Texas oilman: Clear path for wind power

[Terri]

By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press
July 23, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens asked Congress on Tuesday to "clear the path" for his plan to boost use of wind and natural gas for U.S. energy needs.

Pickens has been on a $58 million publicity tour to promote his plan to erect wind turbines in the Midwest to generate electricity, replacing the 22 percent of U.S. power produced from natural gas. The freed up natural gas then could be used for transportation.

Testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Pickens said the government should begin building transmission lines for wind-generated power or provide the right of way on private land and extend tax credits so the private sector can build the lines.

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[Myword]

Although his idea seems to be worthwhile, the biggest obstacle will be the "nimby" crowd. Sen. Ted Kennedy successfully fought against wind power in the waters off his family's compound in Mass. If the government doesn't take a strong stand in favor of it, his suggestions will go nowhere and we will continue to be held hostage by the foreign oil producers.

[Think About It]

T. Boone Pickens is the king of speculator that I can line up behind. As a general rule I line up against manipulative market speculators, but when a private citizen who has historically backed his speculations with his money (and without trying to manipulate the stock market for his own selfish benefit); I back him 100%. I wonder which DEMO or RINO elected official will object to windmills destroying his view (ala., Ted Kennedy).

[fred w hensel]

"Pickens said the government should begin building transmission lines for wind-generated power or provide the right of way on private land and extend tax credits so the private sector can build the lines."

If it's so good, why does he need government tax credits or private land grabbing???

Why is it that our government officials are so totally technically incompetent???

As an engineer, I place wind energy just slightly above the fairy tale of solar cells. It may be feasible on a case by case custom example, but is probably not a very good mass production solution. So why should money or property be taken from our neighbors at gunpoint to help this out???

[Dingbat36]

Pickins must be smoking something "funny" if he thinks the modern crop of environmentalists are going to lie down and roll over for his wind farm ideas. I don't know what the environmental climate is like in the mid-west (his stated target for wind farms) but I can definitely tell you that there are moves underway in the Northwest to block any sort of wind farms. Not even are these naysayers expressing any fears of real damage...........the wind farms are "ugly" as far as they are concerned and amount to "visual pollution".

I find his idea most admirable but suspect that he is probably not telling us the whole story. It's certainly his right to invest in anything he chooses but if he is heavily invested in the wind power industry, he should disclose that.

While he's at it, T Boone might be able to help us here in Oregon to get the 3 LNG terminals, which are in the planning, built to assist us in averting the 40% increase in our natural gas prices which is expected to phase in this fall. One opponent of the terminals told a radio interviewer that the terminals were not needed because there were other alternatives like burning wood. How's that for a really brilliant argument? I suspect even the "econuts" would call the wood burner an idiot!

[garywfbg]

Being from Texas I know T. Boone Pickens. He's in this for a dollar and is wanting to make money any way he can just as in his corporate take-overs of years past. He's almost as bad with his schemes as Al Gore is with his Global warming schemes. I don't have a problem with his plan, but first we should drill anywhere we can, pump some oil out of our SPRE and get our economy moving again and then filter in a change of alternative things so nobody has hardships and we can live our lives like we want to!!!

[tferstl]

In Texas our power bills are going to go up, last report, $5.00 a month to pay for the windmills.

The Texas Legislature authorized windmills without citizens input. Construction in West Texas has started.

T-Bone stands to make billions off of the project.

In his testimony no one asked T-Bone how many oil wells he has capped off nor how much he expects to make off of it and how much he will contribute to their causes. Thus far as of 11 July, 2700 oil wells nationwide and many are in Texas have been capped off, which means dear friends, they ain't pumping anything; natural gas or oil. (SOURCE: http://www.wtrg.com/rotaryrigs.html) Why pump it when you can buy blocks of stock in OPEC and let them do the pumping and you get the profits through speculation!

If you agree with the windmills, go to your local power company and tell them you wish to add $5.00 a month to your bill, so T-Bone can make billions without spending a dime! Smart Man that T-Bone! Stuped men, our political hacks!

[Texanna]

I happen to live in the area where Pickens has already implemented some of his plans, the Texas Panhandle. Last legislative session, there were two amendments to different laws (passed on the last day of session) that essentially gave him the power of eminent domain and the power to issue tax free bonds. One was a change to how fresh water supply districts are formed and governed, the other was the right of fresh water supply districts to allow lines that transmit electricity from renewable sources to be built on their right of ways.


The area he wants to build the mega-windfarm is a beautiful part of the country, but it is sparsely populated. There is some farming, ranching, oil and natural gas production. The locals are all for wind energy development. If there is anything we have in vast supply, it is wind.

There are two local objections. First of all, Mesa Water owns a lot of water rights. Their plan is to pump water out of the Ogallala Aquifer (the largest underground water reserve we have in the nation) and sell it to the highest bidder. Fortunately, for now, there are no takers. This plan would devastating to agriculture, industry and cities in the Panhandle. Second, Mesa Water is using muscle to obtain right of way for the proposed pipeline. Surveyors are trespassing on private land. People are terrified of the power of eminent domain.

Wind is not the cure-all for energy demands, but it is (or could be) one of the pieces of the solution. We love our land, but we are practical people. Wind power development is here.

Boone Pickens is not a hero or a savior. He is a man with an ego as big as Texas, and he is doing this to garner the national attention he thinks he deserves. I have met the man, and have worked quite a bit with his local staff. There is a lot more behind his plan than meets the eye.

Check the Texas Ethics Commission lists and see who has received money from him (I'll make it easy: every Texas legislator with an interest in his interests save one, the governor, the lieutenant governor, etc.) I'm sure the list on the federal level is just as long. I believe he wants to leave a huge legacy, and this is it.

[ONTIME]

The very fact that Pickens recommended Algore the magnificent as Energy Czar under the Obama regime made the hackles on my neck stand tall, a red flag if ever there were. Buyer Beware, is the motto of the day for this one, wind power, solar power, not all that impressive when compared to nuclear and oil. All those in favor of a land of windmills, mirrors and a huge toxic battery dump will be thrilled, the natural gas idea, well that was test driven and it works but you need to convert many items to get all the nations gasoline driven cars to comply with this idea. Ever see an explosion from a flammable pressurized container? Spectacular!

Fear not good gullible citizens if there is another ethanol scheme in the making or another way to scam you out of your money with with carbon footprints, I am sure the Congressional Politburo is hard at work doing just that........anyone for more MTBE?

[Jack Reacher]

It is funny to watch people re-invent themselves and Pickens has surely done that.

Don't get me wrong, Pickens is basically an honorable man, but as one poster mentioned, has an ego the size of Texas.

This is nothing more than an attempt to cash in on the panic of $4.00 a gallon gasoline. Our current crop of politicians are totally oblivious as to what to do about the problem.

Pickens is trying to re-establish his legacy as a "maverick" but lets also be aware that he stands to make billions for his investors in Mesa.

Nothing wrong with capitalism, but use your own money, Mr. Pickens, not the taxpayers.

Then your legacy will be nice and clean.

As for wind power? We could also grind corn and wheat, make out own bread, etc. But wait, isn't that what we got away from 200 years ago? My how we have advanced as a society.

JR