The battle over a new wind farm in Tehachapi is now heading to the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Kern County planning commissioners approved the Alta-Oak Creek Mojave wind project late Thursday night after hearing both sides of the debate.
After hours of emotional testimony from Tehachapi residents, the planning commissioners approved a 9,000 acre wind farm in the small mountain town. It could be the largest wind energy project in California, but it has Tehachapi residents' heads spinning.
"The sound of wind in the trees is quite different than the loud repetitive thrumming of turbines," Tehachapi resident Teri Beckett said. "I didn't want an acoustically induced headache, I wanted to listen to the birds."
Beckett is also worried about her children's safety.
"Am I going to tell my kids they can't go sledding because I'm terrified that a 200 mile per hour chunk of ice is going to come barreling at them when they go play?" Beckett questioned. "Blades ice up."
Dilbert Jones told commissioners, "I love Tehachapi area but I don't want to be affected with the turbines on top of my home."
Vice President Randy Hoyle of the wind developer Terra-Gen tried to calm residents' nerves
"These are smart turbines," Hoyle said in response to ice fears. "They will sense that and they will slow down and actually stop until the threat is abated."
However, the room grew quiet when Patty Malco described her experience of living with wind turbines in Mojave.
"I don't know how anything can live in there," Malco said. "We're in a very rural area. We have no birds because the turbines have killed them."
Wind farm supporters argue the giant generators have changed.
"Technology changes," Linda Parker of Kern Wind Energy said. "Today's technology in wind energy far surpasses what we had in the early 80s."
Hoyle added the turbines will generate more than just wind.
"The Alta-Oak Creek Mojave project is planned to contribute an additional $30 million per year," Hoyle said.
The project will also provide 200 temporary jobs during the construction phase, and 50 permanent staff jobs according to Hoyle. Several residents liked the sound of that.
"I for one am in support of this project for the jobs it brings to Kern County," supporter Stephen Hill said. "It will help us meet the renewable goals the state has set and it will reduce carbon emissions."
The Kern County Board of Supervisors is set to take the wind farm proposal on December 15th.
