000 homes. Over the course of 20 years, landowners involved with the Courtenay Wind Farm will receive a total of $26.5 million.

 

 

 

 

In other wind farm news earlier this year, the North Dakota Public Service Commission held a public hearing in Valley City regarding a proposal to construct the Glacier Ridge Wind Farm in Barnes County. That wind farm will have a capacity to generate up to 300 megawatts of power using 87 wind turbines. The construction cost is estimated at $375 million. That project will lease a 34 thousand acre area from landowners five miles northeast of Valley City.