State Legislators are deciding whether to keep South Dakota in the wind-energy business. Bill 195 passed through the South Dakota Senate on Tuesday. The bill is designed to give incentives that reduce up-front taxes to those in the wind-energy development business. Supporters of the bill say the few incentives that South Dakota had in place have expired.
Senator Larry Rhoden supports the bill. He says South Dakota has untapped wind energy potential.
“Last year over thirteen-thousand megawatts of wind generation was installed in the United States. However, none of that generation was built in South Dakota. For all intents and purposes wind generation development has come to a complete halt in South Dakota. Despite an excellent wind regime, the large wind developers are telling us that South Dakota’s tax structure puts our state at a serious competitive disadvantage,” says Rhoden.
Rhoden says the developer receives incentives from the State as a refund on the up-front taxes. In return the wind development farmers will see an increase in their on-going taxes as they begin commercial operation. He adds that surrounding states like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa charge far less in up-front taxes than South Dakota.