November 6, 2010
Michigan

Community wanting details on Consumers wind towers

Jennifer Linn Hartley - Staff Writer, Ludington Daily News, www.ludingtondailynews.com 5 November 2010

Many residents in Riverton and Summit townships don’t know what to expect when it comes to a proposed wind farm in the area, says the area’s county commissioner.

Mary Nichols, whose District 7 seat includes Summit, Riverton and Eden townships, said Thursday at the Mason County Planning and Drains Committee meeting that many of her constituents don’t know what Consumers Energy is planning near their homes.

Consumers Energy has said it seeks to put in 56 almost 500-foot-tall wind towers in the Riverton area.

She said people who have leased land easements to the power company are happy with the income they’ll be getting, but still nobody seems to know what’s going on and where.

Committee members learned some information Thursday as Consumers was requesting changes to the county’s zoning ordinance for data collection towers or “met” towers, but hasn’t given enough details yet to satisfy area residents, Nichols said.

Part of the committee’s task Thursday was to discuss a beginning step to that plan, the zoning ordinance as it pertains to those “met” towers and just what should be allowed.

See the full story in the print and eEditions in today’s Ludington Daily News.