Miscellaneous news items that don't warrant their own thread

[UNI88]

It's interesting how this is starting to shape up. The county I live in is rural and we have about 200 wind turbines in our county. There was virtually no opposition when they were put in about 14 years ago. They are a boon to our county in several ways. Short term impact during construction that benefited hotels, restaurants as well as the local hospital, the car dealers, and the hardware store. Long term impact is about 10 good jobs, lease payments to landowners and about 19% of the tax base in our county is now wind turbines. We were able to build a new high school without raising taxes in part because of the taxes the wind turbines pay.

The article mentions Madison County, Iowa. Madison County borders on the Des Moines metro area. A lot of well off people live on acreages in Madison County and don't want wind turbines. They come up with all the things about noise, dead birds, etc. but they are all a smokescreen for the real reason - they don't want to look at them.

At work we tried buying energy from a proposed wind farm in Kansas. The developer was large with over 10,000 MW developed. The project didn't get built due to local opposition. First project they ever had cancelled for a zoning reason. Locals, in rural Kansas, didn't want the project. If you can't build in rural Kansas you're not going to be able to build wind turbines in a lot of places.

The really big thing that isn't mentioned is the transmission that needs to be built to deliver all the wind energy from the flyover states to the population centers on the coasts. People really don't want transmission lines on their property. There is also a big question over who should pay for the transmission lines. Without the transmission lines the wind turbines can't be built because the existing lines are generally at capacity.

At your last two paragraphs.

It has been a year or two since I looked at a wind turbine contract but I know on some of the farm pages I visit that who (and how) the wind turbine is disposed of has been a real stickler. Some of the contracts were (and are still apparently) written that the original owner of the land was on the hook for disposal. I have no idea if this is a industry thing or just local contractors. And in some cases the disposal of the wind turbine is covered by the Wind Farm but not the removal of the base.

Odds on the government using eminent domain or similar laws to force people to allow construction?

[Winterborn]

Some people didn't just fall out of the stupid tree, but were dragged through the entire stupid forest.

To be intellectually honest, she didn't ban white reporters from her press conferences or similar she just chose to only do one-on-one interviews with reporters of color. It's another example of the pendulum swinging past equilibrium to be biased in the other direction and I'm glad that a reporter of color canceled a one-on-one interview in protest.

Intellectually honesty on this site.

[Winterborn]

At your last two paragraphs.

It has been a year or two since I looked at a wind turbine contract but I know on some of the farm pages I visit that who (and how) the wind turbine is disposed of has been a real stickler. Some of the contracts were (and are still apparently) written that the original owner of the land was on the hook for disposal. I have no idea if this is a industry thing or just local contractors. And in some cases the disposal of the wind turbine is covered by the Wind Farm but not the removal of the base.

Odds on the government using eminent domain or similar laws to force people to allow construction?

Just a guess on my end as I am not that familiar with the legal framework surrounding eminent domain but my assumption is that they will try and it will go to court. Now what happens after that, is going to vary by jurisdiction and I have no idea.

Eminent domain has it's uses but it is readily abused today.

[UNI88]

Odds on the government using eminent domain or similar laws to force people to allow construction?

Just a guess on my end as I am not that familiar with the legal framework surrounding eminent domain but my assumption is that they will try and it will go to court. Now what happens after that, is going to vary by jurisdiction and I have no idea.

Eminent domain has it's uses but it is readily abused today.

This book has been on my to-read list for a while. Might be time to finally read it.

[Winterborn]

Just a guess on my end as I am not that familiar with the legal framework surrounding eminent domain but my assumption is that they will try and it will go to court. Now what happens after that, is going to vary by jurisdiction and I have no idea.

Eminent domain has it's uses but it is readily abused today.

This book has been on my to-read list for a while. Might be time to finally read it.

Might have to look it up myself.

Eminent domain is a topic I have been meaning to read about for awhile.

[HI54UNI]

At your last two paragraphs.

It has been a year or two since I looked at a wind turbine contract but I know on some of the farm pages I visit that who (and how) the wind turbine is disposed of has been a real stickler. Some of the contracts were (and are still apparently) written that the original owner of the land was on the hook for disposal. I have no idea if this is a industry thing or just local contractors. And in some cases the disposal of the wind turbine is covered by the Wind Farm but not the removal of the base.

Odds on the government using eminent domain or similar laws to force people to allow construction?

Use of eminent domain for transmission projects or wind farms will get really interesting. Most wind or solar farm developers aren't utilities so they don't have E.D. rights. And they don't want to be utilities because of the regulation that comes with it. For the transmission being built it is more likely to have utilities building it but can an Iowa utility justify spending a large sum of money on a transmission line to in Iowa to allow a wind farm to deliver energy to Illinois?

There's currently a private company proposing to develop a transmission line across northern Iowa to deliver energy to Chicago. They've got a deal with the railroad to use railroad right of way and will bury the line under the tracks. The cost of burying the line is much more but defers a lot of future maintenance. And it avoids the time and expense of dealing with potentially thousands of landowners on the route and potential use of eminent domain on any holdouts.

[89Hen]

[Pwns]

https://theintercept.com/2021/05/20/squ ... -aoc-omar/

Defund the police, unless it's police protecting us!

[kalm]

UNI-fly...made by white kids...

I’m catching up on SNL for the first time in years. Kate McKinnon has some serious comedy chops.

[UNI88]

UNI-fly...made by white kids...

I’m catching up on SNL for the first time in years. Kate McKinnon has some serious comedy chops.

That and the 180 degree zipper -

[AZGrizFan]

Some people didn't just fall out of the stupid tree, but were dragged through the entire stupid forest.

To be intellectually honest, she didn't ban white reporters from her press conferences or similar she just chose to only do one-on-one interviews with reporters of color. It's another example of the pendulum swinging past equilibrium to be biased in the other direction and I'm glad that a reporter of color canceled a one-on-one interview in protest.

Good for that reporter in seeing the absurdity of her position.

[BDKJMU]

Me thinks she doesn't understand racism....

Some people didn't just fall out of the stupid tree, but were dragged through the entire stupid forest.

[kalm]

Some people didn't just fall out of the stupid tree, but were dragged through the entire stupid forest.

Man did the woke left go down on her.

[kalm]

Fix racism with racism. Not how any of us would roll. Then again at least the mayor has the guts to say it publicly.

Man did the woke left go down on Tulsi. She was a Bernie supporter at one time too.

[UNI88]

Fix racism with racism. Not how any of us would roll. Then again at least the mayor has the guts to say it publicly.

Man did the woke left go down on Tulsi. She was a Bernie supporter at one time too.

There are a lot of people advocating for addressing bigotry with bigotry. Placing a greater value on someone's race, gender or gender identity is a form of bigotry regardless of which is prioritized.

Links to the woke left going down on Tulsi?

[SeattleGriz]

At your last two paragraphs.

It has been a year or two since I looked at a wind turbine contract but I know on some of the farm pages I visit that who (and how) the wind turbine is disposed of has been a real stickler. Some of the contracts were (and are still apparently) written that the original owner of the land was on the hook for disposal. I have no idea if this is a industry thing or just local contractors. And in some cases the disposal of the wind turbine is covered by the Wind Farm but not the removal of the base.

I think originally, say 15+ years ago, the contracts were like that. Now, at least around here, the counties are requiring bonds from the wind companies to pay for the eventual decommissioning. Good idea since every wind farm is a LLC and it would be easy to walk away. The counties all are requiring at least partial base removal of the first 6-12 feet of the concrete base.

Good to hear. Get a fair amount of offers to build a wind farm on our property in Montana. As 3/4 of our ranch is for cattle, we gots lots of room and it could be put out of site.

They need to offer ranchers over by where I grew up. Alongside the Eastern slope of the continental divide. Tons of wind there all the time, and the one farm they built years ago was kicking ass as far as output.

https://enjoylewistown.com/judith-gap-wind-farm

[kalm]

Fix racism with racism. Not how any of us would roll. Then again at least the mayor has the guts to say it publicly.

Man did the woke left go down on Tulsi. She was a Bernie supporter at one time too.

There are a lot of people advocating for addressing bigotry with bigotry. Placing a greater value on someone's race, gender or gender identity is a form of bigotry regardless of which is prioritized.

Links to the woke left going down on Tulsi?

You normally have to pay for that kind of action, Cotton.

[AZGrizFan]

There are a lot of people advocating for addressing bigotry with bigotry. Placing a greater value on someone's race, gender or gender identity is a form of bigotry regardless of which is prioritized.

Links to the woke left going down on Tulsi?

You normally have to pay for that kind of action, Cotton.

It’s good clean family fun!

[HI54UNI]

I think originally, say 15+ years ago, the contracts were like that. Now, at least around here, the counties are requiring bonds from the wind companies to pay for the eventual decommissioning. Good idea since every wind farm is a LLC and it would be easy to walk away. The counties all are requiring at least partial base removal of the first 6-12 feet of the concrete base.

Good to hear. Get a fair amount of offers to build a wind farm on our property in Montana. As 3/4 of our ranch is for cattle, we gots lots of room and it could be put out of site.

They need to offer ranchers over by where I grew up. Alongside the Eastern slope of the continental divide. Tons of wind there all the time, and the one farm they built years ago was kicking ass as far as output.

https://enjoylewistown.com/judith-gap-wind-farm

If you ever decide to do anything make sure you have a lawyer read anything they want you to sign. And don't just go to any lawyer - make sure the lawyer has done wind contracts before and understands them. The wind companies will put confidentiality clauses in so you and your neighboring property owners can't talk to each other to make sure you're getting the best deal. They'll also do easements to secure the property but then you're tied up if they never develop the wind farm. Lots of little things so make sure you get an expert.

[Winterborn]

At your last two paragraphs.

It has been a year or two since I looked at a wind turbine contract but I know on some of the farm pages I visit that who (and how) the wind turbine is disposed of has been a real stickler. Some of the contracts were (and are still apparently) written that the original owner of the land was on the hook for disposal. I have no idea if this is a industry thing or just local contractors. And in some cases the disposal of the wind turbine is covered by the Wind Farm but not the removal of the base.

I think originally, say 15+ years ago, the contracts were like that. Now, at least around here, the counties are requiring bonds from the wind companies to pay for the eventual decommissioning. Good idea since every wind farm is a LLC and it would be easy to walk away. The counties all are requiring at least partial base removal of the first 6-12 feet of the concrete base.

Sorry I missed your post (Thanks SG!) and appreciate the update.

I get somewhat sceptical of farmers coffee shop talk as one never knows the veracity of the talk. Sometimes they are like fishing stories, the base facts are true but have been slightly embellished.

[Winterborn]

Good to hear. Get a fair amount of offers to build a wind farm on our property in Montana. As 3/4 of our ranch is for cattle, we gots lots of room and it could be put out of site.

They need to offer ranchers over by where I grew up. Alongside the Eastern slope of the continental divide. Tons of wind there all the time, and the one farm they built years ago was kicking ass as far as output.

https://enjoylewistown.com/judith-gap-wind-farm

If you ever decide to do anything make sure you have a lawyer read anything they want you to sign. And don't just go to any lawyer - make sure the lawyer has done wind contracts before and understands them. The wind companies will put confidentiality clauses in so you and your neighboring property owners can't talk to each other to make sure you're getting the best deal. They'll also do easements to secure the property but then you're tied up if they never develop the wind farm. Lots of little things so make sure you get an expert.

Attorneys are a necessary evil. It is better to have one and not need them, then to not have one and need one in a hurry.

[Pwns]

Made me chuckle when I saw this.

[AZGrizFan]

Made me chuckle when I saw this.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?

[kalm]

Made me chuckle when I saw this.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?

[UNI88]

5 predictions by the US's top spies about what the world could look like in 20 years

1. Renaissance of Democracies - In this scenario, open democracies across the world are seeing a resurgence led by the US and its allies.
   ...
2. A World Adrift - In a very gloomy scenario, the world is a directionless, chaotic, and volatile place, as institutions and international norms and rules have collapsed and only a few countries continue to abide by them.
   ...
3. Competitive Coexistence - In a scenario that resembles today, the US and China are leading the world through a robust trading relationship that prioritizes economic growth.
   ...
4. Separate Silos - In this gloomy future, the geopolitical scene is fragmented into several economic and security blocs of varying importance and strength.
   ...
5. Tragedy and Mobilization - This scenario envisions the aftermath of a devastating global food shortage caused by climate change.