LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Airing wind farm concerns; El Paso City Council hosts informational meeting 

EL PASO – With recent talk of a wind farm to be located in and near this community, its City Council held a meeting Saturday to hear the opinions of those who might be most affected.

“People are just unaware of what is going on around us,” Mayor Herb Arbuckle said. “I’d like to try and get some information out about it.”

At an informational meeting held in February for the proposed El Paso wind farm, Wanda Davies of Navitas Energy explained her company’s interest in building a 40-turbine wind farm on the west side of Interstate 39 about one mile north and three miles south of U.S. Route 24. Ten turbines would be in El Paso and 30 would be in Palestine Township.

Prior to the meeting Saturday, Arbuckle was concerned the council and residents had only heard one side of the story.

“The thing that’s the most disturbing to me is, nobody knows anything about it” said Hudson resident Bill Preller.

No one from Navitas Energy attended the meeting, which began at 7 a.m. at City Hall.

Preller said he spoke to officials in Normal and Congerville about the White Oak Wind Energy Center, for which the McLean County Board recently approved special use permits. He said they thought the White Oak project would only be near Carlock and had no idea that areas of their communities would also be affected. Approval for the project will soon be sought in Woodford County as well.

Preller told the small group at the meeting about issues concerning property setbacks and ice throws that could affect the wind farm location.

“In Woodford County the required setback is 750 feet from an occupied dwelling; that’s the language,” he said, adding that the setback for businesses and restaurants is only 450 feet.

Preller said General Electric Inc., a renowned wind turbine manufacturer, acknowledged that ice can be thrown up to 1,000 feet from turbine blades, which means Woodford County’s setback requirement puts nearby homes and businesses at risk.

Preller suggested El Paso council members talk to Woodford County Zoning Board and County Board members.

“I don’t think the County Board should be able to tell you what to do with your community,” he said.

Rhonda Baer of Carlock agreed. She said her community has been torn apart by strong opinions both for and against the wind farm.

“In a small community, unity is what keeps you going,” she said.

Holly Richrath

pjstar.com

25 March 2007

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon