The Oklahoma State Capital

GUTHRIE, Okla. — Under a dreary Wednesday sky that seemed to mirror the mood inside, the Logan County Commissioners convened for their end-of-month meeting, joined by a gathering of county and state officials. The room's somber atmosphere was palpable as Commission Chair Mark Sharpton expressed a sense of helplessness in addressing what a guest presenter described as a "Green New Deal assault" on farmers and ranchers.

Saundra Traywick, proprietor of the group Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches, delivered a detailed 45-minute presentation outlining her concerns about various green energy projects impacting rural communities. Using a crafted PowerPoint slideshow, Traywick highlighted issues ranging from municipal biosludge distribution on agricultural lands, to the proliferation of wind turbines, massive new transmission line corridors, battery farms, crypto data centers, solar farms, green hydrogen facilities, and carbon capture and sequestration initiatives.

Traywick specifically cited the dangers of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as "forever chemicals," which she associated with wind turbines polluting surrounding land. She asserted that the shadow flicker effect created by turbine blades could cause seizures in individuals and how the failure to properly ground the electrics affects cattle.

Expressing strong opposition to the planned Delta Plains transmission line project, Traywick voiced fears shared by many northern Logan County residents that their lands could be seized through eminent domain. Federal planning documents indicate that the transmission line may cut a wide swath through the northern parts of the county, primarily north of the Cimarron River.

Throughout her presentation, Traywick repeatedly criticized former State Representative Kevin Wallace for authoring legislation she deemed detrimental. She expressed satisfaction that Wallace, who had been the powerful appropriations chairman representing House District 32 in southeast Logan County and Meridian, was defeated in last August's primary election by challenger Jim Shaw. Traywick described Shaw as "amazing" and noted that more Oklahoma legislators were joining efforts to oppose green energy plans.

Traywick urged attendees to work toward defeating legislators who support policies aligned with the Green New Deal.

Local Legislators Respond Cautiously

Two members of the Logan County legislative delegation were present for Traywick's presentation: Collin Duel, the second-term representative for House District 31 covering Guthrie and much of southern Logan County, and Denise Crosswhite, who represents House District 23 including Cashion and southwest Logan County.

Traywick directly asked the legislators if they would support her cause at the state level. Neither offered a firm commitment of support.

"I can certainly pledge that I will be looking into it," Duel replied, noting that he had become aware of the issues only two weeks prior.

Crosswhite also expressed interest, stating that she had familiarized herself with the concerns over the summer during her re-election campaign.

An awkward moment arose during Traywick's slideshow when she criticized the impact of Wallace's House Bill 4065 concerning green hydrogen legislation—a bill that both Duel and Crosswhite had supported. Traywick contended that the legislation created a special exemption for a Washington County hydrogen producer from water oversight laws. She pointed out that only two state representatives, Tom Gann of Inola and Rick West of Heavener, had voted against the proposal.

Earlier in the year, another Logan County delegation member, John Pfeiffer of Orlando representing House District 38 in northern Logan County, sponsored House Bill 2305. The bill proposed limiting the liability of wind industry companies in disposing of massive turbine blades containing hazardous materials. This issue became a focal point in Pfeiffer's primary campaign against Cedar Valley challenger Marven Goodman. Pfeiffer ultimately won re-election for one final term before he will reach term limits and a new representative will be allowed to take office. Pfeiffer's House Bill 2305, which Duel and Crosswhite also supported, did not become law.

Commissioners Appear to Possibly Evolve Their Stance on Green Energy Projects

In March, the Logan County Commissioners had approved a road maintenance agreement with the expansive Wagon Wheel Wind Deployment, which spans multiple counties and significantly impacts Logan County. During that meeting, Sharpton appeared to downplay citizens' concerns about wind turbines affecting aquifer water quality, citing John Harrington of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, who he said had dismissed the worries.

However, at Wednesday's meeting, Sharpton adopted a more apprehensive tone, aligning with Traywick's concerns.

"I am against all of this stuff," he said, but lamented that the commissioners had limited power to act. "I looked at statutes for five hours," he said, and declared that he couldn't find one thing in there that allows the county to shut down the Delta Plains transmission corridor.

Traywick provided several opposition strategies to be taken by the citizens and the commissioners.

Traywick opined that farmers and ranchers should stop taking the money from the wind energy producers.

Traywick also theorized that state laws requiring a 1.5-mile setback from public school sites could be leveraged by families participating in homeschooling or virtual charter schools to legally oppose turbine installations near their properties.

Traywick encouraged the commissioners to adopt temporary, industrial-only zoning policies to limit the spread of green energy facilities.

She said counties could coordinating with other counties to slow down or halt the rollout of such projects. Traywick said there is precedent for this approach, referencing how a few small communities in Texas successfully stopped the Trans-Texas Transportation Corridor through coordinated efforts. Federal provisions allow local governments to participate in the approval processes for new infrastructure projects, and by actively challenging each step, they can impede progress significantly.

Despite her appeals, Sharpton remained skeptical of the county's ability to oppose the transmission lines. After Traywick left the meeting, he reiterated his doubts about the county's authority in the matter.

"I don't think state law allows us to address this issue," Sharpton said. County Clerk Troy Cole agreed, suggesting that the responsibility lay with federal representatives.

"All of this falls within Frank Lucas's district," Cole said, referring to the U.S. Congressman representing the area.

Resolutions Passed Amid Community Mobilization

Following Traywick's presentation, the commissioners unanimously approved two resolutions. The first mirrored one passed by the Payne County Commissioners, expressing the county's concerns over the Delta Plains project. The second resolution opposed the "sky is falling" narrative of climate change advocates, calling for the cessation of all federal subsidies for wind and solar energy and rejecting the necessity of carbon capture initiatives.

Picture from No Federal Transmission Corridors Logan County showing attendees at Sunday's Camp Joy meeting.

On Sunday, a group of Logan County residents packed out a community meeting at Camp Joy, where they voiced their opposition to the planned transmission line and wind farms. The meeting was organized by the newly formed citizen group called No Federal Transmission Corridors Logan County.

Newly elected Logan County legislative members Jim Shaw and Molly Jenkins, who both defeated incumbents in recent primaries, were also in attendance. Attendees discussed the possibility of pursuing a constitutional initiative petition to address their concerns and Shaw assured attendees that the legislature would be considering multiple initiatives during the upcoming legislative session.

Also, during that meeting guest panelist from Kansas, facing similar issues in her community, encouraged Logan County residents to push their county commissioners to take action. "Your commissioners' hands aren't tied," she said. "They may be scared or need a backbone, but they can do it."

Other Commission Business and Lighthearted Moments

In other actions, the commissioners, at the request of the Sooner Fire Department Board, rejected one of the board's bids due to its failure to meet specified requirements.

The meeting featured two lighthearted moments. Commissioner Meadows was unaware that his road foreman had submitted an agenda item for District 2, allowing a resident to remove trees from the county right-of-way. It took Meadows a moment to adjust to seeing it on his agenda, an indication that Meadows may not have carefully reviewed the agenda prior to the meeting.

Additionally, Sharpton and Meadows humorously declared they were not responsible for any portion of the county's substantial alcohol tax revenue receipts. This prompted laughter after a comment from an audience member speculated that Sharpton might have purchased alcohol "from outside the county."

The Logan County Commissioners are set to next convene on December 2.