February 8, 2007
Illinois
Illinois
Closing arguments are expected to begin tonight in the controversial application by Invenergy to allow a 100-turbine wind farm in part of the agricultural areas of McLean and Woodford counties.
Attorneys representing Invenergy and opponents will be allowed to speak 20 minutes and people who previously testified and are not represented by attorneys will have five minutes.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Room 400 of the Government Center, 115 E. Washington St.
Invenergy wants a special-use permit allowing it to build the proposed White Oak Wind Energy Center on land between interstates 39 and 74. The County Board is expected to take up the issue on Feb. 20.
Twelve nights of testimony concluded about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, but not without controversy. The McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals gave those testifying Wednesday night five minutes, unless they were presenting new information.
Bloomington attorney Melissa McGrath, who represents several opponents to the project, objected and so did Cheryl Rhodes of Carlock.
Rhodes testified for five minutes then was told her time was up. She sat on the floor and refused to leave, maintaining she was presenting new information. Rhodes said she was testifying about the moral and ethical issues of the proposed wind farm and had only about eight more minutes of testimony.
Board Chairwoman Sally Rudolph asked McLean County sheriff’s deputies to remove Rhodes from the room. Rhodes said the deputies dragged her from the room.
By Mary Ann Ford
mford@pantagraph.com
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/02/08/board-to-hear-closing-arguments-on-wind-farm/