TO THE DEFENSE OF TEXAS WIND

The cause of New Energy has created an impressive alliance stretching across traditional political lines. In Texas, Thomas Segel, a staunch Republican and former Marine, takes on what he perceives to be “…left-leaning Political Kings and their Environmental Jesters…” in defense of controversial wind installations on the state's Gulf coast.

Segel: “…A renewable source of energy that requires no coal, gas or oil, has no waste product and creates no greenhouse gases would seem to be the magical solution everyone is seeking. As gasoline tops $4.00 a gallon in many regions, Americans are screaming for a solution to the national attack on family budgets…”

No politics in that observation, just facts.

In Texas, where a Republican Governor is, wisely, a strong backer of the wind energy industry’s U.S.-leading expansion, Segel may not realize how many allies he has on both sides of the political battle lines.

There is a legitimate debate regarding the degree to which any governmental regulation is necessary or proper. It goes back at least to the days of the constitutional conventions in Philadelphia. Americans have fought and died for the right to engage in such debate.

There is nobody, though, who would defend irresponsible, obstructive over-regulation in the service of private interests. That is what is stopping the development of wind installations in South Texas.

Segel’s opponents are true Kings, of the King Ranch. In coming to the defense of Texas wind, Segel's allies are (ironically) Kenedys (one N, no relation), of the neighboring Kenedy Ranch.

Segel justifiably takes aim at the King Ranch for USING environmentalists to obstruct Kenedy Ranch wind energy installations of enormous value to the region and the state.

Segel: “This is the first of two planned farms on the 400,000-acre South Texas ranch. It is the start of an $800 million project that will eventually provide electricity for more than 100,000 homes, and have no negative emissions…Farmers and ranchers have found wind farms a good source of supplemental income. Some large landowners are considering the development of their own wind farms, while others are content to lease their land…Only about 42 by 42 feet of actual space is used for any single wind turbine, allowing farmers to plant right up to the base of the construction. Because some of these turbines are very high, between 100 and 400 feet, there is little noise, allowing normal conversation right at the base…”

Using environmentalists was a clever ploy by oil baron Jack Hunt, the King Ranch boss. But he failed to see where the blowback would come from. Few things anger Texans more than the violation of their sacred private property rights - except perhaps overzealous violations in the name of environmental impacts.

Segel: “According to a company spokesman, even before construction started it had completed three years of comprehensive wildlife studies. The conclusion of these studies was the farm would be outside the main migratory flight path and no endangered species or birds would be harmed. This failed to satisfy those opposed to the construction… King Ranch President Jack Hunt…claims the turbines will create an eyesore, even though the nearest highway is more than twenty miles away and there is little population to view the operation…A coalition of state and local environmental activist groups [largely funded by Hunt and the King Ranch] started filing complaints early in 2007…State courts and agencies have dismissed all attempted actions saying the King Ranch and the Coastal Habitat Alliance have no standing for action in a case that requires no permits and is on private land…”

Wind energy, not without imperfections, is essentially a good and right idea whose time has come. (See WIND: YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET!) From Massachusetts to Texas, detractors have found wind energy impossible to deny. In the face of even the most recalcitrant opposition, it regularly proves itself the right choice - though there continues to be an obstinate, if dwindling, opposition.

Segel: “…the self serving few do everything in their power to impede progress that is all in the national interest.”

Nobody from any place on the political spectrum could say it better.

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More Than Energy in the Wind
Thomas Segel, May 4, 2008 (Right Side News)

WHO
- Thomas D. Segel, Republican columnist/past president, U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association/winner, 1972 Military writer of the year
- Developers: American Shoreline and Eviva Spinnaker, Brown & Babcock, PPM Energy
- Pro-wind in the showdown: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust
- Anti-wind: Coastal Habitat Alliance (Jim Blackburn, environmental lawyer/founder), including National Wind Watch, Inc. (Eric Rosenbloom, president), American Bird Conservancy, the Coastal Bend Audubon Society, the Lower Laguna Madre Foundation and the King Ranch (Jack Hunt, CEO)

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WHAT
Texas Gulf Coast wind energy installations

WHEN
- 2004: Planning and site studies began on the Gulf Wind Farm (Babcock and Brown)
- 2004: Planning and site studies began on the Penascal Wind Farm (PPM Energy)
- 2008: Hebbronville project in planning.

Copyright Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Used with permission. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- Gulf Wind Farm (Babcock and Brown): 300 surface acres of John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation King Ranch property
- Penascal Wind Farm (PPM Energy): 200 surface acres of John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust King Ranch property
- Proposed Hebbronville installation: 35,000 acres in Jim Hogg, Webb and Zapata counties east of Laredo.

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WHY
- Gulf Wind Farm (Babcock and Brown): $700 million cost, 118 turbines, 283.2 megawatts.
- Penascal Wind Farm (PPM Energy): $440 cost, 84 turbines, 201.6 megawatts.
- Proposed Hebbronville installations: 2 wind farms, estimated $2 billion dollar cost, 400 turbines, 800 megawatts

The wind industry has developed a multidisciplinary coalition of governmental and non-governmental groups to fairly assess installation sites, in the hope of avoiding such difficulties in the future. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Segel: “To better understand just what a megawatt provides…a megawatt is a million watts. If you turn on a 100-watt light bulb, it will burn 100 watts of electricity in one hour. So, a megawatt would provide one hour of electricity for ten thousand 100-watt light bulbs.
- Segel: Semper Fidelis