November 10, 2016
Indiana

Still no vote taken over controversial wind farm proposal

Alexis Moberger | WLFI | Published: November 9, 2016 | wlfi.com

Many people on both sides of a controversial wind farm proposal in Warren County had their voices heard Wednesday night. Even so, the Board of Zoning Appeals has tabled the wind farm for a second time.

“We are battling against the wind farms coming into Warren County,” said resident Suzi Etchison. “It’s been a battle that’s gone on for about three months.”

The board held a meeting Wednesday night to discuss the $350-million proposal. The Jordan Creek Wind Farm would include more than 150 wind turbines and take up more than 27,000 acres of private land.

Some people are in favor of passing the proposal, and others remain skeptical.

“We’ve done a lot of research on wind farms, and there seems to be a lot of problems with them that are just popping up,” Etchison said.

Many, like Etchison, are convinced wind turbines are not for Warren County.

“Are the future generations going to be able to maintain them? If we’ve got wind farms and hog farms – what else can we sell?” Etchison said.

Some residents said they are worried about property value and the effects wind turbines have on sleep and health. Etchison said out of 290 homes that would be near the wind farm, 264 have petitioned against the proposal, and 19 were for it.

A.J. Booher owns land in the area, and he says he would welcome wind turbines. He has lived near them for the last ten years.

“Some of the concerns people have, have proven themselves to not really be problems,” Booher said.

He said they’re clean, renewable and produce little pollution.

“The closest wind turbine to my house is a little over a mile away. I’ve never been able to hear the wind turbine itself inside my home,” he said.

Booher believes if the proposal is passed, it could possibly bring economic growth to the county.

The board planned on voting Wednesday but tabled it to Nov. 28. That meeting will be at Seeger Memorial High School at 6:00 p.m.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/11/10/still-no-vote-taken-over-controversial-wind-farm-proposal/