In a news release, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) said Senate Bill 2, authored by Sen. Grant Green (R-Wellston), would not move to a vote.
In its latest form, the legislation mirrors House Bill 2751, written by Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Faxon), which Paxton described as creating “unreasonable setback requirements” for wind turbines. The Senate’s final action rule prevents the lawmakers from voting on legislation with the same effect as another that has already been considered.
The bill would require new wind turbines to be set back at least 1.5 times the tower’s height from non-participating property lines or a half nautical mile from a dwelling. It only applies to counties with a population density greater than 8.5 people per square mile and an average wind speed of less than 9.5 miles per hour.
The bill was one of several introduced in the 2025 session aimed at limiting the siting of new wind projects in Oklahoma.
Proponents of the bill, including Caldwell, have said the bill would protect landowners, while other lawmakers questioned its constitutionality and potential hindrance to the wind energy industry.
“In its current form, this bill would arguably legislate an industry out of business and likely draw legal challenges,” Paxton said in the release. “Furthermore, politics, misinformation and petty personal agendas have co-opted the debate on this bill, resulting in senators being harassed and making it nearly impossible to have a serious, rational policy discussion on this bill and other wind energy regulations this late in session.”
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