Segel: “…A renewable source of energy that requires no coal, gas or oil, has no waste product and creates no greenhouse gases would seem to be the magical solution everyone is seeking. As gasoline tops $4.00 a gallon in many regions, Americans are screaming for a solution to the national attack on family budgets…”

No politics in that observation, just facts.

In Texas, where a Republican Governor is, wisely, a strong backer of the wind energy industry’s U.S.-leading expansion, Segel may not realize how many allies he has on both sides of the political battle lines.

There is a legitimate debate regarding the degree to which any governmental regulation is necessary or proper. It goes back at least to the days of the constitutional conventions in Philadelphia. Americans have fought and died for the right to engage in such debate.

There is nobody, though, who would defend irresponsible, obstructive over-regulation in the service of private interests. That is what is stopping the development of wind installations in South Texas.

Segel’s opponents are true Kings, of the King Ranch. In coming to the defense of Texas wind, Segel’s allies are (ironically) Kenedys (one N, no relation), of the neighboring Kenedy Ranch.

Segel justifiably takes aim at the King Ranch for USING environmentalists to obstruct Kenedy Ranch wind energy installations of enormous value to the region and the state.

Segel: “This is the first of two planned farms on the 400,000-acre South Texas ranch. It is the start of an $800 million project that will eventually provide electricity for more than 100,000 homes, and have no negative emissions…Farmers and ranchers have found wind farms a good source of supplemental income. Some large landowners are considering the development of their own wind farms, while others are content to lease their land…Only about 42 by 42 feet of actual space is used for any single wind turbine, allowing farmers to plant right up to the base of the construction. Because some of these turbines are very high, between 100 and 400 feet, there is little noise, allowing normal conversation right at the base…”

Using environmentalists was a clever ploy by oil baron Jack Hunt, the King Ranch boss. But he failed to see where the blowback would come from. Few things anger Texans more than the violation of their sacred private property rights - except perhaps overzealous violations in the name of environmental impacts.

Segel: “According to a company spokesman, even before construction started it had completed three years of comprehensive wildlife studies. The conclusion of these studies was the farm would be outside the main migratory flight path and no endangered species or birds would be harmed. This failed to satisfy those opposed to the construction… King Ranch President Jack Hunt…claims the turbines will create an eyesore, even though the nearest highway is more than twenty miles away and there is little population to view the operation…A coalition of state and local environmental activist groups [largely funded by Hunt and the King Ranch] started filing complaints early in 2007…State courts and agencies have dismissed all attempted actions saying the King Ranch and the Coastal Habitat Alliance have no standing for action in a case that requires no permits and is on private land…”