News
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Illinois
The Marshall County Board gave approval Thursday for a Tiskilwa firm's next preliminary step toward a possible wind farm southeast of Toluca.
The board voted unanimously to grant Stewardship Wind LLC a special-use permit for a 265-foot tower to measure and record wind data needed to ensure the viability of the project in rural Bennington Township in the southeastern corner of the county.
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General]
Northern Stark County is being eyed as the potential site of a unique not-for-profit wind energy project being developed by a consortium of Chicago-area school districts.
County Board Chairman Mike Bigger has been contacted by a group interested in developing a project that could eventually include up to 65 turbines in the Elmira area northeast of Toulon, he said at a board meeting Tuesday night.
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General]
Special-use permit for proposed Minonk Wind Farm up to board of appeals
January 13, 2010 by Tony Sapochetti in The Pantagraph
January 13, 2010 by Tony Sapochetti in The Pantagraph
Whether a special-use permit should be issued for the proposed Minonk Wind Farm now is up to the Livingston County Zoning Board of Appeals.
The board concluded three nights of testimony Tuesday without making a recommendation to the Livingston County Board.
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General]
Advocates, opponents debate proposed wind farm
January 12, 2010 by Rhys Saunders in State Journal-Register
January 12, 2010 by Rhys Saunders in State Journal-Register
An informational meeting Monday about Sangamon County's rules for wind energy systems quickly turned into a debate between advocates and opponents of a proposed west-county wind farm. ...some area residents want to expand the county's current requirement that the wind farm be at least 1,200 feet from the property of non-participating landowners. ...Those opposed to the current regulations say the setback should be increased to a mile.
Chris Nickell, site manager for the company, said Monday such an increase would essentially end the project.
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General]
A group of local residents has filed an amended complaint with the state's 16th Judicial Circuit, again asking a judge to find that the DeKalb County Board wrongfully granted a special-use permit to the energy company that has erected 100-plus wind turbines in the county.
"Before, we just made the statements," said Mel Hass, a spokesman for anti-wind farm group Citizens for Open Government. "This time, we've gotten a little more specific."
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General]
Land issue threatens Metamora, Ill., wind turbine
January 7, 2010 by Catharine Schaidle in Journal Star
January 7, 2010 by Catharine Schaidle in Journal Star
With the approval of Metamora and the Woodford County Zoning Board of Appeals, the school district received a special-use permit for a test tower ...to collect data to justify a wind turbine on that spot.
It appears the tower is on unincorporated land, and according to Woodford County zoning administrator John Hamann, it may fall under the jurisdiction of the county. Hamann said he's referred the matter to State's Attorney Mike Stroh.
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General]
Discussions continue regarding a proposal to make wind farms a permitted use within the zoning ordinance, which would eliminate the need for a special use permit. Advocates say this zoning change would allow officials to avoid lengthy public hearings on future wind farm projects, making this area more accommodating to wind energy companies.
Even so, Groves said public meetings would have to be included in any new zoning ordinance.
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Zoning/Planning]
The company behind a proposed wind farm in western Sangamon County has divided the project into north and south sections, with the northern half to be the site of the first turbines if the plan gets that far.
County officials, meanwhile, plan three public informational meetings this month and next to explain zoning rules for wind-farm development.
The Meridian Wind Farm, as first outlined by developer American Wind Energy Corp., included plans for 200 turbines on 25,000 acres.
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General]
On Tuesday morning, all turbines were still, appearing frozen against the snowy landscape. But Mel Hass, spokesman for a group of people living near the wind turbines that has sued FPL, NextÂEra's parent company, and the county over the wind farm, said he and others already had heard "significant" noise coming from the wind towers.
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General]
One of Geneseo's two recently installed wind turbines is down temporarily due to what is believed to be a faulty generator.
Lewis Opsal, Geneseo electric superintendent, said the turbine should be up and running again by the end of January or early February. He said representatives from Vensys, the German manufacturer of the two 300-foot turbines, was in Geneseo recently to check on a vibration inside the turbine.
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Structural Failure]
The energy company that owns a wind farm straddling the Lee-DeKalb county line has dropped a lawsuit it filed in September against the village of Lee.
FPL Illinois Wind Energy LLC sued the village in DeKalb County court over its refusal to permit six wind turbines to be built within its zoning area. ...In the suit, FPL claimed the village board "arbitrarily" denied applications for permits company representatives said met Lee's zoning requirements.
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General]
The energy company constructing a wind farm straddling the Lee-DeKalb County line has dropped a lawsuit it filed last September against the village of Lee.
FPL Illinois Wind Energy LLC sued the village over its refusal to permit six wind turbines to be built within its zoning area.
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General]
The Bureau Valley School Board approved a resolution in support of the Green River Wind Farm project, which calls for the construction of 190 wind turbines spread over 50,000 acres. Most of the 437-megawatt project is planned for Lee County ...The Green River project was purchased from local wind farm developers Bruce and Joyce Papiech of FPC Services, and is preliminary work is well underway.
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General]
Iberdrola is adding more sites to its original two wind farms in Henry County, according to Jan Johnson, the firm's public relations source in Portland, Ore. ...states like Iowa and Illinois that have set aggressive targets for renewable energy have the utilities that are the most eager to buy wind energy.
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General]
The Woodford County Board on Tuesday again postponed voting on a special-use permit for the construction of the Minonk Wind Farm, but the chances for developer Gamesa Energy securing it look much more promising.
Under the advice of State's Attorney Mike Stroh, the board decided to postpone action until he has had an opportunity to consult with the legal adviser for Livingston County, which also shares the same project.
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General]
North Devon fishermen have secured a lucrative contract to work with developers on the multi-billion pound wind farm destined for the Bristol Channel.
With North Devon set to house the supply terminal and link up the power cables there is potential to provide long term employment for up to 50 years.
But the massive development will wipe out one of the area's most profitable fishing grounds.
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General]
The Springfield area dodged the worst of the winter storm that dumped large amounts of snow to the north. ...Elsewhere, a turbine on the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative system south of Springfield shut down for several hours today after sustained winds of 40 mph and up repeatedly triggered an automatic alarm that warns when winds threatened to damage the equipment.
"It would restart, and then another large gust would knock it off.
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General]
The Iroquois County Board will have its vote on the Settlers Trail Wind Farm on Tuesday.
On Friday the board's Zoning Committee voted 8-1 in favor of the proposed wind farm. Adam Zumwalt was the lone no vote.
E.ON's Joe Borkowski spoke at the meeting giving the board and about 20 local residents information about the project.
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General]
Are board member's wind farm votes in conflict?
November 27, 2009 by Catharine Schaidle in Journal Star
November 27, 2009 by Catharine Schaidle in Journal Star
Over the past year, Terry Pille has been a strong advocate of the development of alternative energy and wind farms in most parts of Woodford County.
But it wasn't until the talk about his involvement with Navitas Energy became more explicit that the mild-mannered Woodford County Board member publicly acknowledged he had contracted with one of the major wind farm developers to establish a turbine or two on his farmland.
Even today, however, Pille is not convinced he should have to abstain from voting on wind farm issues.
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General]
Livingston Co. holds hearing on wind farm turbines
November 24, 2009 by Tony Sapochetti in The Pantagraph
November 24, 2009 by Tony Sapochetti in The Pantagraph
Wind farm developers made their case for developing a new project in Livingston County on Monday night as hearings for the Minonk Wind Farm began.
About 50 people came to Flanagan Community School to hear a presentation from Gamesa, a Spanish wind farm developer seeking to develop a 100-turbine project in Woodford and Livingston counties.
Also filed under [
General]
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