June 16, 2007
Illinois
Illinois
A group of McLean and Woodford county residents filed a complaint Thursday in McLean County court in an effort to prevent construction of a wind farm near their homes.
The complaint was filed by Melissa McGrath, attorney for the not-for-profit group Information is Power, in response to a recommendation by the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals.
The board recommended that White Oak Energy LLC receive a special use permit to build a $250 million, 100 turbine wind farm to be spread over 12,000 acres in McLean and Woodford counties.
The ZBA voted 6-0 on Feb. 9 in favor of White Oak Energy after 13 public hearings that began last November. The County Board approved the recommendation 17-1 on March 20.
Information is Power accuses the ZBA of egregious due process and equal protection violations in its public hearings. The group claims wind farm opponents were limited to five minutes each to present testimony during hearings, while proponents had no time limit.
The group is asking the court to halt the project until its evidence is heard. A hearing on the complaint is set for June 26.
ZBA Chairman Sally Rudolf said Friday she believes the hearings were fair to all sides.
“Everyone got their say, and we felt that the process was very well executed,” she said.
16 June 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/06/16/wind-farm-complaint-leveled/