LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Wind tax changes taken out of energy legislation 

Credit:  By Jason Schoonover | Austin Daily Herald | May 1, 2015 | www.austindailyherald.com ~~

Mower County leaders got their wish a little sooner than they expected when it comes to wind production revenue.

The county board came out in strong opposition Tuesday to state bills that would have changed how counties receive funds through the energy production tax. But earlier this week, the wind and solar production tax was taken out of the proposal during discussions for the energy omnibus bill, according to bill’s author, Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook.

“We don’t want to do anything to not be supportive of our renewable energy resources,” Skoe said.

Under the initially proposed change, Mower would have lost $1.27 million in production tax funds, but the money would be replaced by about $648,000 in transition aid and about $624,000 in new property tax funds, which would be paid by energy companies that own the wind tower sites.

While Skoe said the bill’s authors thought the transition aid would have made for a relatively even tradeoff, it caused County Coordinator Craig Oscarson and Mower commissioners to be concerned about the stability of future funding.

“It goes from a very stable funding source to a funding source that is going to sometimes be subject to the whims of the Legislature,” Oscarson said.

Skoe said he and other tax committee members heard feedback from Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin, and county officials across the state voicing concern over the change.

“In the end, with the work of some of those folks, we decided to go back to where they currently were,” Skoe said.

Mower has reaped the benefits of its 253 wind turbines through the wind production tax credit, which brought in $9.3 million from 2004-14 – the most of any Minnesota county, according to data from the state’s Department of Revenue and the American Wind Energy Association.

In 2014, just under $1.6 million went to Mower County based on 2013 energy production – $1.27 to Mower County and about $318,000 was distributed among the townships with towers.

The money goes into the county’s general fund, and the county has long described the production tax money as an offset to property taxes.

Chris Kunkle, a regional policy manager for Wind on the Wires, said the nonprofit shared similar concerns voiced by many across the state.

“The wind production tax makes sense,” said. “It allows for development. It’s not burdensome for wind companies, but it also provides some real value for host communities.”

The production tax makes Minnesota competitive to wind companies, according to Kunkle, and he said it makes projects appealing counties and townships.

“It really is critical to the industry that we maintain those strong relationships with host communities,” Kunkle said.

“A stable source like the wind production tax is very appealing,” he said.

Mower County is set to get more than $1.5 million from wind production tax again this year, according to documents from the Association of Minnesota counties.

The county is primed to receive even more funds through the energy production tax. Renewable Energy Systems Americas is currently constructing the 100-turbine Pleasant Valley project, which will add 88 turbines in Mower.

County officials have estimated that could add another $400,000 through the energy production tax by about 2016 or 2017.

EDF Renewable Energy is working toward building a wind farm with about 25-turbines.

If completed, the EDF project, along with Pleasant Valley, could make for about 360 turbines in Mower County.

Source:  By Jason Schoonover | Austin Daily Herald | May 1, 2015 | www.austindailyherald.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon