Clean Energy Gets Dirty: The Illegal Wind Turbine Dumping Scandal In Texas

The State of Texas files a lawsuit following the discovery of a green energy graveyard.

The State of Texas VS Global Fiberglass Solutions, Inc.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Global Fiberglass Solutions of Texas, LLC, Global Fiberglass Solutions of Texas, Inc., GFSI-MHE Manufacturing of Texas, LLC, Donald Lilly, & Vo Dynasty, LLC. for their role in illegally dumping thousands of wind turbine blades and materials at two disposal sites in Sweetwater, Texas.

Clean Energy That Wasn’t So Clean

According to the Office of the Attorney General, various wind turbine companies hired Global to break down, transport, and recycle turbine blades. That didn’t happen. According to the lawsuit, the company illegally “created a stockpile of over 3,000 wind turbine blades and parts, which has created unpermitted, illegal disposal sites.” Paxton’s Office says Global’s actions are in violation of Texas’s solid waste disposal laws and other administrative orders.

The Goal of the Lawsuit

Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit is seeking significant civil penalties for ongoing violations, the complete removal and lawful disposal of all unauthorized waste, and other costs paid to the state.To read the lawsuit, click here.

Texas Is Not the First State to File a Lawsuit Against Global

As of this writing, Texas and Iowa have both filed lawsuits against companies involved with the illegal dumping of wind turbine blades. Both states are suing the same company, Global Fiberglass Solutions (GFS), which was contracted by major energy companies to recycle the massive components. Instead, the blades were dumped, creating massive stockpiles.

The Iowa Lawsuit

The state of Iowa has been dealing with Global Fiberglass Solutions since 2017. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the lawsuit charges that “General Electric, which provides parts and equipment for wind turbines, and MidAmerican Energy, which owns wind turbines in Iowa, each hired Global in 2017 to recycle their decommissioned wind turbine blades.” Global was paid millions of dollars to remove the old blades and recycle them. The lawsuit charges that instead of recycling the blades, Global dumped them at four different locations around the state of Iowa. In 2018, complaints started rolling in about the dumped blades. In 2020, a notice of violation was sent to Global. In 2021, the issue was referred to the state Attorney General.