May 8, 2013
Ohio

Fostoria hears wind turbine plan

By ALEX ASPACHER, for the courier | May 08, 2013 | www.thecourier.com

FOSTORIA – A Great Britain firm has been working since 2008 to acquire property in Hancock and Seneca counties for placement of wind turbines, a company official told Fostoria City Council Tuesday.

Rory Cantwell, development manager for TCI Renewables, said the wind turbines would be capable of producing enough electricity to power the equivalent of 80 percent of households in the two counties.

He said meteorological towers installed in Washington and Big Springs townships show the project is viable here and could create up to $1.2 million in revenue per year to be split between local townships, counties and school districts. He also presented information to council about the environmental and economic benefits of wind energy.

An agreement between TCI and the city would likely involve a right-of-way agreement through the western side of the reservoir property, Cantwell said.

Mayor Eric Keckler said Cantwell’s presentation was intended to introduce the concept of the project, and discussion with the company would be ongoing.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, Roberta Kimble, 312 W. Tiffin St., said she was concerned with the lack of an overpass to allow police and fire personnel access to residents of the Iron Triangle if a train were blocking crossings in the event of an emergency. She said members of her family live in the area and claimed she waited more than 80 minutes once last year to cross railroad tracks when a train was stopped.

City Engineer Dan Thornton said a project has been planned to install an overpass allowing for access to the Iron Triangle, but it has not received funding consideration from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/05/08/fostoria-hears-wind-turbine-plan/