by Kimberly James, The Center Square | April 09, 2021 02:00 PM Print this article Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson is proposing legislation that would limit the placement of wind turbines in rural areas. Thompson, chairman of the State Senate Utilities Committee, fears that improper placement could cause property values to fall and impose on rural residents' quality of life. "The legislation in Kansas (SB 279) would prohibit construction of a wind turbine facility until the developer enters into a facility agreement with the landowner," Ed Cross, president of Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, told The Center Square. "It also establishes minimum setbacks for wind turbines and requires the board of county commissioners in each county to approve an application for construction of the facility."