July 16, 2021
Illinois

More wind turbines coming to McLean County after board approves special use permit

Paige Blanzy | WEEK | July 15, 2021 | week.com

More wind turbines will be coming to McLean County after the board approved a special use permit Thursday night. One farmer said this felt like another defeat.

“We feel like we don’t exist. All these decisions are being made by people who don’t live by them,” said McLean County farmer, Tim Jolly.

Jolly is a fifth generation farmer in the area and came to the board meeting to oppose more wind turbines.

He said he looks at one of them 2,000 ft from his house and six within a mile, and they still are not far enough.

“It sounds like a jet engine test laboratory,” said Jolly.

Jim Soeldner represents District 2, where the special use permist was approved at the meeting.

He said he had been in favor of the wind machines and believes the people who were not, had mostly changed their minds.

“I think that part of that goes away when you’re made an offer of some revenue. It’s like anything else, I’m willing to put up with something if I know it’s going to benefit me or my town,” said Soeldner.

That’s money the Village of Bellflower will see annually of $100,000.

Board Member Soeldner also lived by wind turbines for 12 years, which he said benefit tax payers.

“If you can get a windfarm to pay a big chunk of the taxes then that’s money you don’t have to spend,” said Soeldner.

And every time Jolly had been offered that money, he says no to allowing them on his land.

“I’m a steward of the land and you take care of the ground, you leave the ground in better shape you got it,” said Jolly.

Now, Jolly said he feared for the rest of the farmland in McLean County.

The permit allows for up to 64 new turbines over 14,000 acres in Bellflower and West Townships.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/07/16/more-wind-turbines-coming-to-mclean-county-after-board-approves-special-use-permit/