In South Dakota, easement options that landowners can grant to wind farm developers expire after five years. But there could be pressure to change that.

South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson says having easements for five years rather than for a longer period prevents landowners from signing up with the wrong wind farm
developer and being locked in for years.

But Johnson says lawmakers might be hearing from developers who think such options give landowners too much power over energy companies.

He says he thinks the issue of the five-year option expiration will come up during the 2010 Legislature.

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