September 26, 2019
Indiana

County says no to wind farm

Project called for 35 to 52 turbines spread over 39,000 acres | Erica Quinlan | AgriNews Publications | Sep 25, 2019 | www.agrinews-pubs.com

FRANKFORT, Ind. – Clinton County commissioners upheld a moratorium against wind turbines Sept. 16, continuing its ban on wind farms.

The moratorium has been in place since February 2017.

Tim Wyrick, a sixth-generation Clinton County farmer, was disappointed in the decision.

“It’s a very good project and a great paying contract,” he said. “It was going to pay our county $30 million over a 30-year period of time.

“Opposition to this project convinced our county commissioners not to lift the moratorium and to leave that in place. So, we’re going to be married to (high) property taxes in this county.”

E.ON, a Chicago-based renewable energy company, held an open house Sept. 12 to spread facts about the proposed wind energy project. More than 250 Clinton County residents showed up.

The proposal includes 35 to 52 wind turbines spread over 39,000 acres. According to an independent study, it would help take the county budget from a projected $1.1 million deficit to a $2.5 million surplus by 2023.

Responsible Harvest of Clinton County, a non-profit group whose members do not approve of the project, voiced its opinion on its website and on social media.

“Clinton County presents a much different situation than most communities facing wind development, as we have nearly four times the population of Benton County,” said an official statement from the group.

“Furthermore, we are surrounded by three of the fastest growing communities in the state, and a wind project with setbacks from a residence instead of a property line, would effectively kill any future growth.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/09/26/county-says-no-to-wind-farm/