With wind energy production in full swing in Oklahoma, legislative leaders are looking to impose some new restrictions on the booming industry.
The Senate Energy Committee approved a bill Thursday by Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman to require planning for when wind farms are decommissioned and minimum distances from places like schools or airports. The bill also requires wind developers to provide certain public notice before the giant turbines can be erected.
Oklahoma rolled out the welcome mat for the wind industry a decade ago with lucrative tax incentives and a lax regulatory environment, but as the number of wind farms has skyrocketed, so too has the concern among landowners.
The Legislature also is considering bills to scale back some of the tax credits.
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