Wailing over wind farm

A grumbling crowd of 60 Searchlight residents made it clear Monday that most of them don't want a $400 million wind farm built on nearby ridges and slopes, but a county official predicted the Clark County Commission would approve the project.

Commissioner Steve Sisolak, who represents the small historic mining community on the county panel, called the meeting at the town community center to listen to comments from residents before the commission votes on special use permits for the project Aug. 18.

County planning staff recommended approval, and Sisolak said the commission usually accepts staff recommendations on land uses.

Duke Energy needs the county permits and approval from the Bureau of Land Management for use of 9,000 acres, before it can erect 87 wind turbines that reach 428 feet from their base to the highest point of their blades.

The company previously planned to install 161 wind turbines but cut the project size by 55 percent in response to community concerns, Duke Energy managing director Robert Charlebois said. The closest turbine would be 2.5 miles from the town center.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based electric company hopes to sell the power to NV Energy, the power company that serves most of Nevada, but Charlebois said Duke also could sell the power to a California utility.

While some renewable-energy advocates backed the wind power project, most attendees objected for reasons ranging from noise, flashing lights that mark the towers at night, mars on their scenic view, effects on residential real estate values and possible interference with ambulance helicopters.

"We are all green people," explained Ellen Ross, a real estate broker and river kayak guide. "We just don't want it in close proximity to Searchlight. We want Searchlight to continue to grow as a bedroom community of Las Vegas."

Bud Benneman said the project would divert ground water and could kill Joshua trees that are 12,000 years old.

Taylor Emanuel, manager of the Searchlight airport, said the project would end hopes that a reliever airport for large aircraft could be built at Searchlight.

"We trade windmill noise for large airplanes?" asked Joan Denning. "That's not a good argument."

Matt Walker objected to the project, saying it would tear up the scenery, damage the land and be an inefficient source of power that gets government subsidies.

Charlebois said the company would not invest large sums of money and couldn't get financing for the project if it wasn't going to produce profits.

Sisolak responded angrily to a woman who said the commissioner didn't respect Searchlight residents' opinions. The commissioner said he respected residents' opinions or would not have called the meeting. The town's most famous resident, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, was interested in the community reaction, the commissioner said.

However, Charlebois said the Democratic senator didn't influence Duke's selection of the wind power site.

The energy company manager mentioned several benefits the project would bring to Searchlight. It would boost property tax revenues, provide 400 jobs during construction, create 15 to 20 permanent jobs and make contributions for community improvements.

Duke promised to give up to $275,000 to Searchlight for improvements to its community center, $3,000 yearly for math and science education at Harry Reid Elementary and, if possible, move a historic mining press to the town museum.

Contact reporter John G. Edwards at jedwards@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0420.