Reported by Staff

Not every town in the state seen as a leader in the clean energy movement is giving the automatic stamp of approval for wind and solar projects.

The Colorado community of La Veta, located about 160 miles south of Denver, said “wow” to the rush of proposals to build wind farms in the area when its Town Council voted last week to oppose the planned 150-megawatt, 7,000-acre Silver Mountain wind farm two miles from town. Two additional wind developments have also been proposed for the region.

The town wants a moratorium on wind projects until Huerfano County updates its planning and regulations. Some in the community are concerned what impact large scale wind development will have on an area known as a tourist and real estate draw. A strong part of the opposition stems from La Veta’s creative colony comprised of hundreds of writers and artists and just two miles from the proposed wind farm.

“When voters and legislators adopted renewable-energy goals, I don’t know if they were thinking of turning rural Colorado into an industrial zone,” said La Veta councilwoman Dawn Blanken.

Also giving the Town Council pause is the location for the Silver Mountain wind farm — next to a county-designated scenic corridor. Renewable Energy Systems Inc., the project developer, picked the site because of the area’s “outstanding” rating as a wind resource.