10 Wind Turbines.Pdf
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Bosque County Citizens Against Wind Turbines Presentation to the Bosque County Commissioner's Court January 25, 2021 The purpose of this presentation is to inform the Bosque County Commissioners Court of opposition to any act by the Bosque County Commissioner's Court that would increase the likelihood of the construction of wind turbines in the County. Our initial presentation is directed at two goals supported by the information included with this memorandum: 1. Best Result- The Bosque County Commissioner's Court would pass a resolution stating it's position against wind turbines and specifically that no tax abatements will be granted for such purpose. 2. Next Best Result- Should any application be made for tax abatements or other actions that would further the construction of wind turbines in Bosque County, the Commissioner's Court would agree to move slowly and deliberately to allow citizens to be heard and information beyond this presentation to be made on the key issues. This opposition is based on at least the following issues supported by the studies and articles attached and on the flash drives provided: 3. Many organized groups of landowners, business men and women, residents and government officials have already organized and established websites over flowing with credible data on the negative impact of wind turbine energy. These groups include at least the following: a. TLOW.org (Brown County) b. Texas Land Owners Coalition (TXLC.org)(Central Texas) c. Save our Scenic Hill County Environment (Soshillcountry.org) d. WindAction.org ( National watch dog group) e. Plus groups without websites including: i. Cross Timbers Landowners Conservancy ii. Lower Laguna Madre Foundation iii. North Texas Wind Resistance Alliance iv. Protect North Palo Duro Canyon v. Protect Our West Texas Landscape f. An overview of the key issues from the TLOW.org website is attached to this presentation. 4. Negative impact of wind turbines on the value of land on which they are constructed as well as neighboring land severely affective the County tax base. a. See Derry Gardner (Gardner Appraisal Group, Inc./ San Antonio, Texas ) report and summary supporting a decrease in value of land between 29% and 45% for an average of 37%. (47 page report included in flash drive provided) b. See Kurt C Kielisch ( President/ Sr. Appraiser - Appraisal Group One) report and summary supporting a decrease in value of land between 12% and 40%. ( 17 page report included in flash drive provided) c. See Kurt C Kielish ( President/ Sr. Appraiser - Appraisal Group One) Wind Turbine Impact Study (Summary attached; full 73 page report in flash drive provided) d. See Lansink Appraisals and Consulting (Ontario, Canada) case study report supporting a decrease of between 35% and 37% in two case studies. ( 71 page report included in flash drive provided) 5. Growing evidence and concern over adverse health effects of industrial wind turbines. a. See Adverse Health Effects of Industrial Wind Turbines article by Dr. Roy Jeffery (Ontario, Canada) concluding that industrial wind turbines can harm human health if situated too close to residents. (See article attached) b. Madison County Iowa Board of Public Health on record that there are legitimate negative health effects caused by wind turbines. (See Article attached) 6. Extensive Study and Presentation to the Hamilton County, Texas Commissioner's Court Noting the Following Impact: a. Decreased property values b. Property taken through eminent domain for transmission lines c. Loss of scenic beauty and recreational assets d. Local businesses will be negatively impacted by wind turbines e. Noise, nuisance and turbine effects on health and pitting neighbor against neighbor f. Big energy law suits against rural counties g. Turbines and transmission lines effect on endangered species h. Impact on Fort Hood flights and training i. Wind turbine fires and accidents j. Good for the wind company but not good for county residents k. Serious concerns over decommissioning wind turbines; blades last 10 years. (See article attached) 7. Risk of Damage, Failure, Injury and Fire a. See pictures of all of these issues.(Pictures attached) 8. Resolutions Against the Construction of Wind Turbines (attached) a. Gilespie County Resolution b. Gilespie County EDC Resolution c. Fredricksburg Visitors and Convention Bureau Resolution d. Farm Bureau Resolution Property Values Will Decrease Decreasing Property Values of 25% to 40% Where Wind Farms Exist Are Real. The installation of industrial wind power facilities will severely reduce local property values. Historically, 80% of land real estate transactions Brown and Coleman counties are those involving recreational buyers. In other words, people buy land in Brown and Coleman counties to enjoy the beauty, peace, and tranquility of the land and lifestyle that it represents. The result of a wind project in our area will be a significant reduction in marketability of our land, homes and our county if we allow it to proceed. While solar has a much smaller footprint, the impact to those adjoining or in sight line could still encounter a substantial impact on marketability and value in a market such as Brown County where recreational buyers make up the vast majority of transactions. The common sense approach concerning values, and the most widely used and accepted approach to valuing rural property, is defined as an estimate of value of recent sales of similar property in the surrounding or competing areas - as compared to the subject property. The facts are these: property values in our Brown County Texas areas have increased dramatically over the last several years with buyers from urban areas acquiring land for recreation and retirement purposes. These buyers spend money in our county and our cities. They eat at our restaurants, shop at our stores, contract with our tradesman, and pay taxes. In areas of our state and nation where wind turbine companies have developed wind industrial zones, property values have decreased materially. Many cannot sell their land once turbines are introduced. So, what will happen when industrial wind zones are developed in our counties, where land is selling at $3,000 or more per acre? It will significantly slow down our real estate market and slow our economic growth as we have come to know it. Just as scenic views and water features tend to increase property values, we know based on publicly available evidence that massive industrial turbines and power transmission lines will dramatically decrease property values. Based on independent studies, the values may decrease 25% to 40% or more in these areas. In fact, buyers are already wary of the prospect of wind zones in our county. Several brokers who sell property in our area, including Comanche and Mills Counties, state that 8 of 10 buyers will not even look at a property if there are wind turbines in view. Brokers have reported, that within the last six months they have had clients decide not to buy land because of the potential of wind turbines being built in proximity to the property. Those landowners who wish to sell property at this time are already seeing the effects of this proposed project. Value and marketability impacts are real and they are substantial. Furthermore the wind and solar companies gain the large profits of increased electricity costs, federal subsidies, and state tax credits. The landowner gains none of these tax incentives or real profits in comparison to such wind companies. Hard facts are - if wind turbines are in your view, you lose. Sources: Gardner report link http://www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/impact-of wind-turbines-on-market-value-of-texas-rural-land Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclemente/2015/09/23/do-wind turbines-lower-property-values/?fbclid= ... Wind Action Group: http://www.windaction.org/posts/26696-testimony-of michael-mccann-on-property-value-impacts-in-adams ... Renewable Energy Requires Our Tax Dollars to Survive "For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit." Warren Buffett Renewable energy exists because our representatives in both the federal government and our local governments give multi-national companies our tax dollars. There are three significant tax revenue sources for these companies. The federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) provides a significant tax revenue for wind installations. It is estimated that this tax credit will provide $488 of our tax dollars to the wind energy industry by the time it phases out. The PTC is a subsidy that benefits a few energy corporations. Only 15 parent companies account for more than three-fourths of all PTC eligibility. The PTC distorts electricity markets. It encourages wind energy producers to accept negative prices. The negative prices increase costs for other energy producers and electricity suppliers. The PTC operates within a web of wind energy incentives that increase costs to taxpayers, further distort electricity markets, and benefit large corporations. The PTC is slated to phase out completely by the end of 2019. The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) provides significant tax credits offsetting the cost of building solar installations. This credit is the single largest funding source for,solar in Texas. Without the ITC, Texas would not have one solar installation. The ITC encourages large corporations, many of them foreign, to make investments in our rural areas. Local property tax abatements are also sought and provided to wind and solar developers. Under Texas Chapter 312 & 313 of the property tax code, local governments can provide a cap on the valuation of the newly installed wind and solar facilities at $1 OM per year for 10 years. Assuming that an installed cost $250M - $400M, this is an astronomical benefit to the large corporations and a terrible disservice to our communities.