Money Isn't Everything

The following was first submitted to the Hays Daily News as a letter to the editor in May 2007 by Steve Reed, a resident of Hays, Kansas, in Ellis County:

Project isn’t all it’s cracked up to be Fellow Ellis County citizens and Hays residents, please take the time to educate yourself about the proposed wind farm southwest of Hays. People don’t seem to realize the impact that is going to have on our lives.

There are too many unanswered questions regarding what kinds of benefits this will bring to our country. Do you realize that our utility bills will not be going down?

The electricity generated by these giant pinwheels will be sold to benefit people in other areas. There are many documented concerns about the impact wind farms will have, but at the top of the list is the proposed location. Take the time to imagine what 400-foot wind turbines will look like sitting on the hills above the city of Hays. We aren’t talking about a couple turbines, we are talking between 135 and 200 of these enormous eyesores hovering over our fair city, ruining the view of our sunset forever.

I’ve listened to Krista Gordon, the project manager, talk about how great this is for our community. Do you honestly think that Krista Gordon and Iberdrola care about Ellis County? She tells of how this will promote tourism. Personally while traveling I’ve never had the desire to take my vehicle off cruise control to see some giant windmills up close.

She is also promoting the 15 jobs created locally. This is Hays, Kan., not Spearville. Fifteen jobs are not very impressive. A developer could put in an Outback Steakhouse for instance and not only create more jobs, but probably generate more revenue. The main point is Krista is doing her job trying to promote her company, and we should really question what she’s telling us, because it serves her best interest not necessarily ours.

In the Hays area there are a large number of people who want to live in the country for peace and tranquility, but still are close to town. This desire has made the property surrounding Hays priced higher than average. I’ve read countless opinions about how wind farms don’t affect property values.

This may be true in Spearville and Montezuma. However, in an area where the property value is already high, how can the value in Hays not go down? Property value is primarily determined by the sales market.

Many of these property owners may not be able to sell their homes once the turbines are in place. Do you want to buy a house that is under these monstrosities? Once the property in this area is devalued there will be less property tax generated. Even with the proposed gift from CPV these numbers will cancel each other out. How can this increase the tax base?

Most people are in favor of wind farms, just not in this locale. One of the reasons given for the proposed location is proximity to a main transmission line to get on the grid.

Are we willing to sell out our neighbors just to save a multi-billion dollar foreign corporation a few million to build a new substation and transmission line?

Please urge your country commissioners and zoning board members to stop the proposed development and move it so it’s not on top of our homes.

Take a drive around the country and you will find other uninhabited areas to put this project.

Do you think the wind doesn’t blow in other parts of the country? It may not make the right people wealthier, but when our neighbor’s lifelong dreams are being destroyed, money isn’t everything.

Please do some reading about the subject. By informing yourselves, you’ll see that this project isn’t all that it’s promised to be.

Steve Reed
Hays, Kansas
May 2007

To Sign the Petition:
If you are an Ellis County, Kansas, resident and you wish to support a petition to stop this wind farm from being constructed next to Hays, Kansas, you can follow this link and leave your name, real address, and a single comment about your support of this petition. Click here now!