‘Take Action’: Oklahoma Attorney General Calls Out Wind Farms, ‘Green Energy Scam’

LINCOLN COUNTY, Okla. (KOKH) — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond (R) has taken to social media to criticize what he calls the “green energy scam,” urging state lawmakers and the governor to address wind farm regulations during the current legislative session.

On X, Attorney General Drummond said “It’s past time for our state to take action against these controversial wind farms. I’ve encouraged the state legislature and Governor to do the right thing this session, and I just recently released a FAQ on my website to explain what everyday Oklahomans can do. My office stands with the people of our great state – not foreign companies exploiting the Green Energy Scam!”

This call to action follows the collapse of a wind turbine near Kildare in late February.

Robbie McCommas, a landowner in Lincoln County, has been vocal in her opposition to proposed turbine construction in her area.

“We the people would like to be heard,” McCommas said. She emphasized the importance of legislative decisions, stating, “We are trying to visit with the legislators to say ‘This matters. How you vote on these bills matters to us. It changes our lives."”

Drummond’s office has launched a webpage to inform Oklahomans on how they can oppose wind farm projects. However, McCommas expressed the need for more clarity from the attorney general, asking whether “our county commissioners have the authority to put their own regulations?”

A spokesperson for Drummond’s office explained that the ability of county commissioners to regulate wind farms “depends on the size of the county.”

In a statement, he added, “Under at least one statutory framework, appeals from boards of adjustment go directly to district court. The County establishes the zoning regulations (height, setback, size, etc.), and those are enforced at the county level. Any person ‘aggrieved’ by a decision can appeal to the board of adjustment, and any subsequent appeal goes to district court.”

Lincoln County Commissioner Marlon Miller confirmed that his county lacks zoning power to regulate wind farms.

Commissioner Miller and McCommas agree that many rural landowners are opposed to granting zoning authority to their boards of commissioners.

In light of the roadblock, McCommas is hoping state lawmakers step in.

She voiced concerns about potential hazards such as fires, collapses, and ice throw from turbines and highlighted issues with absentee landowners leasing land to wind energy companies, leaving local residents to deal with the consequences.

Efforts to reach the company behind the project near McCommas’s property for comment have been unsuccessful.

Additionally, there are no updates on the cause of the turbine collapse in Kildare, according to Kildare Fire Department Chief Travis Harris.