June 17, 2022
Illinois

Wind farm said to be considering turbine near D-W school

By Kevin Barlow, PCJR editor | Jun 15, 2022 | www.journal-republican.com

DELAND – Officials with Apex Clean Energy have approached members of the DeLand-Weldon School Board seeking a letter of approval to place a wind turbine within a mile of the school.

“At the beginning, they were asking us to do the same as the Village (of DeLand) and allow wind turbines within one-and-a-half miles,” said board member Shannon Summers. “Now, they are saying that they have another person that has land that is within a mile of the school.”

Apex Clean Energy is proposing a 300-megawatt project that would include approximately 60 turbines. Apex officials expect to file a special use permit in the summer or fall. Currently, the county board has placed a moratorium on wind farm projects until county officials approve an ordinance aimed at protecting drainage districts. That ordinance is expected to be considered by the county board in July or August.

“I have done a lot of homework and I talked to a lot of people,” Summers said. “Obviously this is in the phase where it’s not going to go away. It’s going to come whether we like it or not. I don’t necessarily like it, but if they want something from us, we are going to get something from them.”

School board members said they would like to hear from Apex officials in person at an upcoming board meeting, perhaps in July.

“I don’t think they want us to vote on anything to approve or deny, but I think they want a letter saying that we are okay with having a wind turbine within a mile of the school,” said Superintendent Amanda Geary.

“That’s still an approval,” said board member Dean Bush. “If you are doing that and signing it as a board, it’s an approval.”

The proposed wind turbine would be east of the school.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/06/17/wind-farm-said-to-be-considering-turbine-near-d-w-school/