Advocating Against Inappropriate Siting of Industrial Wind Development in a Pristine River Basin

Photo of Rocksprings Val Verde Wind LLC turbines by Romey Swanson

**What is 'Don't Blow It, Texas'?**

Don't Blow It, Texas is a grassroots advocacy initiative led by Devils River Conservancy (DRC) aimed at ensuring responsible siting of industrial renewable energy projects, particularly wind farms. Rather than opposing renewable energy outright, the initiative seeks to prevent large-scale wind projects from being developed in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas, such as the Devils River Basin. This campaign was launched in response to the secretive construction of the Rocksprings Val Verde Wind Farm in 2017 and subsequent efforts to build additional wind farms within the watershed—particularly the Blue Hills Wind project on Carma Ranch (Forbes, 2021). Since 2018, Don't Blow It has evolved from that original campaign into an established 501(c)4 entity advocating for thoughtful resource stewardship, responsible land use practices, and more regulatory oversight for large-scale industrial development projects which directly impact the conservation of Texas working lands, the economic security of landowners and communities, and the natural and historical significance of one of Texas' last remaining wild places.

This map shows the location of the existing Rocksprings Val Verde Wind farm (in the dotted circle), and Carma Ranch, the location of the proposed Blue Hills Wind project (top left red property). This map also shows the many conserved properties within Val Verde County in green.

**Why is Don't Blow It Important to the Devils River and Texas Conservation?**

The Devils River Basin has been sheltered from much of the development faced by other regions across Texas in recent decades and is renowned for its clear, clean waters, diverse wildlife, and breathtaking vistas and starry skies. Landowners and others in the local community, as well as organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Land Conservancy, and Texas Agricultural Land Trust, have worked to ensure the river remains protected for future generations by conserving over 153,000 acres in Val Verde County—the second-most conserved acreage for any county in the state, according to the Texas Land Trust Council's Texas Conservation Lands Inventory.

While these community-driven efforts have led to invaluable benefits for people and wildlife, shifts in land use trends have still contributed to increasing development, fragmentation, and demand for natural resources. Among other threats, the ecological integrity of the Devils River Basin has faced notable pressures from industrial wind energy development, which can negatively affect significant natural features of the watershed, including its groundwater, wildlife habitat, viewsheds, and dark skies. Furthermore, the presence of industrial development impacts community residents who cherish the area's untamed landscapes and pristine waters and have actively worked to conserve these resources not only for future generations but also for the public good of all Texans.

““The first night they turned those lights on, it looked exactly like a runway lighting system...Those things are so big and tall that I can actually see [them] from the deck - the individual blades turning around. Those turbines are directly in the in the way of the sun coming up. It takes away from watching a beautiful sunrise when you sit there and watch those industrial monsters turning.” ”

— Dell Dickinson, The State of the Devils River Report, pg 50

Visitors seeking remote wilderness experiences provide an important economic driver for the region, supporting local businesses and jobs. Many landowners value their land for these same intrinsic restorative benefits, in addition to their drive to preserve their family's heritage and the legacy they will leave their children. Some also rely on income from hunters and other recreationists to bolster financial resilience by diversifying their revenue streams and offsetting costs associated with maintaining their working lands. The region's ecotourism industry is dependent upon the preservation of the natural settings these landowners and recreationists desire, which is at odds with the presence of looming wind turbines and their accompanying sounds and lights. In a time when farms and ranches are being lost at an unprecedented rate across the state (Texas Land Trends, 2025), it is more critical than ever that we conserve Texas' working lands, protecting their economic value and supporting landowners in preserving intact parcels and slowing the rate of land fragmentation.

So how can we address the growing shift in land use to renewable energy development in Texas in a way that mitigates negative impacts on intact yet fragile landscapes and their invaluable natural resources?

Striving towards this goal of balance, Devils River Conservancy (DRC) has blazed a trail that doesn't oppose the renewable energy industry and the benefits it can offer to communities and sustainability initiatives but advocates that developers "Don't Blow It" with inappropriate siting in pristine natural landscapes such as those found within the Devils River Basin. Currently in Texas, there is no local or state authority with regulatory oversight for the siting of commercial wind energy projects, including the ability to guide siting such that potential air and land use conflicts are avoided, as reported in a 2024 Compatible Use Study commissioned by the Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio.

Page 6-65 in the Compatible Use Study final report (PDF page 205)

The study also noted that while the Rocksprings Val Verde Wind Farm is not in the Laughlin AFB’s training flight paths, the proposed Blue Hills Wind project at Carma Ranch does intersect with their MTR (military training route) surface flight paths. Furthermore, an increased density of wind turbines within the base’s range could increase radar interference, leading to increased challenges for the base’s flight operations (page 6-67, PDF page 207). We’ll share more about the national security concerns related to these wind projects in Part 2.

As a result, DRC has been at the forefront of campaigning for increased protections against irresponsibly sited wind farms and other industrial development through the Don't Blow It, Texas campaign. In addition to preventing the implementation of inappropriately sited projects, Don't Blow It seeks to increase awareness of the need for thoughtful regulatory oversight of both existing and future developments. The ultimate goal shared by many Texans is to support strategies that mitigate the negative impacts of renewable energy projects statewide while balancing the industry's contributions to sustainable and diversified energy production.

**How is Don't Blow It Different from Other Anti-Wind or Anti-Industrial Development Campaigns?**

Unlike many campaigns that blanketly oppose renewable energy development, Don't Blow It takes a balanced, conservation-centered approach. It is not anti-wind or anti-business; it is pro-responsibility and pro-stewardship. The initiative stands out in several ways:

Partnership Building

The campaign is built on a foundation of community consensus, supported by both local and regional stakeholders and state entities who hold land and manage resources in trust for the people of Texas. To achieve and perpetuate this, DRC has collaborated with landowners, conservation organizations, agencies, policymakers at city, county, and state levels, and even segments of the wind industry willing to engage in responsible siting discussions. Additionally, to further develop the campaign’s legitimacy and optimize its impact, DRC has sought input from diverse experts and consultants while building relationships with legislative representatives and their staff, military officials, and professionals in the energy sector as well as locally-based businesses. These collective efforts by DRC and our partners have created a network of diverse stakeholders who are aligned on this front to conserve the natural resources of the Devils River Basin and uphold the community’s cultural values and long-term economic interests.

Watch this video to learn more about the work of many Devils River Advocates!

Emphasis on a Broader Conservation Ethic

Don’t Blow It is rooted in protecting the Devils River Basin’s significant natural and cultural features rather than opposing development everywhere. This river's unique watershed is characterized by:

Pristine Waters : The Devils River has consistently been classified as one of Texas' most pristine streams, serving as a benchmark for water quality in the state. This status is largely due to the lack of development within the watershed and relies on continued preservation of an intact landscape and subsequent ecosystem functionality with regards to surface water flow, groundwater recharge, and soil health among other considerations.

Dark Skies: The area offers some of the darkest night skies in the country, providing a rare opportunity for people to experience natural darkness and clear views of distant stars and other celestial bodies often obscured by light pollution elsewhere in the state. In 2019, the Devils River State Natural Area's Del Norte Unit was designated as the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary in Texas and is still only one of two in the state and 11 in the country (DarkSky International). This designation can be revoked if light pollution increases significantly.

Nora Padilla, Complex Interpretive Ranger for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Devils River State Natural Area, hosts guided tours to the Sunburst rock art panel at the Dan A. Hughes Unit of the complex.

Indigenous History: Humans have resided in the Devils River Basin for thousands of years, and Indigenous peoples of the Archaic period left behind rock art and artifacts to memorialize their presence on the landscape, with the paint of some murals radiocarbon-dated up to 4,000 years ago, according to the Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center.

Migration Pathways: The basin lies along critical migration routes for monarch butterflies, birds, and bats, serving as a vital corridor for hundreds of species between their wintering and breeding grounds. In 2023, The Nature Conservancy in Texas, Audubon Texas, Bat Conservation International, the North American Butterfly Association, and Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center joined Devils River Conservancy in releasing a letter of opposition to wind energy development in Val Verde County to highlight the detrimental impacts wind projects could have on the populations of species who traverse through this region.

Endangered and Threatened Species: The Devils River Basin is located at the nexus of three distinct ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau, Chihuahuan Desert, and Tamaulipan Thornscrub. This convergence of usually disparate habitats along a remote spring-fed river has contributed to a high level of diversity in the region's plant and animal life, on land and in water. While this unique assemblage of species is an important aspect of the basin's significance, it can also mean that disturbances to the ecosystem can have devastating impacts for a population. The Devils River Basin is home to numerous endangered and threatened species who rely on very specific environmental conditions, including the Texas Hornshell mussel, Conchos pupfish, Devils River minnow, and Texas snowbell, among others (State of the Devils River Report, 2024, Chapter 3).

Rather than simple opposition, DRC and the Don’t Blow It initiative foster a culture of conservation that is upheld by both residents of and visitors to this treasured and invaluable landscape. The focus remains not just on local landowners’ interests but on the long-term health of Texas’ wild landscapes, natural resources, and cultural heritage.

Learn More

Protecting the Devils River Basin is a mission not only on behalf of the people and wildlife of today, but for the generations of tomorrow. We will share more about the history of the Don’t Blow It campaign, including the specific efforts of DRC and our partners to combat the development of the Blue Hills Wind project, as well as the current outlook for wind development in the Devils River Basin, in upcoming Conservation Currents installments.

Parts 2 and 3 will be shared later in April.

The Devils River, one of Texas’ last untamed rivers, has long been a source of human inspiration and critical ecological value. The drive to protect its pristine waters and wild spirit against current and anticipated threats prompted Devils River Conservancy (DRC) to partner with The Nature Conservancy in Texas (TNC), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University for the two-year-long Devils River Watershed Project. Its primary product, the recently released State of the Devils River Report, provides a comprehensive assessment of this treasured watershed. But beyond the report’s scientific insights, the project it was born from exemplifies how collaboration, transparency, and diverse stakeholder involvement can serve as a model for future conservation and resource management efforts.

A Holistic Approach to Watershed Stewardship

The purpose of the project was multifaceted:

Establish a centralized reference for the current state of knowledge about the Devils River Watershed.
Identify critical data gaps and research needs.
Bring together technical experts from multiple disciplines to develop recommendations for addressing those gaps.
Engage stakeholders in a meaningful way, ensuring diverse perspectives were reflected in the final report.

Through an iterative and inclusive process, this project and its report lay the groundwork for future conservation efforts which require an interdisciplinary approach to balance ecological preservation with the diverse and often disparate needs of the associated human community.

The Power of Collaboration: Technical Teams, the Stakeholder Jury, and Other Contributors

What sets this project apart is its innovative approach to ensuring a truly representative and scientifically rigorous outcome. The project incorporated four dedicated Technical Teams, each focused on a key aspect of watershed health: groundwater science, water quality, species and flows, and sustainable recreation. Experts from government agencies, nonprofits, academia, and private landownership and business contributed their knowledge, ensuring a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of the scope of current data, issues, threats, and opportunities.

Recognizing that conservation solutions must reflect the voices of those who live and work in the region, the project also introduced a Stakeholder Jury. This jury, selected through an open nomination process, represented private and public landowners, local leaders, recreationists, and other conservation advocates. Representation of stakeholder groups within the jury was ensured through a slot system which included six land managers, one representative from the Upper Watershed (Schleicher, Crockett, Sutton), one county government representative, and three wildcard slots. Each representative was randomly selected from the nominees for a given stakeholder category and wild card slots were drawn from the entire pool of nominees. Once established, the Stakeholder Jury provided critical feedback on the report’s findings and process, ensuring that it remained balanced and aligned with shared community values. By vetting the content and guiding the report’s engagement strategy, the jury played a key role in fostering trust among stakeholders who have historically held differing views on resource management.

In addition to the Jury, non-selected stakeholders were actively invited to provide their feedback at various stages of the project, including multiple iterations of the report’s development. Feedback was solicited across multiple channels, including a dedicated project website, regular email outreach to all identified stakeholders, and notices in local newspaper outlets based within the watershed to reach additional community members. To further encourage engagement of all interested parties, interactive meetings were held at key stages of the project. Some events were held in Del Rio as an accessible central location for landowners and other community members, and virtual presentations were also offered to connect with stakeholders who could not attend in-person meetings.

All feedback collected from in-person and virtual communications with stakeholders was reviewed and addressed by the Technical Teams. These comments, questions, and additional resources assisted the Teams in strengthening the report as they identified remaining information gaps, areas requiring further clarification, and other considerations stemming from diverse perspectives on a given topic.

A Model for Future Conservation Efforts

The State of the Devils River Report is more than just an assessment of a unique watershed—it is a testament to the effectiveness of interdisciplinary collaboration. By integrating technical expertise with meaningful stakeholder input, the project navigated nuanced discourse on complex challenges while fostering shared ownership of final outcomes. This approach can serve as a blueprint for other conservation and sustainability initiatives facing similar dynamics of competing interests and scientific uncertainty.

Key Takeaways for Future Projects

Transparency and Inclusivity: Engaging diverse voices in a clearly outlined and reported process from the outset builds trust and improves the quality of decision-making.
Iterative Stakeholder Feedback: Creating multiple opportunities for input through accessible communication channels ensures that reporting and recommendations remain responsive to community concerns.
Expert-Driven, Community-Approved: Pairing technical expertise with local knowledge leads to well-informed and widely supported solutions.

As the conversation around conservation and sustainable resource management evolves, the lessons from the State of the Devils River Report highlight the importance of finding common ground when making decisions for the future of our natural landscapes. By working together—researchers, policymakers, agencies, landowners, and other river advocates—we can find common ground and safeguard one of our most precious resources for generations to come.

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Special thanks go out to the team at The Meadows Center, led by Carrie Thompson and also including Anna Huff, Desiree Jackson, and Sarah Wingfield, who masterfully facilitated the project and compiled the resulting report into a cohesive product. This effort was supported by other members of the planning team, including TNC’s Ryan Smith, TPWD’s Sarah Robertson, and DRC’s own Romey Swanson and Dani Miller, all of whom lent their time and expertise to further ensure the project’s efficacy.

The report also could not have been completed without the diverse array of technical experts who contributed to data collection, critical discourse, and report writing within their Technical Teams. We recognize and appreciate their efforts along with those of the Stakeholder Jury, whose work led to key insights for identifying shared goals and addressing collective challenges. For a full list of contributors, please see the Report.

An Introduction to Don't Blow It, Texas