September 13, 2006
Illinois
Illinois
Developer plans 266 towers for Henry County
BY Kevin Sampier of the Journal Star
About 35,000 acres of land in Henry County have been leased to a wind energy company that hopes to bring 266 wind towers to the area.
Michael Arndt, development manager with Wisconsin-based Invenergy LLC, told the Henry County Board on Tuesday night his company will soon meet with the county’s planning committee and Zoning Board of Appeals to formally request special use permits for the towers.
Arndt said the towers, which will be on land owned by people who will be paid to host the towers on their property, could start being constructed by next spring.
Arndt said company officials will meet with the planning committee at 7 p.m. Monday at the Henry County Courthouse. The meeting with the zoning board of appeals will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the courthouse.
The zoning board will vote to approve or deny the permits. A public hearing will also be held that night before the vote.
Arndt said his company will have an open house between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. today at the Homestead Restaurant in Woodhull and again from 5 to 7 p.m.
The meeting will give the public an opportunity to ask questions of Arndt and to review photos, maps and other documents from the company, he said.
Henry County has several proposed wind-tower projects in the works and is further ahead in the process than some neighboring counties.
Arndt said 160 landowners in the county have signed lease agreements with the company totaling about 35,000 acres of land on 380 different parcels.
Knox, Warren and Mercer counties have modeled their wind-tower ordinances after Henry County and also have several proposed projects at various stages.
Kevin Sampier can be reached at 686-3041 or state@pjstar.com.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/09/13/wind-power-company-secures-land-leases/