L&T Publisher Earl Watt
Much like a number of economic proposals that have blown in and out of Seward County, wind turbines are now the hottest topic.
Most remember the corporate hog farming issue that was proposed about 30 years ago. On the surface it seemed like a great idea, pone that would have brought about 1,500 employees to Liberal in the form of a pork processing plant.
A no brainer, right?
Not so fast.
Opponents pointed out the potential adverse effects on water, and the public was abel to vote on the issue, and it was turned down.
For years many have wondered how wind blows all around Seward County but somehow not in Seward County.
Wind farms are in every county around Seward, but whether it was a lack of transmission lines or some other reason, Seward never saw a wind turbine installed.
A company is now looking to do just that, and they have been in on-again, off-again conversations with the county for going on 15 years.
And some may welcome the wind turbines with open arms and are ready to see the additional electrical generation be created in Seward County.
It’s a no brainer, right?
Not so fast.
Some have pointed out that wind may not be as rosy as it seems. From claims that wind energy creates challenges to wildlife, dries out the land, creates an eyesore, can affect the underground flow of water from the concrete pads and more, wind may not come without some consideration given to factors that some say are not favorable.
What it all comes down to, like it or not, is the money.
It’s hard to say what someone can and cannot do with their own land, and every kind of industry that comes to Seward County does so with some sort of public liability.
Dairies use water and are also a heavy strain on roads.
Farming also creates a large draw on the water table, but they also produce the food for millions of people around the world.
There has been a concern that the electricity won’t be used in Seward County and therefore should not be a drain to people here for benefits elsewhere.
But everything we produce in Seward County is almost exclusively consumes elsewhere, from the crops we grow or the livestock those crops support.
The leather produced at National Beef along with the millions of beef, is used elsewhere.
Conestoga produces ethanol and virtually every drop of it is used somewhere else.
Some farmers have oil wells, and that oil is almost totally consumed outside of Seward County.
There will be arguments for the benefits of wind and the detriments.
It’s no different than anything else. Everything comes with pluses and minuses.
Like corporate hog farming, this might be an issue the Seward County Commission might want to allow the public to have a say.
To this point, I believe the company looking to place wind in Seward County is offering a $450,000 annual payment in lieu of taxes to Seward County for 10 years. That’s a total of $4.5 million.
There’s no question the county could use those funds, considering that there is going to be a proposal to raise sales tax a half cent to pay for needed county road repairs.
Whatever is decided, let’s take a look at an historic mistake dealing with energy production.
When oil and gas were booming, severance taxes were collected at the state level, but next to none of it came back to the county where the revenue was created. The state used that money to help improve the infrastructure in the metro areas instead.
The offer of $450,000 per year won’t come close to covering what is needed to help improve and enhance our infrastructure to position Seward County to become an economic leader.
Seward County needs to not make the same mistake the last time energy came for resources and then left us holding the bag after the resource was extracted.
Yes, wind will renew, but the community that accepts all that comes with it should be compensated in a way that will allow for a future economy and lifestyle that allows and encourages growth.
We didn’t do that with other resources, and we shouldn’t repeat that mistake.
Any agreement made should be ongoing as long as the resource is being harvested, and even then, the public should be able to have a voice.
That would allow both sides the opportunity to make their case publicly, to weigh all the pros and cons, and then to allow the people to give a thumbs up or down.
And the people should know what economic benefit will return to Seward County every single year, whether as a percentage of production or a dollar amount reflective of future inflationary impacts.
But a short term contribution will not cut it.
We were told the jobs that came with the oil and gas industry were more than enough to help the local economy.
It wasn’t. We are still saddled with the same infrastructure but without the energy that was harvested and abandoned.
If the public believes the financial commitment is worth the downside, they will support it. If they don’t, they won’t.
But this is a big enough issue that it should not be limited to just five people to make a decision that will permanently change the face of the countryside.
I’m not advocating for one side or the other, but for the public to be able to cast a vote on this vital issue.
After all, the half cent sales tax has to be approved by the voters. If we can ask the public to decide to tax themselves to make local improvements, why wouldn’t we let the public have a say in accepting a proposal on wind energy creation? In our system, leadership includes the ability to let the will of the people be heard.
