Landowners Want More Compensation for Land Used for Wind Power

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

WOODWARD, Oklahoma -- The power of wind could be the next big energy boom for Oklahoma, but some landowners in the northwestern part of the state say they are being forced to sacrifice too much for the cause.

Wind turbines and transmission lines can easily be spotted in the Woodward area, but the owners of the land they run across are concerned they aren't getting treated fairly.

Gary Stocking's family has owned their land in Woodward since 1902. The history is worth a lot to Stocking who was not happy with the $24,000 one time payment offer OG&E made to use part of the land for the Windspeed transmission line.

"Well, It's home. How important is someone's home? It's very important to us," Stocking said.

He and other landowners in Woodward say they felt threatened when they tried to negotiate compensation with OG&E's attorneys.

"OG&E's attorney at the time said 'Well, we don't have to. We'll just take it. We have eminent domain. We'll just take it.' What's the purpose of owning land if someone can just take it away from you at whatever price they deem to be a fair price? I felt cheated," Stocking added.

He and other landowners have joined together as the Southern Great Plains Property Rights Coalition. They say they deserve more money to give up or let utility companies use their land.

A lot of their reasoning comes from the amount wind turbines pay. One mile of wind turbines can pay around $57,000 a year. Landowners want similar payment for transmission lines, but OG&E representative say that's not realistic and can lead to a slippery slope.

"If we begin to pay royalties on electric lines, then do we begin to pay royalties on natural gas pipelines, phone lines, highways? The cost of essential services would then sky rocket," said OG&E spokesman Brian Alford.

Alford said OG&E has been operating fairly and the offers being made are based on market value. Critics are debating that.

As part of the eminent domain process, the court appoints a three person panel to appraise the land. In Stocking's case, the appraisal came back at more than $120,000. Stocking was not happy with the number, but was willing to settle.

OG&E is choosing to fight what they call an unusually high number compared to other land sales in the area.

"We have to be mindful of what we pay for property because the more we pay, the more our customers pay," Alford said.

Landowners disagree because they believe OG&E will gain a lot of money from having the permanent transmission lines now and in the future. They believe that funding can provide them the compensation they feel they deserve. OG&E said the idea is misguided.

"The vast majority of the revenue, 90 percent, of this particular line goes back to OG&E customers," Alford said.

Land owners like Stocking remain skeptical.

"I just don't want to be cheated," Stocking said.

OGE said they have a 90 percent success rate coming to a settlement with landowners on a statewide basis. The number falls to 80 percent when it comes to owners along the Windspeed line which runs from Woodward to Oklahoma City.