Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

This week the Hughes County, South Dakota Commission approved a change in their wind ordinance. It adds some restrictions, including an increase in setbacks and keeps the wind projects away from smaller communities in the county. County Commission Chairman Norm Weaver says they’ve been studying this for six months and this week accepted the Planning Committee’s recommendations.

He says the ordinance change was prompted by a California company, Infinity Renewables, wanting to put up 120 wind turbines in eastern Hughes and part of Hyde County. Weaver says Infinity has some other regulatory hurdles to go through before the project moves ahead.

Weaver says the benefits from wind projects usually come in the form of tax benefits, but very little of that goes to the county government itself.

Weaver says those attending their recent meeting, where they approved the change in the wind ordinance, were equally divided on the issue.