October 9, 2013
Michigan

Big Turtle wind farm receives final OK

BY NICHOLAS GRENKE, Tribune Staff Reporter | Huron Daily Tribune | October 9, 2013 | www.michigansthumb.com

HURON COUNTY – The Big Turtle Wind Farm in Rubicon Township is ready to come out of its shell.

The Huron County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the decommissioning proposal for the Big Turtle Heritage wind project Tuesday morning.

“It’s a $50 million project that’s moving in the right direction,” said Rick Wilson, vice president of operations at Heritage Energy speaking to the Commission Board. “We can break ground this year.”

Wilson said that Heritage has gotten 98 percent cooperation to build from landowners where the wind turbines are planned.

Jeff Smith, director of the Huron County Building and Zoning Office, was asked of his opinion by the commissioners Tuesday and spoke for the project. Smith also presented his review of the project at the Huron County Planning Commission meeting last Wednesday.

During the planning commission meeting, where planners granted conditional approval of the wind park site plan, Smith went into detail with his review, explaining height restrictions and requirements for zoning. Several county commissioners attended that meeting and asked for more information for the proposal compared to other wind turbine parks in Huron County.

“It’s consistent with the other wind turbine projects we’ve had in the area,” Smith said. “The wording of it (the proposal) is very similar one used by the DTE wind park.”

Before the vote there was little discussion among the commissioners other than general agreement for the plan.

“I’m comfortable with the project,” David Peruski Legislative chair said.

Last week, Heritage Sustainable Energy LLC, received permission to start on access roads for the 10-turbine project and 20 megawatt park. The wind turbine site will contain more than 50 percent of Michigan-sourced material, components and labor, according to a statement form Heritage Energy.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/10/09/big-turtle-wind-farm-receives-final-ok/