(Photo from Delta Wind)
- Advocates for wind energy have pointed to Mississippi’s Delta region as ideal for the renewable energy source. Yet, concerns linger over the loss of agricultural lands.
A study on how wind turbines impact Mississippi’s agricultural industry died in the Legislature last week, but the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee said it could return next session.
This summer, State Senator Joel Carter (R), chairman of the committee, said he will hold hearings on legislation to create a Wind-Tower Agricultural and Environmental Impact Study Committee.
Carter was “disappointed” that the bill died in conference between the Senate and the House of Representatives. He said the hearing later this year will “determine what’s going on with turbines’ impact in farming communities.”
Under the original House bill, HB 1069, the Mississippi Public Service Commission would have had “jurisdiction and authority” over the siting, construction, expansion, and operation of any wind tower facility in Mississippi. The bill would sought to halt the construction of wind turbines within 3,000 feet of any property line next to land used for agricultural purposes unless all landowners agreed.
The Senate amended the House bill to begin the discussion on the matter by establishing the Wind-Tower Agricultural and Environmental Impacts Study Committee. The study committee would have included various state officials and farming groups.
Wind farms have sprung up in Mississippi in recent years, with the most notable being Tunica County’s Delta Wind Farm, which began generating energy in April 2024 with 41 of the nation’s tallest turbines, each standing at 692 feet. The project is part of Amazon’s $10 billion investment in the Magnolia State.
Advocates for wind energy have pointed to Mississippi’s Delta region as being ideal for the renewable energy source. The Southeastern Wind Coalition said the alluvial plans crossing Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky support ideal conditions for wind farms due to the region’s flat farmlands, open fields, and localized wind patterns.
Since the construction of Delta Wind, concerns have been raised over the loss of agricultural lands these wind farms could have on traditional farmers and agriculture producers.
On several occasions, Governor Tate Reeves (R) has expressed support for an “all of the above” energy policy for the state as long as it is reliable and affordable for Mississippians. Senator Carter “100 percent agrees” with the governor, but added that wind “is not as effective as solar” and other renewable energy sources.
No dates have yet been set for the hearings.
Daniel Tyson
