COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Coconino County, Northern Arizona cities and towns, private landowners, Northern Arizona University, and Coconino Community College will realize numerous benefits.

In addition to non-polluting, cost-effective, sustainable energy, the Sunshine Wind Park will offer:

• Preservation of traditional land uses
• New property tax revenues ($100 million capital investment) for County, School District, Community College and Fire District jurisdictions
• New jobs (up to 100+ construction jobs and 2-4 long-term operations jobs)
• Sales tax revenues
• New land-lease revenues for land owners - Landowner payments are estimated to be $3.6 million over the approximate 25-year life of the project, with multiplier benefits to the local economy from indirect spending
• Opportunity to augment NAU's program in renewable energy research and teaching to the national forefront with similar opportunities for the Community College programs.
• Preservation of ranching and traditional land uses (alternative to subdividing, economic diversification for ranchers)

Tourism and Benefits to the Local Economy

Recent experience and empirical studies of wind farms in the US and Europe demonstrate that modern wind farms positively affect tourism. New technology is often a tourist attraction. The Bonneville Dam, for example, still attracts visitors after a half a century of operation. The Sunshine Wind Park, along the I-40 corridor, will serve as an example of the region's commitment to clean renewable energy and sustainable economic development.

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