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

Big crowd at wind debate no surprise for Whiteside County 

Credit:  BY DAVID GIULIANI, www.saukvalley.com 6 April 2012 ~~

ROCK FALLS – Debates over wind turbines can be passionate.

Neighbors often don’t want turbines nearby. Others make money for leasing their land to wind companies.

From Massachusetts to New Mexico, meetings on wind farms bring big crowds. And that’s the case in the Sauk Valley.

Wednesday, the county Planning and Zoning Commission held a hearing that lasted 2 1/2 hours on a wind energy company’s proposal for nine turbines.

About 70 people attended. The county appeared prepared.

Usually, the commission meets in a small meeting room at the County Courthouse in Morrison. This time, however, Stuart Richter, the county’s planning and zoning administrator, reserved space at the Rock Falls Community Building.

Eighty chairs were set out. Enough for the crowd – about a fourth of whom were County Board members.

Rock Falls Police Chief Mike Kuelper and Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi stood by the door behind the audience, providing security.

Former Judge Tim Slavin served as the hearing’s facilitator. Many of the procedures were similar to a trial – testimony, cross-examination, closing statements. A court reporter was on hand.

Richter, who has been in his job for 27 years, said this is the first time the commission has used a facilitator or a court reporter.

The county got a facilitator because officials thought the hearing would overwhelm the commission, Richter said.

The county is paying Slavin $210 an hour during the hearing and $90 an hour for outside research and other services, for which Mainstream will reimburse the county, County Administrator Joel Horn said.

“He [Slavin] has a lot of experience controlling that kind of environment. We wanted to give everyone the opportunity to express their views,” Horn said.

During cross-examination, residents could ask questions of representatives of the wind energy company, Ireland-based Mainstream Renewable Power.

Many of the residents opposed the project. So the temptation was strong for them to make statements and give their opinions during cross-examination.

Slavin made sure they stuck to questions during that portion of the meeting. Time was reserved later in the hearing for residents to give testimony of their own about the project.

The hearing resumes April 18. Mainstream is expected to bring expert witnesses, and other residents are slated to testify.

Mainstream’s proposal also includes turbines in Lee and Bureau counties.

To attend

The Whiteside County Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 7 p.m. April 18 at the Rock Falls Community Building, 601 W. 10th St. in Rock Falls.

Mainstream Renewable Power will bring expert witnesses to make the case for its wind farm.

For more information on the hearing, call Whiteside County’s zoning office at 815-772-5175.

Source:  BY DAVID GIULIANI, www.saukvalley.com 6 April 2012

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