🌬️ Wind War in Arkansas: House Committee Advances Sweeping Statewide Regulations

Monday, April 14 — Arkansas State Capitol

A bill to regulate wind farms across the entire state cleared a key hurdle Monday, setting the stage for a full House vote — but not without a few sparks in committee.

🏛️ What Happened:

• The House Insurance & Commerce Committee advanced SB437 after Rep. Brad Hall (R-Van Buren) filed a new amendment that removed a previous exemption for areas below 300 feet in elevation — essentially re-expanding the bill to cover all of Arkansas.
  
  
• That exemption would’ve excluded much of southeast Arkansas, including regions from Texarkana to Paragould.
  
  
• The committee approved the amendment and gave the bill a "do pass" recommendation on a voice vote, despite audible "no" votes. 👂
  
  

🌀 Backstory:

• The Senate had already passed SB437 with the 300-foot exemption in place.
  
  
• Sensing potential trouble in the House, Sen. Ron Caldwell (R-Wynne) filed a backup bill — SB639 — last week. It's nearly identical to SB437 before Hall’s amendment.
  
  
• SB639 was also on Monday’s committee agenda but was not taken up.
  
  

🔩 What’s In the Bill Now:

With the exemption removed, SB437 would apply statewide and includes:

• ❌ 1-mile setback from schools, hospitals, churches, parks, airports, nursing homes, and city limits
  
  
• 📏 2,500 feet or 3.5x turbine height from neighboring property lines — whichever is greater
  
  
• 📝 Neighboring landowners can waive the setback down to 1.1x the turbine height
  
  
• 🛠️ Grandfather clause: Projects are exempt if they were "under development" by April 9, meaning leases signed, studies begun, or construction started
  
  

⚡ Where Wind Stands in Arkansas:

• Only one county — Cross County — has completed turbines (not yet operational), part of the Crossover Wind Project by Cordelio Power
  
  
• Construction is underway on the Nimbus Wind Farm in Carroll County
  
  

🔍 What's Next:

• Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge (R-Marmaduke) filed a proposal Monday for an interim study on windmill regulation in other states. He said future legislation could be shaped by its findings.