West Texas ranchers and rural counties that turned to wind and solar for economic stability now face an uncertain future following federal policy changes under President Trump. The rollback of Inflation Reduction Act incentives has halted billions in investments and jeopardized tax revenues projected at nearly $50 billion statewide. Local leaders and landowners express mixed views on the developments.
Duff Hallman, a 74-year-old rancher whose family has owned 9,200 acres across Tom Green, Schleicher, and Irion counties since 1916, leased his land for wind turbines in 2007. The 33-tower Langford wind farm, now owned by Clearway Energy, provides steady lease payments of around $200,000 annually split among Hallman and his siblings. Hallman said the income helped during droughts in 2011 and 2021, though it pales compared to past oil booms. He watches the turbines from his backyard, noting they slow his pace but have reseeded the land better than oil operations did.
