Lake Erie wind turbine regulations still in works
LORAIN — Members of Lorain City Council were updated last night on the ongoing project to erect wind turbines in Lake Erie.
They heard from John Sekulic, the president and owner of St. George's Renewable Energies LLC; John Watkins of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management; and Lorain Port Authority Executive Director Rick Novak.
Sekulic has a vision to put wind turbines in the lake. He already received the support from Lorain City Council and the Lorain Port Authority.
But the ODNR is still developing a draft set of rules for the submerged land leases that would be necessary for wind energy operations in the lake, Watkins said.
They're about 95 percent complete, but they're still finalizing the rules for what would happen if the wind turbines were decommissioned, among other things.
Once the draft set of rules are developed, the public will have a chance to comment on them, Watkins explained.
Watkins also displayed a map that indicated some of the good and bad places to put a wind turbine in the lake based on things like shipping channels, fish habitat, important bird areas and other factors. The map does not, however, display any wind energy information.
Watkins said there is discussion about offering options — similar to a real estate option — for small parts of the lake so that potential developers have some time to do studies before committing to a long-term lease.
Novak said the Port Authority is "anxious" to see the project move ahead. The Port Authority is the entity that has to actually approve the submerged land leases so that the wind turbines could be erected in the lake.
"We can't do anything until the state completes the rules and regulations associated with this," he said.