Council will have a say in upcoming hearings about the wind energy

Urbana’s City Council voted unanimously Friday, Oct. 9, to file as an intervenor in a proposed wind turbine project, after concerns were raised that the project could impact approaches at two local airfields.

A handful of area pilots, as well as officials from Everpower Renewables, a New York-based company that proposed the project, packed a small training room at the city’s municipal building before the vote.

The city’s Airport Growth Advisory Board recently notified council members that the Federal Aviation Administration had listed 38 sites that could be potential hazards to instrument approaches for Grimes and Weller Fields. The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division has also said 10 turbines could directly affect approaches at the two air fields.

Melanie Kendrick, city development planner for Urbana, said the city has not yet decided what stand, if any, it would take in the case. Friday’s vote simply means the city will have a say in upcoming hearings about the project, she said.

Michael Speerschneider, a project developer with Everpower, said the company would work with the airport to alleviate those concerns. He said Everpower will not build a wind turbine that was deemed a hazard by the FAA.

Instead, the company will offer to invest in localizer equipment at the airport to resolve the issue. Localizer equipment is a navigation aid that assists with guidance to the runway. Everpower would cover the costs associated with the project, Speerschneider said.

If approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board, the Buckeye Wind Project would build about 70 turbines throughout eastern Champaign county.

Rick Rademacher, a local pilot, said the concern is how close the turbines are to the airport, and how tall. Even a small distraction in the air can be a serious issue, he said.

He argued the issue should be addressed before the project begins.

“They seem to react after there’s a catastrophe,” he said of the FAA. “I want them to do this ahead of time.”

Mary Lee Gecowets, a member of the Airport Growth Advisory Board, said the group is not opposed to the turbines. But she said their job is to look out for the safety and economic growth of Grimes Field.

Grimes Field is the site for the county’s annual hot air balloon festival, and recently began hosting the Mid East Regional Fly-in, which draws private aviation enthusiasts from around the country. A runway extension at the airport is also being discussed, Gecowets said.

Weller Field is a small, private air strip near the intersection of Ohio 29 and 3-Mile Road.

A hearing on the project is scheduled at the OPSB offices in Columbus on Oct. 27.