North Dakota farmers question wind boom as Badger project sparks local backlash

Ørsted’s Badger Wind Farm, a 250-MW installation with 92 turbines, began operating near Wishek, North Dakota, delivering lease checks of about $5,000 per turbine and $1.3 million in annual county tax revenue. Initially welcomed, the project now faces backlash from residents like Larry Wald and Lila Raile, who argue the turbines dominate the skyline and erode the town’s rural charm. They fault distant landowners who signed leases and claim local officials failed to protect the community, despite a $150,000 donation that funded a firehouse and pool.

McIntosh County imposed a one-year moratorium on further wind developments, and state leaders are questioning whether additional turbines threaten the coal sector. While some farmers, such as George Wolff, still support the all-of-the-above energy mix, the controversy highlights tension between economic incentives and perceived environmental and aesthetic costs.