Updated 04/05/2019:

A huge thank you to everyone that helped prepare for and presented at Thursday's meeting, especially to those who came from far away!  Many topics were covered, and we provided excellent feedback and testimonies.  Let's keep the momentum going on 4/9/19.

Conditional Use Permit Application:

https://www.renogov.org/DocumentCenter/View/6791/Pretty-Prairie-SUP-Full-Application-ScannedSubmittal

A new company Pretty Prairie Wind, Delaware LLC, submitted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application to the Reno County Planning commission on February 14th, 2019.  The application says this LLC is, "wholly owned by NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company".

The public hearing will be held on April 4, 2019, beginning  3:00 pm at the Atrium Hotel & Conference Center in Hutchinson.  "All interested parties may appear and be heard at the public hearing..."  Notices were mailed by NextEra to residents in the un-zoned part of Reno county.

Notices were mailed by Reno County to all properties in the zoned area of Reno county within 1000 feet of the proposed project.  The letter provides legal descriptions of properties where turbines would reside, but not clearly stating the turbines' proximity to land owners and residences, so contact the Planning Commission Administrator  Mark.Vonachen@renogov.org (620-694-2978) if needed to decipher how you may be impacted. 

Do not wait for the public hearing to voice your concerns and state your position.

All statements need to be submitted prior to  the public hearing, PLEASE contact Mark.Vonachen@renogov.org to let him and the Reno Planning commission know  you oppose this application, Case Number 2019-01.   Your emails should be added to the record.  

As there is no known method to verify if all the planning commissioners have  received your email as intended, and ensure they are not being filtered by the county planning administrator, feel free to include your email address in the body of the email and ask for an email read-receipt from the planning commissioners, not only the planning administrator.

Highlights of the application:

88 GE wind turbines most of which 500 feet tall (over 17% taller than Kingman/Pratt county turbines), access roads, collection station, and transmission lines are part of the project.   A 138kV transmission line would route from the turbines' collection substation in Reno county to the Gordon Evans substation Northeast of Colwich.

The transmission line is to be planned and paid for by the developer, not allowed to use imminent domain.

Southeast Reno county residents and the communities of Andale, Haven, Mount Hope, and St. Joe, Ost would be most impacted.

More information:  

There are several informational article links on this page as well as a lot of information on the internet regarding wind turbine proximity to residents and adverse impacts.  While "anything" can be found on the internet, a general consensus can be formed.  Consider several adverse impacts such as infrasound-related health concerns (noise below what we can hear <20Hz), consistent & inconsistent audible noises, shadow flicker, reflection, and how our area is more populated than almost all other USA wind turbine projects.  The area would continue to grow if not impacted by turbines.  Our duration of exposure to active turbines is greater than other locations.

Responsible siting of turbines is key... treat your neighbor as yourself.

Please speak up and inform others.  Contact our state representatives and county commissioners regularly (links below) and participate in meetings.