McLean County has been added as a defendant to a lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners hoping to halt a planned wind farm near Carlock.

Judge Charles Reynard granted a request from Information Is Power, the organization opposing the White Oak Wind Energy Center, to put include the county in the lawsuit.

The group claims landowners' concerns were not fully considered by county officials who approved a special-use permit for the $250 million project.

Chicago-based Invenergy Wind has proposed erecting 100 electricity-generating turbines along the McLean-Woodford county border.

In September, Reynard ruled that Information Is Power could not move forward with the lawsuit against members of the McLean County Board and the county Zoning Board of Appeals as individuals.

In a statement released Thursday, the group applauded Reynard's decision made Wednesday. Upcoming hearings in the case will allow residents their day in court when a judge can decide if the wind farm is in the best interest of landowners, said the Information Is Power statement.

Assistant State's Attorney Brian Hug was out of the office Thursday and unavailable to comment on the county's position on the court ruling.

The lawsuit contends the county changed procedural rules to favor Invenergy Wind's zoning request.

The next hearing in the case is set for Jan. 3.