A developer that planned Texas’ first offshore wind farm stopped paying on two state offshore leases, one of which expired today, an official said Friday.
Austin-based Baryonyx Corp.’s lease of 19,794 acres about five miles offshore of South Padre Island expired because the company stopped making an annual payment of $2.08 per acre, or $41,171.52, said Jim Suydam, spokesman for the Texas General Land Office in Austin.
Suydam said Baryonyx’s second lease of 21,672 acres a few miles farther north will expire Aug. 12 unless the company pays $45,077.76 by the expiration date.
Baryonyx did not respond to telephone calls Friday.
The company made its last payment of more than $400,000 on Dec. 23, 2013, Suydam said.
Suydam said the agency would negotiate with the company if it decides to buy new leases.
“We hope to develop new energy sources,” Suydam said.
Suydam said that the company, which leased the tracts in July 2009, has paid the agency a total of $477,956.06, which will go to help fund public education.
“This money belongs to the school children of Texas and goes right into the Permanent School Fund, which helps pay for the state’s share of K-12 education, keeping local property taxes lower than they would be otherwise,” Suydam said.
Baryonyx withdrew its permit applications in May for a project that would have built wind turbines as close as five miles from the Island’s coast, rising 541 feet above the water.
Fernando Del Valle
