In his report, he noted that while the ZBA found that the application met or generally met the vague “special use” provisions in the county code, it did not meet other standards, such as Standard 3(ii), which states that “The Special Use will not substantially and permanently injure the appropriate use of neighboring property.”

Zoning/Planning Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — Measures advertised as promoting "clean energy" in Illinois — including a plan pushed by power-producing giant Exelon Corp. — have stalled in the General Assembly, consumed, supporters say, by bickering over the state budget and an unsettled energy outlook.

Energy Policy Illinois

In a phone interview, McCarter said proponents “ignore the reality” that significant costs would be passed on to end users if the state adopts a 35 percent renewable energy standard by 2030. “If we shift to 35 percent the cost is going to be outrageous,” he said. ...In Wisconsin, a state which he said has laid out a less ambitious program than what is being proposed in Illinois, researchers found the cost to consumers to be in the billions.

Energy Policy Illinois

A wind turbine near Emington burned Sunday afternoon, bringing attention from people for miles.

Safety Structural Failure Illinois

Iberdrola Renewables' Streator Cayuga Ridge South Wind Power Project located in Livingston County, IL experienced a catastrophic failure at one of the 150 Gamesa G87 2.0 MW turbines. Illinois residents caught the fire on video. 

Safety Structural Failure Illinois

The flaming turbine is part of Iberdrola Renewables' Streator Cayuga Ridge South Wind Power Project located in  Livingston County, IL. The 300 megawatt facility includes 150 Gamesa G87 2.0 MW turbines. It was placed in-service in March 2010. Residents reported that fire crews were acting “traffic control only”.  Iberdrola trucks arrived after fire crews left. The turbine was still burning when Iberdrola left. 

Safety Structural Failure Illinois

Developers with plans for a large-scale power plant in Jessup have gone to great lengths to show they can be good neighbors in Lackawanna County. Whether Invenergy LLC can keep its word depends on whom you ask in other municipalities where it has facilities.

General Pennsylvania Illinois New York

"On approach, we could see a lot of heavy smoke coming from the turbine," said Manchester. "As we got closer, we were able to see there was quite a bit of flame coming from the top portion of the turbine where the blades attach.

Safety Structural Failure Illinois

U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm of the Central District Court in Peoria ruled that the wind farm’s contract with the government agency wasn’t exempt from a federal review of environmental impacts. Although the extent of the developer’s obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act are not yet known, the project could be delayed for years.

Legal Illinois

Officials from Relight US Corp., a Delaware-based company that has been tied to the project for years, have said they want to connect more with the community to see how their former proposal was shot down and what changes could be made to move forward on the estimated $400 million project.

General Illinois

It's meant to give non-participating landowners more protection. The setback requirements for wind turbines built in Iroquois County were given more teeth in a 14-4 vote (Tuesday) by the County Board.

Impact on People Illinois

"No matter how worthy you believe a cause, other people's lives should not be disregarded or their health and welfare diminished in an effort to achieve your goal," said Cary Shineldecker, of Mason County, Michigan, who recently sold his home on 16 acres of land for $80,000 under his original asking price.

Zoning/Planning Illinois

A wind turbine was supposed to pay an Ogle County school's electric bill every month. Three years after it was installed, it hasn't covered a dime. 13 News is Digging Deeper into the cost of the wind turbine's failure to launch. At Eswood Elementary, there's no shortage of wind going around. So why isn't its wind turbine going around?

General Illinois

The Grain Belt Express has run into controversy, mainly because it is a privately held company that has yet to build a wind farm or transmission line. The five-member Illinois Commerce Commission has to give permission for the project to continue.

Transmission Illinois

Mechanic liens now totaling $2.1 million, as of Feb. 15, have been filed against the property of landowners in Vermillion, Illinois, who signed lease contracts for the wind factory that APEX built there.

General Illinois New York

“Too many aspects of the ICC’s final order put landowner rights, livelihoods and investments at risk. Whatever the outcome of RICL, it will set case law and precedent for future private companies hoping to grab rights to our private property,” said ILA board member Curt Jacobs in a prepared statement.

Transmission Illinois

Driving down a county road in Henry County, Illinois, it’s not hard to spot the wind turbine with a broken blade. There are hundreds of turbines in the area but only one with two blades instead of three.

Safety Structural Failure Illinois

He also illustrated reasons for people to sell property with a turbine on or near it include health impacts. ...He said it’s [not] a “conspiracy theory” among neighbors when it comes to those health impacts, but he affirmed those events do occur. ...Property impact studies have been done throughout the world and one he described showed assessed values indicated a 20 percent deviation from assessed sale value.

Property Values Illinois

The United Citizens of Livingston County, opposed to Invenergy’s Pleasant Ridge turbine plans, called upon several witnesses to give their opinions, and each detailed a different way as to how the project would negatively impact the community at a meeting hosted by the Livingston Zoning Board of Appeals Monday night at Pontiac Township High School.

General Illinois

Residents David Cleverdon and Karen Kenney will approach the Boone County Zoning Board of Appeals with a proposal Tuesday to increase the 1,000-foot distance requirement between wind turbines and primary structures.

Impact on People Illinois