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Wind Power News: Illinois
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Turbine on fire: video shows wind turbine in northern Lasalle County burning
On Thursday, the Mendota and Troy Grove Fire Departments were dispatched to a wind turbine on fire in northern LaSalle County. Complete story »
Wind turbine catches fire near Mendota
The Mendota and Troy Grove fire departments were dispatched Thursday to a wind turbine fire north of Mendota. On arrival, the area on top of the tower was fully involved in the fire. Personnel secured the area and the tower was left to burn out. Crews continued to monitor the fire as it burns. East Third Road was closed because of falling debris landing on the road. Mendota Township put up barricades. Personnel from the wind farm are working on . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine burns in northern LaSalle County
Mendota – A wind turbine in northern LaSalle County caught fire Thursday night. Area fire departments were called to the scene around 9 PM for the blaze, which they monitored well into the evening. The 285-foot-tall structure, which according to records is part of GSG Wind Farms, was near the intersection of North 48th and East 3rd Roads. Debris from the burning turbine was scattered across an adjacent field. Mendota Assistant Fire Chief Brian Fisher said crews from the wind . . . Complete story »
U.S. wants thousands more wind farms, facing local opposition
Monticello, Ill. – Depressed property values. Flickering shadows. Falling ice. One by one, a real estate appraiser rattled off what he said were the deleterious effects of wind farms as a crowd in an agricultural community in central Illinois hung on his every word. It was the tenth night of hearings by the Piatt County zoning board, as a tiny town debated the merits of a proposed industrial wind farm that would see dozens of enormous turbines rise from the nearby . . . Complete story »
New Logan County wind farm draws threat of lawsuit
Beason, Ill (WAND TV) – The Logan County board has approved a proposed wind farm in a 5-4 vote, but opponents of that wind farm are considering legal action to stop the construction of dozens of wind turbines. Wind farms have been a spark to controversies burning in communities across the state. Kristen Petersen, part of the Logan County Residents Against the Top Hat Wind Factory group, believes the group will have strong grounds for appeal for the way a . . . Complete story »
National Weather Service releases statement on proposed Logan County Wind Farm
Lincoln, Ill. (WCIA) – The day before a vote is scheduled to take place on a proposed Wind Farm in Logan County, WCIA received a statement from the National Weather Service on the issue. An initial statement was made clarifying questions WCIA had on how the wind turbines may or may not impact the National Weather Service Radar in Lincoln. Statement from the National Weather Service Office of Public Affairs in Silver Spring, Maryland On the Top Hat Wind Farm . . . Complete story »
Doppler dispute: Public weighs in on controversial wind farm proposal that could affect weather services
Lincoln, Ill. (NEXSTAR) – Chris Miller spent 20 years at the Lincoln National Weather Service office. He’s seen the impact that wind farms can have on doppler radar data. But one instance stands out in particular. The storm that made the 2018 Taylorville tornado passed right through a wind farm in northwest Macon county. “When it did that the doppler radar velocity images were corrupted, they were unusable for 15 minutes,” Miller said. Those fifteen minutes can make all the difference . . . Complete story »
Erie School Board discusses therapy dogs and wind turbine
Some money is in the budget to pay for the decommissioning of the turbine, but without exact costs, the money may not completely be there. Board members, Mark Wiseley and Shannon James expressed their desire to see the structure go, but suggested the board wait until next summer after the other projects are clearer. Complete story »
In Piatt County, wind farm rules discussions delayed
MONTICELLO – The Piatt County Zoning Board of Appeals will wait until late October before considering a set of rules and procedures for the upcoming public hearings on the proposed Goose Creek Wind Farm. “These are not ready yet,” board Chairman Loyd Wax said at the group’s last meeting. “They haven’t been finished. They are not ready. We don’t have them in hand for you to look at, so in my opinion, the only thing we can do is to get . . . Complete story »
County board takes no action on revenue-sharing proposal
MONTICELLO – The Piatt County Board did not act on a proposed revenue-sharing agreement with the developers of a proposed wind farm. Earlier this month, Apex Energy submitted a 1,600-page Special Use Permit application with the county. It is not known when the county or the Zoning Board of Appeals will hold hearings on the application. The board tabled the proposed revenue-sharing deal last month and it was listed on the agenda for the Sept. 14 meeting. No action was . . . Complete story »
