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Wind Company: turbines won’t hamper farmers, residents

Published 12:00pm Wednesday, October 28, 2009

A proposed wind farm near Parkers Prairie won’t hamper agricultural activities, nor will the noise affect residents, according to Prairie Wind Energy LLC Board members.

Four board members, including President Terry Carlson, attended the Otter Tail County Board meeting Tuesday to answer any questions regarding the project and also update the board that it is completing its due diligence on the project. Twenty people attended the meeting.

So far, 21 landowners have signed leases that allow the company to place wind turbines on their property, for a total of 7,900 acres of leased property. That’s enough for the company to move ahead with the project, Carlson said after the meeting. Although he noted that they’re hoping for a few more leases.

Prairie Wind Energy is proposing to place a 40-turbine wind farm north of Parkers Prairie. The project originated from a small wind project proposed to be built on the properties of the owners of Prairie Wind Energy, according to project information.

“I grew up with all of my neighbors. I went to 4-H with their kids,” Carlson said. Prairie Wind Energy owners want to create a project that will financially help the landowners and lead to a “viable, sustainable” community in Parkers Prairie, he said. Among the benefits are tax revenue going to the county and local government, and lease payments to the land owners, he added.

Concerns raised by the commissioners Tuesday were the impact on aerial spraying of agricultural land, the location of the turbines and the type of turbine used.

Commissioners Lee Rogness focused on the impact it could have on agricultural land and the ability pilots would have to complete aerial spraying. He noted that agriculture is a resource for the county and it shouldn’t be jeopardized in order to bring the resource of wind energy into the county.

“We’re farmers first and foremost,” Carlson said in response.

Prairie Wind Energy is attempting to locate the wind turbines on conservation reserve program land, which is nonproductive land, Carlson said. By using that land, it nearly doubles what the farmer can earn on the land — its “economic development without hurting agriculture,” Carlson said.

Dell Glasner, an independent crop consultant since 1985, said the aerial spraying is used in Parkers Prairie for potatoes, which are typically planted every three years. An alternative to aerial spraying is to ground spraying, which costs less, Glasner noted.

Rogness also questioned whether the proposed turbine locations could be relocated so as to not be in with agricultural land.

Carlson responded that they took into consideration lakes and the proximity to the power grid. In addition to following setback rules for lakes in the area, Prairie Wind Energy took into consideration locating the turbines close to the power grid, he said.

Commissioner Doug Huebsch questioned what the setbacks would be from houses.

“As far away as possible,” Carlson said, adding that they don’t want to put up turbines that would upset the landowner. “We live here, we plan on living here.”

Rogness also questioned what types of turbines and blades will be selected for the wind farm.

Prairie Wind Energy Board member John Ihle said they’ve chosen Nordic 2.5 megawatt turbines. One reason for their choice is that Nordic completes noise testing at different distances away from the turbines, Ihle said.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission currently requires the noise level to be at no more than 50 decibel, which is equal to the noise in a library, Ihle said, adding that a noise study has to be completed for the project.