Wyoming House advances eminent domain moratorium on wind collector systems

“The House voted Wednesday to extend from 2013 to 2015 a moratorium on eminent domain of property for certain wind energy lines.

House Bill 40 would prohibit eminent domain for “wind collector systems,” which are the lines that move electricity from wind farms to the nearest substations.

Public utilities can be exempt from the moratorium, the bill states.

Legislation such as HB40 is among of the reasons why windy Wyoming is experiencing a slower development of wind energy than other states, Picard said.

Wyoming needs to be competitive to its neighbors or lose out, he added.”

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Hancock, Laura. Star Tribune 16 January 2013.