By a vote at their Thursday evening (Sept 25th) meeting, the Vermilion County Board Executive Committee has given Musketeer Wind Energy, LLC’s proposed northern county project approval for a building permit, pending their next stop before the full County Board. The vote was 6-0; with committee members Jerry Hawker, Jim McMahan, and Greg Shepard absent.
County Board Chairman Steve Miller stated that this project, mostly between the areas of Hoopeston and Rankin, has been presented “skillfully and honestly.” He said afterwards that he appreciated Musketeer Wind Energy’s efforts to communicate.
AUDIO: (They) made a lot of attempts to discuss the proposal with various public bodies; school boards, city councils, village boards, fire protection districts, townships, road commissioners; to try to anticipate and deal with any possible concerns that the local citizens might have. And also to meet with land owners; not only those who’d signed up to have a turbine, but including those who had not signed up to have a turbine, to see how they might have concerns about the impact of the project on their personal lives.
Greg Vasilion, project manager for Musketeer Wind Energy’s proposal, stated that pending approval by the County Board at their October 14th meeting; he could see Musketeer officially going for their building permit within about a year. He says the building process itself would take about one to two years.
Meanwhile, two proposed solar farm projects west of Ridge Farm both received committee approval to take their next steps, pending a couple of finalizations in areas such as decommissioning plans at the end of the project. One applicant is Vermilion Solar 3, LLC; the other is CVE US IL Ridge Farm 324.
Finally, although Earthrise Energy has not yet applied for a building permit for their proposed solar farm along Catlin-Tilton Road, the subject seemed to be hovering in the air; as the committee asked the attorney present at the meeting about legalizations concerning county, village, and township authority over such projects. It was last week that the Village of Tilton passed a moratorium on solar projects until next June, citing that the project would be within 1 1/2 miles of village boarders.
