"New Era" for T. Boone Pickens' Wind Project

New Era Wind Farm

After three years, T. Boone Pickens has officially taken his lost a** home to Texas.  The Coalition for Sensible Siting congratulates rural Minnesota residents on this major victory. When Pickens' Mesa Power/ American Wind Alliance purchased the proposed AWA Goodhue Project from National Wind in December 2009, it looked like a sure bet:
1. Minnesota has one of the strongest wind mandates in the nation.

2. Wind is exempt from MN laws regulating electrical producers and agricultural land use.

3. MN State turbine siting "standards" written by Enron Wind in the early 1990s.

4. Xcel agreed to purchase the electricity at the highest rate ever paid for MN wind power.

5. Transmission space available.

6. Developer's attorney helped draft MN's Renewable Energy Standard when employed by the MN Department of Commerce.

7. Direct access lobbying then Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty for support.

8. Goodhue County had no land use ordinance for large wind energy projects.

9. Dept. of Commerce staff cheerleading the project at the Public Utilities Commission.

10. Outdated studies of Bald Eagles nesting in Goodhue County.

11. Federal Section 1603 up front cash-for-turbines incentive of about $50 million.

Despite Minnesota supplying a vehicle (law), a driver (Commerce) and a six land highway (mandate) to speed wind developers to the federal money, Pickens pulled out. Rural neighbors joined together and stopped one of the wealthiest and most politically connected men in the world.

The most timely and accurate reporting has come from dynamite young reporter Brett Boese of the Rochester Post Bulletin. Most recently, Boese broke the sale of National Wind to Trishe nearly a week ahead of larger Statewide papers. He broke the change of AWA Goodhue to New Era ahead of the pack as well.

In an October 12, 2012 press release, Peter Mastic announced that his newest corporate creation, New Era Wind Farm, bought "100% of...AWA Goodhue, LLC from American Wind Alliance, LLC of Dallas Texas." The Minneapolis StarTribune reported that Mastic is the sole owner and only employee of New Era.

Mr. Mastic claims an advisory board of active participants. The vast majority of local residents have consistently been against the project. Initially, about 7 of 8 landowners who were offered money to lease their land for turbines refused to participate. Since then many of the participants have withdrawn, citing breach of contract by the project. With Peter Mastic at the helm, the no-longer-participating landowners were sued. Mr. Mastic also presided over dragging a local farmer into Court using fabricated accusations of harassment. Local sentiment makes it clear that Peter Mastic and all his local supporters should be able to meet comfortably at New Era's new address - P.O. Box 307, Goodhue MN.