CHUGWATER – It was standing room only at the Chugwater Community Center on July 24 as concerned residents from Platte and Goshen counties gathered for a grassroots-å open house to voice mounting unease over NextEra Energy’s proposed wind, solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project near Chugwater.
The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, brought together a diverse coalition of ranchers, landowners, parents, engiåneers and community advocates who presented a broad array of environmental, health, economic and ethical concerns — many of which they say remain unanswered by the Florida-based energy company behind the project, even after the company hosted an informational open house in Chugwater earlier this summer.
“This isn’t just about energy; it’s about how we want our land, our health and our future to be defined,” said one long-time resident whose family’s property sits directly within the proposed project zone. “We are being asked to industrialize agricultural land that’s been in our families for generations, without any real guarantee of safety or benefit.”
Scientific and health concerns take center stage
Keynote speakers and citizen researchers presented in-depth findings on issues such as infrasound from wind turbines, groundwater disruption and the risk of wildfires and chemical contamination from BESS facilities. Several noted the lack of sufficient environmental impact studies tailored to the unique geological conditions of the Chugwater Flats area.
Kathryn Stevens, a mother of four and local resident, provided a detailed presentation citing health studies related to “wind turbine syndrome,” including symptoms like sleep disruption, vertigo, nausea and heart palpitations. Stevens emphasized that these impacts are especially concerning for children and those with pre-existing health conditions.
“These turbines don’t just sit there — they vibrate, hum, and send out infrasound that affects people up to 50 miles away at night,” Stevens said. “Our groundwater is fragile. Our kids go to school near here. If there’s even a chance we’re risking their health, isn’t that worth reconsidering?”
Questions left unanswered
Attendees expressed frustration with what they described as vague or evasive responses from NextEra project representatives at previous events. Multiple residents noted, when they pressed the company about issues like fiberglass blade shedding, hazardous materials in solar panels, or long-term cleanup responsibilities, they were either given incomplete answers or told that mitigation plans do not exist.
Stevens said, “NextEra admitted they have no mitigation plan for fiberglass particles falling onto grazing land or into crops. They said, ‘It is what it is.’”
“That’s unacceptable,” Stevens added.
In a pointed example of what some call a conflict of interest, speakers also highlighted that Anthony Bianchini — the Chugwater Project Manager for NextEra — currently sits on both the Platte County Economic Development board and the Platte County Chamber of Commerce board. Critics emphasized that Bianchini is not a Wyoming resident and that NextEra has no business front or operational office in Platte County. “They don’t live here. They don’t do business here. But they want to change everything here,” asked the Websters, a couple who own and operate land along the Platte County and Goshen County line where all three projects are proposed to meet. “How is that possible?”
A review of the bylaws for both the Platte County Economic Development Board and The Platte County Chamber of Commerce show they simply require board members to suggest someone they stand behind to the board for the position, then a simple majority of the board “elects” them to the empty seat. As long as the candidate is a “contributing dues member” to the respective board.
Neither of the boards, which are both private 501(c)3 corporations, has bylaws requiring board members to live, work or own a business and/or store front in the county.
Wyoming statute, W.S. 18-5-202, only requires county planning and zoning commissions to be composed of five members, at least three of whom must reside in the unincorporated areas of the county; other than that, the state offers no statutory requirements of other boards. Nearby counties, such as Laramie, Natrona, Goshen or Niobrara also do not have bylaws for various boards requiring members to be residents and/or business owners with or without storefronts.
However, this is an issue local legislative leaders said they will be investigating to see what – if any – changes can be made.
Local lawmakers weigh in
State lawmakers, including Sen. Cheri Steinmetz (R-Goshen County), Sen. Darin Smith (R-Platte/Laramie Counties), and Rep. Scott Smith (R-HD05) provided written or spoken support for the community’s concerns.
Sen. Darin Smith criticized wind development subsidies, saying, “These turbines are just not efficient enough to pay for themselves without laying more tax and economic burden on the taxpayer and consumer.”
Sen. Steinmetz has long advocated for increased local control over industrial siting and has called for a moratorium on projects until community health, national security, and land use implications are fully addressed. Rep. Scott Smith echoed these concerns and urged residents to continue raising their voices to state agencies.
Sen. Scott Smith criticized wind development companies for arbitrarily changing the landscape without the entire community consent.
A call for transparency and accountability
Throughout the event, speakers called on Platte County commissioners and state regulators to demand comprehensive, localized studies before permitting any aspect of the project.
Attendees were encouraged to write to both the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the 19 agencies that must approve various aspects of the project. Petitions circulating in the room addressed view-shed impacts, human health risks, and land use zoning conflicts.
“What’s happening here is a slow erosion of our rights under the guise of progress,” said another speaker. “NextEra calls this renewable energy. But what’s renewable about paving over our way of life?”
Several times, event co-organizer Lucinda Houtchens directed attendees to the numerous stories published by the Platte Co. Record-Times; in its ongoing coverage of the county and the energy project, stating her dismay at how issues presented in the stories seemingly fall on deaf-ears with those who would be responsible for approving or denying the proposed project. Those stories can be found on the newspaper’s website, www.pcrecordtimes.com, and are still available in print editions at the office, 1560 Johnson St., Suite D, Wheatland.
Broader implications and looking ahead
Residents and experts repeatedly stressed, the proposal to build industrial-scale wind and solar infrastructure — including massive lithium-ion battery banks — in a primarily agricultural zone could open the door for similar projects across rural Wyoming. Several pointed to the lack of meaningful community engagement from NextEra and warned that the current setback requirements — as low as a quarter-mile — were dangerously inadequate.
“There are counties in Wyoming that have stronger protections than we do. Why should Platte and Goshen be any less deserving of that caution?” one speaker asked.
As the evening concluded, community leaders reiterated their commitment to fighting for transparency, science-based regulation, and local voices in the decision-making process.
“This is about more than a project,” said one organizer. “It’s about preserving what we love about living here — clean air, open space, strong communities, and the freedom to be heard.”
As more information comes to light and is researched by dedicated residents, the group hopes to host further meetings to better inform both Platte County and Goshen County residents.
Editor’s Note: This story will continue to be updated as new information becomes available and as the permitting and public hearing process for NextEra Energy’s proposed Chugwater wind, solar, and BESS project advances.
