Development Authority discusses impact of 5,000 acre solar farm’s potential impact on Air Force operations
FEATUREDWIB AIR February 23, 2024 Staff Writer
More than 200 Airmen, including student and instructor pilots gathered in front of Air Control Tower at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Nov. 7, 2023, to get a close look at a T-7A Redhawk fresh off the factory floor. The jet stopped at Vance to refuel en route to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for Phase III testing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christopher Ornelas Jr.)
Tanner Holubar
Enid News & Eagle, Okla.
(TNS)
Vance Development Authority met Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, for the first time since July, 18, 2023, and discussed updates to projects and discussed opposition to a proposed Skeleton Creek solar farm.
Mike Cooper, VDA executive director, said when wind energy became prominent in Oklahoma, there were training routes for Air Force pilots that were erased due to wind farms. He said when that happened, the VDA hadn’t been aware of the adverse impacts on Air Force bases and set about advocating for state laws to help the problem.
Cooper said state law says VDA’s job is to make sure that an entity that files with Oklahoma Corporation Commission for a new project must communicate with Vance Air Force Base. The filing then goes to the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, which then will send it to the chairman of the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, who will write up the organization’s thoughts on a particular issue. Finally, it is sent to the clearing house of the Department of Defense. Cooper said state legislation states that no project, such as a wind farm, can proceed without a letter from the Defense Department that states there are no adverse impacts on military installations.
https://warisboring.com/development-authority-discusses-impact-of-5000-acre-solar-farms-potential-impact-on-air-force-operations/
