Arizona lawmaker reintroduces bill to restrict wind farms
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A powerful Arizona lawmaker wants to restrict where wind turbines can operate.
Sen. Wendy Rogers decided to run back a bill that would block the construction of wind turbines within six miles of someone’s property without that property owner’s written consent.
She filed on the same day she urged the state to name a major highway after President-elect Donald Trump.
“‘This is a pure constituent bill this is brought to you from way up in rural Arizona,” Rogers said in February about last session’s bill. “So when you go to live off the grid and you look out your front door step and see wind turbines that are 77 stories high, I want you to picture that.”
After lobbyists with the power and environmental industries pushed back, the bill didn’t go anywhere in the Senate.
“If you are supportive of renewable energy, which I believe you all should be, then you should be against this bill. Wind energy does not pollute, it does not use water. It runs at night ... it’s cheaper than coal, it’s cheaper than gas,” said Stan Barnes, a lobbyist, during the same hearing.
The No. 1 renewable source of energy production in Arizona is solar, accounting for about 10% of all the electricity in the state.
Currently wind generates roughly 1% in the Grand Canyon State, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Most of that energy is produced in the north-central part of Arizona, near Flagstaff and Show Low.
Opponents of Rogers’ bill claim it would harm the potential expansion of a clean, renewable resource.
“I think it’s an ideological thing for Sen. Rogers. I mean, yes, she did have a constituents, but I think it’s ideological,” said Sandy Bahr, a Sierra Club lobbyist.
The bill faces a steep hill to climb at the state Capitol, where it first needs to clear the Legislature and avoid Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto stamp.
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