PRINCETON - The Bureau County Board and a wind farm company could be headed to court over road repairs the county claims the company is responsible for, following its work at Providence Heights wind farm in rural Tiskilwa.

Following a closed session Tuesday, the county board voted to take legal action in an apparent attempt to force wind farm company Iberdrola Renewables to comply with a county road agreement.

In a written statement Tuesday, the board claimed Iberdrola Renewables "has refused to honor its contractual obligations to accept responsibility for its fair share" of road damage - damage the county claims was caused by Iberdrola during the company's construction of the Providence Heights wind farm.

The board said an "independent, highly qualified engineering firm" already has determined the scope of road damage near Providence Heights, but that Iberdrola rejected a road repair "proposal" the board made last week.
The board did not give details of that proposal.

"It is now apparent that this dispute will have to be resolved in court," the board's statement said, concluding the county would "pursue all legal remedies and vigorously contest any claims asserted by Iberdrola Renewables."

In a related action, the board voted Tuesday to pursue hiring an engineer to determine exact locations of each of Iberdrola's wind turbines.

County transportation committee chairman Steve Sondgeroth said due to pending litigation, he couldn't discuss details of the road agreement dispute. But Sondgeroth indicated that other wind farms in the rural Tiskilwa area have complied with county road agreements.

The county has previously said roads near Providence Heights wind farm also have been used by two smaller area wind farms - AgriWind and Crescent Ridge 1 wind farms.

Sheryl Kuzma, the attorney representing the board in the dispute, could not be reached for comment.