Oklahoma Town Asks Air Force To Help Stop Wind Farm Inside Their City

A small Oklahoma town is enlisting the US Air Force in its legal fight against a wind energy group.

Hinton is just west of Oklahoma City and it recently passed an ordinance banning wind turbines within city limits.  Two weeks later, wind power group NextEra Energy sued the town over the regulation.

Hinton's mayor turned to Sheppard Air Force base in Wichita Falls, Texas for help, when she learned it has two training routes above the town.

"We want to protect our aviators, our safety of flight, and the mission of Sheppard Air Force Base," said Lt. Colonel Nathan Preuss.

"We're trying to be proactive to resolve the issue before there is a huge issue and before it changes our town," said Hinton Mayor Shelly Newton.

Base officials say they've had to shut down some training routes in recent years due to other wind turbine developments.