Should Cooper Wildlife Management Area be leased for wind farm?

The Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. wants to lease or buy from the state Department of Wildlife Conservation a portion of the Cooper Wildlife Management Area in northwest Oklahoma for its power-generating wind turbines.

It's curious that state wildlife commissioners would consider such a proposal when state wildlife officials have been clamoring that more public hunting land is needed in Oklahoma.

Most Oklahoma hunters and anglers are now paying an additional $5 each year for a Legacy Permit, with the money earmarked for land acquisition.

So why lease or sell a portion of an already-existing wildlife management area that is heavily used by quail hunters?

The state Wildlife Conservation Commission, the eight-member governing board of the state Wildlife Department, has formed a sub-committee of four commissioners to study the OG&E offer.

On it is longtime Wildlife Commissioner John Groendyke of Enid, who also sits on the board of directors for OGE Energy Corp., the parent company of OG&E.

Groendyke said Thursday he would abstain from any vote on the OG&E proposal. He said he was appointed to the sub-committee because the Cooper WMA is in his district and, as commissioner, was instrumental in developing Cooper and the other WMAs in northwest Oklahoma.

But a strict interpretation of OGE's own "Code of Ethics” policy, posted on the energy company's Web site, would seem to suggest that Groendyke shouldn't even be on the sub-committee.

A portion of that policy listed under conflicts of interest reads, "when serving as a director or member of an outside organization or serving in public office, members shall abstain from any discussion or voting affecting OGE and make it clear why they are abstaining.”

Groendyke said he understands the perception and why some would question whose interest he is serving.

"I will sure look at that,” Groendyke said when informed of the OGE ethics policy. "If I need to get off the committee because it causes some people heartburn, I will.

"Everybody on that commission and in the (wildlife) department knows I am on the OGE board and that I have had an interest in wind farm projects.

"But the last thing I want to do is to make people feel uncomfortable and that I have a conflict one way or the other.”

Gil Broyles, spokesman for OGE, said the conflicts of interest policy posted on the company's Web site "applies to employees and not members of the board of directors specifically.”

Groendyke said the offer from OG&E wasn't his idea and that he hasn't formed an opinion on whether the state Wildlife Department should pursue it.

Wind energy has been a priority for OGE chairman and chief executive officer, Peter Delaney, for the past couple of years, and the Cooper WMA is close to the energy company's Centennial Wind Farm, he said.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next