Real Estate & Property Law

Wyoming Wind Power Debate Continues

By Alan Ackerman

Just days ago, I discussed Wyoming's moratorium on the exercise of eminent domain by wind power developers. Interestingly, national and local policy favors the growth of alternative energies like wind. But in Wyoming, the ban on eminent domain targeted wind developers alone, leaving gas and coal companies free to condemn land for their transmission lines. Now, with the ban expiring, the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction. Wind developers will join their gas and coal brethren in possessing broad condemnation power. As yet another industry gains the ability to trammel property owners' rights, I wonder why Wyoming does not place a uniform and fair eminent domain procedure on all acquiring agencies and companies within the state. 

Trib.com 

State Rep. Tim Stubson, R-Casper, said it would also be unfair to ban eminent domain use for wind energy collector lines while allowing the practice for lines running to coal and gas power plants.

Roscoe said the one-year ban was proposed last year by former Gov. Dave Freudenthal in part to pressure federal officials to change requirements that power companies seeking to build transmission lines on public land must first examine alternate routes on private land.

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on January 25, 2011 (boomark / email).