It now appears that three commercial solar energy facilities will be coming to southern Vermilion County after all. The County Board rejected site applications for all three last month, but reconsidered the votes Tuesday and approved all three. Bill Pickett has the story…
Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said she wanted to ensure that the Board had been properly advised as to the law. “I think last month some Board members were unclear,” said Lacy.
The Vermilion County Wind and Solar Committee had earlier recommended all three site applications be approved, and the County Board was told it must abide by those recommendations by state law.
(The spectator section was packed for Tuesday’s County Board meeting.)
County Board member Jerry Hawker explains why he voted “no” on all three applications during tonight’s (Tuesday’s) meeting…
{AUDIO: “Well, my big concern is that we have the governor and the state legislature passing a law saying that the County Board cannot vote against the regulation for the solar farms here locally. And I’m adamantly against that. Plus, we’ve had absolutely a large number – for several months – of constituents here saying they’re against it.”}
Each of the applications approved contain certain conditions that must be met, but Becky Miller is among citizens who spoke wanting more conditions….
{AUDIO: “My personal recommendation is the county hire someone to do a wildlife study, and then the solar company can fund that if they really want this project to go through. Another condition I would recommend is a new economic impact study – that the county chooses who does that. (And) let the solar company pay for it.”}
Clayton Maddox is a sixth-generation farmer who has concerns about a proposed 1400-acre commercial solar project in southwest Vermilion County….
{AUDIO: “I’m not against, necessarily, renewables in general. It just needs to find a place that’s more advantageous for those sources to be at – rather than class A, the best farmland in the world. I think there’s a place for them, for sure – just not the best soil in the world.”}
All three of the projects still must obtain a construction permit from the county before proceeding. The projects include:
— Mural Energy. LLC’s proposal for a 180 mega-watt commercial solar energy facility on approximately 1,433 acres of land in Jamaica and Vance Townships (in southwest Vermilion County)
— Woodyard Solar LLC., – now known as Ridge Farm Renewables, LLC. plans for a 4 mega-watt commercial solar energy facility on about 25 acres of land. It would be erected along West Woodyard Avenue in the Village of Ridge Farm.
— CVE US IL Ridge Farm is a proposed 5 mega-watt commercial solar facility that would be located about one mile west of Ridge Farm. It would be located on an approximate 62-acre site, but only about 26 acres are expected to be used for the project.
County Board members were split as they voted Tuesday. For example, on the largest project – the 1400-acre Mural Energy proposal – the vote was 12 yes, 8 no, 2 voted present, 3 abstained, and 2 were absent.
{This story – including photos – is by Bill Pickett.}
