A proposal by the Oklahoma Commissioners of Land to consider allowing a wind turbine farm on state-owned land could run into a buzz saw come Monday morning.
Woodward County Commissioners are so much against the idea, they cancelled their regular Monday meeting and intend to be on hand when the Land Commission takes up the issue at the 11 a.m. meeting in Oklahoma City.
Commissioner Clint White learned of the agenda item on Friday and immediately, with the support of his two fellow commissioners decided to let their voices of opposition be heard. The Land Commission agenda concerns a proposal to allow a wind farm to be located on 1,790 acres of “school land.”
The Woodward News reported that item 18 on the special meeting agenda called for a long-term commercial lease with Daily Mill Wind LLC for 6 tracts of school land in Woodward County. Not much is publicly available about Daily Mill Wind except it was formed in July 2023.
“Legal Description: 6 Tracts in Woodward County
Tract 1: NW/4 Sec. 13-22N-19W being 160.00 acres m/l
Tract 2: N/2 NW/4 Sec. 28-22N-18W being 80.00 acres m/l
Tract 3: N/2 and SE/4 Sec. 33-22N-18W being 480.00 acres m/l
Tract 4: W/2 Sec. 33-23N-17W being 320.00 acres m/l
Tract 5: NE/4, SE/4 and E/2 SW/4 and S/2 SW/4 SW/4 and S/2 N/2 SW/4
SW/4 Sec. 36-23N-19W being 430.00 acres m/l
Tract 6: W/2 Sec. 36-24N-18W being 320.00 acres m/l
Purpose: Development and operation of wind power facilities.
Lease Details: A public auction for a maximum Fifty-Five (55) year Wind Power Ground Lease was held February 3, 2025. The minimum bid of $14,320.00 was established as the first year’s rent. Subsequent Rent of $8.00/acre in Lease Year 2, escalating to $10.00 per acre in Lease Year 5 will be paid during development and construction periods.
Production Period rent will consist of a minimum annual royalty of $5,000 per megawatt capacity per year with 2% escalation commencing with the first anniversary of production.
Annual Production Royalty will be 4% of Gross Revenue, escalating 2% annually. At the conclusion of construction, unused lands will be released. Agricultural activities will be allowed to continue on the tracts contemporaneously with the Wind Development. Daily Mill Wind LLC was the winning bidder of this auctioned long-term lease.”
The commissioners in question are: Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur.
Why are Woodward county commissioners opposed to the idea? Commission chairman White offered his explanation to the Woodward News.
“I believe wind turbines should be located on private land – if the landowner wants them – so the revenue generated directly benefits private landowners here and strengthens our local communities,” Clint White said. “Public lands belong to all residents and their use should reflect the shared interests of the community as a whole. For that reason, I do not believe wind development should be approved for public land in Woodward County. These lands should be preserved for their intended public purposes and kept free from commercial wind development.”
Click here for Woodward News
