CHEYENNE — The Laramie County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday denied a controversial wind energy development proposal three times the size of Cheyenne after getting an earful from dozens of county residents opposed to the project.

The Laramie Range Wind Project, backed by Spanish energy giant Repsol, had a long line of people speaking out against the project, claiming the up to 170 wind turbines could disturb local wildlife and become an eyesore.

After a more than four-hour hearing, the commission voted the project down in a 3-1 vote.

Commissioner Linda Heath said she was touched by the beautiful landscape in the Horse Creek-area of the proposed wind farm and feels strongly about cherishing Wyoming’s untouched landscapes.

“Once we lose it, we can never get it back,” she said.

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