Photo: Indigo Skies Photography
Transmission Lines & Wind Farms
Recent legislation calls for the Public Utility Commission to transport wind energy from central/west Texas through the Hill Country to the I-35 corridor — but at what cost? Many Hill Country landowners have expressed concern about the effects of large transmission towers on or near their property. Entities such as the LCRA, who will be constructing these lines, will have the power to use eminent domain to secure easements. This is an ongoing process in which Hill Country landowners must have a voice.
HCA promotes fair compensation, a thoughtful, inclusive process for landowners and careful planning to minimize the adverse effects of the lines. Below you’ll find articles, links to citizen organizations and helpful documents. Scenic Texas says it well: “We believe that growth is inevitable, but ugliness is not.”
Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions from Braun and Gresham
The Clearview Alliance (CVA) was an organization established to advocate for the least destructive path in the Hill Country when the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) was introduced and massive transmission lines were being routed through the Hill Country. While the CVA organization no longer exists, HCA is now hosting their website which contains valuable resources, briefs, testimony, maps and news related to this issue. See http://www.clearviewalliance.org.
Don’t blow it: Unregulated wind farms encroach on pristine Texas wilderness
The Devils River Conservancy, is spearheading the “Don’t Blow It” campaign to advocate for thoughtful regulation of wind energy development — an industry quickly expanding in rural Texas, largely without…
New push for eminent domain reform expected at Texas legislature
If you want to cook up a battle over private property rights in Texas, here’s the recipe: Take a handful of sprawling cities and growing populations that are expanding into…
Devils River Landowners Say Wind Farms Threaten Wild Character of Texas’ Last Untamed River
Conflicts between energy producers and conservationists are nothing new in Texas, but a recent fight in Val Verde County centers around wind farms and whether they belong in one of…
Transmission line pits land preservation against electric power grid
"In a case pitting electricity demand against Hill Country conservation efforts, the owner of the largest piece of private permanently preserved land in Gillespie County is making a last-ditch effort…