January 9, 2018
Illinois

Wind turbine restrictions move to DeWitt County Board

WAND | Monday, January 8, 2018 | www.wandtv.com

CLINTON, Ill. (WAND) – Rachel Lyons has plans of moving her family out into the country – plans that could be put on hold should wind farms pop up nearby.

“We’re moving out there for peace and quiet right?” Lyons said. “But if we’re constantly hearing things or [experience] lower frequencies we can’t hear but our bodies feel and throw off our equilibrium, [that] is very concerning to me.”

Lyons and others are pushing for more restrictions on height, placement and noise generated by the turbines.

But representatives with Tradewind Energy, the company building the farms, says restrictions would preclude any chance of wind energy operating in DeWitt County – something they say would hurt job growth and tax revenue.

“It’s contentious every county I work in,” said development director Tom Swierczewski. “I think that’s a good thing. People are very passionate about their property. It’s the county’s job to find a balance between private property rights and protecting what the neighbors want.”

The DeWitt County Land Use Committee sent all of the proposed restrictions to the full county board for further discussion during their January 18 meeting.

But while the discussion continues, Swierczewski and Lyons will both have to keep waiting for a final verdict to blow in.

“If these ordinances that are proposed aren’t passed and this is something that could affect the health and well-being of my children, then we will not make the move to the country,” Lyons said.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/01/09/wind-turbine-restrictions-move-to-dewitt-county-board/