The Windy City earned the nickname from blowhard politicians, not its weather conditions, but the winds that blow across the vast expanses of farmland throughout Illinois may soon help power the energy-hungry Chicago area. A Texas company will formally present a $500 million wind power project at a Tuesday hearing in Bloomington of the McLean County Zoning Board, the latest step in a process that began more than three years ago. The result -- in terms of energy produced -- would be the country's largest land-based wind farm.

Closing arguments are expected to begin tonight in the controversial application by Invenergy to allow a 100-turbine wind farm in part of the agricultural areas of McLean and Woodford counties. Attorneys representing Invenergy and opponents will be allowed to speak 20 minutes and people who previously testified and are not represented by attorneys will have five minutes. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Room 400 of the Government Center, 115 E. Washington St.

An energy and environmental consultant hired by opponents of the proposed White Oak Wind Energy Center maintains Invenergy Wind LLC fails to meet several requirements for a special-use permit for the wind farm. Tom Hewson of Energy Ventures Analysis Inc., Arlington, Va., spoke to the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals during a hearing Wednesday night. He said the proposed 100-turbine wind farm in McLean and Woodford counties would be a detriment to the public because of noise levels and visibility. Hewson said he did a “simple approach” simulation of one turbine to see how far a person had to be away from the turbine before it complied with Illinois’ noise regulations. “At 750 feet away, it exceeded the range,” he said, noting that three property owners have asked for waivers to allow a turbine in about that range. Hewson said it wasn’t until a person was 1,200 feet away from the turbine that the noise met Illinois’ requirements.

Invenergy representatives got a chance Tuesday to talk about the company and tell why they want to build a 100-turbine wind farm in McLean and Woodford counties. They spoke at the first in a series of public hearings before the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals. Meanwhile, Melissa McGrath, an attorney representing several opponents of the project, questioned a McLean County Building and Zoning Department recommendation for the wind farm.

Any votes to move forward a contentious zoning issue involving a wind farm development in Woodford and McLean counties are postponed until early next year. With a 14-0 vote Tuesday, the Woodford County Board opted to send a Zoning Board of Appeals recommendation allowing a special use permit for the development of up to 20 turbines near Carlock back to that board for a rehearing. The move comes about two months after the county’s ZBA approved the permit amid criticism that they violated the state’s Open Meetings Act.

“The blade diameter will be 286 feet wide. That’s like having a football field suspended 256 feet in the air spinning.” Michael King and Carol Johnson believe that spinning wind turbine could be a health hazard and will drastically change the landscape of Stephenson County for the worst, so they decided to construct a scale model. “So that we could see and our neighbors could see how big these things are going to be in relation to something everyone in the area recognizes.”

A public hearing on a special-use permit to allow a 100-turbine wind farm on 12,000 acres of farmland in McLean and Woodford counties has been moved to mid-January. The McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals voted Tuesday night to extend the hearings after listening to pleas from several residents who live in the proposed area. Those residents said they only recently learned of the plans for the White Oak Wind Energy Center proposed by Chicago-based Invenergy Wind LLC.

Two developers will have to share the winds surrounding a Bureau County wind farm, as the County Board on Tuesday approved building permits for a $100 million project. The board unanimously approved 42 conditional use permits for Chicago-based Midwest Wind Energy’s Crescent Ridge II project, a 75-megawatt wind farm to be built to the northwest and south of the original Crescent Ridge wind farm in rural Tiskilwa. The farms are all along the Crescent Ridge. The project received little opposition from landowners near the proposed project, but did receive some negative remarks from the developers of Eurus Crescent Ridge II LLC, which has already received permits for its 64-megawatt wind farm in the same area.

UREKA - Woodford County's zoning department received a $70,000 check Monday for the future development of a 83-turbine wind farm near Benson. County Administrator Gregory Jackson said the check came via mail with an application from Minneapolis-based Navatis Energy, the developers of the wind farm.

"Wow, these are big," the Yorkville Republican said as he looked at the turbine equipment during a ground-breaking ceremony for the GSG (God's Sustaining Gifts) wind farm.

Seventeen of the approximately 70 people attending the three-hour session spoke to the Livingston County Zoning Board of Appeals, which is holding the hearing and will make a recommendation to the Livingston County Board on the special use permit needed for a wind farm under county zoning. ...The first person presenting evidence Monday, Judy Campbell, of Manville, and a candidate for the Livingston County Board, cited "cumulative" negative impacts of the proposed wind farm, on people, agriculture and the rural character of the county. She said wind energy has an "uncertain future" and that the Cayuga Ridge project was not consistent in all respects with the county's comprehensive plan.

The winds of approval blew east Tuesday as the Lee County Board sanctioned 18 potential wind turbines, leaving DeKalb County the last word on the project's remaining 132 turbines. If DeKalb County gives its OK, the turbines will be built in Alto and Willow Creek townships in Lee County's northeastern corner. NextEra Energy Resources, the company leading the project, said the turbines would be erected this summer, with a targeted completion date in December.

A 233-wind turbine project in eastern La Salle County is nearing the final stages of land acquisition and still is on pace to begin construction in April 2007.

Horizon Wind Energy has proposed a new wind farm in the same areas of Livingston and LaSalle counties already under consideration by another developer. ..."This is not unique and this is an issue that is popping up all over the country as good sites become scarcer," Whitlock said. "There is no question that it is possible that turbines from two companies can be on the same land, but it is a bigger issue for the developers than it is for the landowners or the county."

BENSON -- A $200 million wind farm is set to bring 80 enormous turbines to the fields near Benson, where not everyone is a fan.

A “little city” employing more than 150 people has sprung up over the last few months just outside Ellsworth as turbine towers for a $630 million wind farm begin dotting the landscape. At the 15-acre construction site for the Twin Groves Wind Farm, just a mile north of Ellsworth, concrete workers stay busy loading up trucks at the on-site cement plant. Large spools of black underground cable line up behind rows of white office trailers, ready for use. More than 53 miles of underground cable will be used in the first phase of the project, according to Horizon Wind Energy project development manager Bill Whitlock.

A Minnesota-based company will likely apply for permits soon to establish a sizable wind farm on property stretching across Stephenson, Ogle, and Winnebago counties southeast of German Valley. The company proposing this "tri-county" wind farm is Navitas Energy, based out of Minneapolis, Minn.

The wind in woodford county is causing quite a stir these days. "In a small community it's the highlight of the year," said John Krug, Woodford County Board Chairman. It all revolves around a special use permit before the Woodford County board that could allow a 40 turbine wind farm near Route 24 outside El Paso. "We're going to hear a lot of things from a lot of people, at some point the county board will be voting yes or no on the special use permit for the El Paso wind farm," said Krug. Those opposed to the El Paso wind farm say it brings up economic, quality of life and environmental issues.

BELVIDERE — Sparks flew Wednesday night as the Boone County Board voted to postpone action on a proposed wind farm that has left the board sharply divided.