Winds of change – Wyoming’s turbine tax provides a positive model

Wyoming has some of the world’s best winds, as anyone knows who’s battled with wind-whipped tractor-trailers along Interstate 80. So it’s no surprise that wind turbines have been sprouting in the state’s wide-open spaces at a rapid rate, upping its total wind-power-generating capacity by more than 30 percent in just one year.

Wyoming is also the nation’s principal energy colony: It’s the leading coal producer in the United States and ranks in the top three states for natural gas production. Yet Wyoming hasn’t exactly welcomed wind power with open arms.

by Jonathan Thompson

Full Story: http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/winds-of-change/Content?oid=1238938