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Minnesota Rep. John Kline is citing controversy over a proposed wind farm in Goodhue County in a letter to encourage fellow members of Congress to let a renewable energy grant program expire, according to a report in the Rochester Post-Bulletin (subscription required).
The letter calls on Michigan Rep. Dave Camp, who is chair of the House Ways and Means committee, to support allowing the Section 1603 renewable energy grant program to expire. Kline doesn’t mention the Goodhue project (which is in his district) by name, but cites opposition to wind farms as an “unintended consequence” of federal support for renewable energy:
While the goal of the program is to increase the use of renewable energy, including wind, I have escalating concerns about the unintended consequences of the program. For example, in Minnesota, a wind developer is working to establish a farm with more than 50 wind turbines despite strong concerns vocalized by hundreds of residents the program is slated to serve.
We’re still waiting for a response from Rep. Kline’s office to a request for a copy of the letter, but meanwhile, the full text is posted on several websites.
UPDATE: Rep. Kline has issued a news release further expanding on his comments.