While the newly-formed civic and business group Step Up Oklahoma is at odds with the wind industry, one man who is not is a southern Oklahoma rancher.
Chuck Coffey and his wife Ruth own the Double CC Cattle Co. in the Arbuckle mountains of Murray County. Their land became a wind farm in 2014 and Coffey couldn’t be more grateful.
“I was hesitant at first but it has allowed us to maintain the ranch,” he told reporters and others who gathered for a Tuesday state capitol news conference held by OK WindPower. “It allows us to transfer our ranch to the next generation and keep it intact.”
Coffey was one of the speakers at the event and made it clear he is a strong supporter of the wind industry, explaining many ranchers are “land rich and cash poor.”
But the income from the wind farm helps keep the ranch in the family.
“I hope you will not let other industries manipulate the wind industry,” he pleaded in his remarks during the event held in the House Lounge at the capitol.
Coffey complimented the wind farm operators who constructed the wind towers on his land, saying they were “green” oriented and showed their concern about protecting the land.
It wasn’t just the money he received for allowing the wind farm on his ranch, but what it also created in protecting his land.
“The roads they built are 30 feet wide and that makes them a 30-foot fire guard,” said Coffey in making a suggestion most don’t consider. “Tremendous fireguards,” he called them.
But the ranch lands of the Arbuckles have been the site of some horrific wildfires in the past 20 to 25 years. Scars of the wildfires are still existent along Interstate 35 as motorists make their way through the mountains. Coffey says those roads are a lifeguard in preventing the spread of any wildfire.
“The integrity of the wind company is amazing,” said Coffey.
Coffey was introduced by Mark Yates of OK WindPower and his comments are available for listening.