Nebraska’s York College sold off a 1,789-acre bequest in Ellis County, Kansas. The college got $1.369 million ($765 per acre) at the January auction and retained the mineral rights.
Of note is the fact that 1,760 acres are subject to a wind lease with Hays Wind, which is controlled by Iberdrola Renewable Energies. Iberdrola has been granted a conditional-use permit to construct a 200-megawatt wind farm south and west of Hays, Kansas.
The acreage had been willed to the college by Donald Kraus, an Ellis County resident, but college officials reported that York wasn’t interested in going into the farming business. The auction was conducted by Farm & Ranch Realty.
Read more at:
“Neb. College Sells Land in Proposed Wind Farm Area,” Hays Daily News, February 2, 2009.