Members of the Vermilion County Board are facing a May 27th deadline to adopt certain new criteria regarding the regulation of commercial wind and solar energy facilities. A new state statute signed by Governor JB Pritzker on January 27th establishes the deadline.
Pastor Phil Jackson is a county board member from Grape Creek. He thinks the county should be looking some thirty years down the road in case the wind and solar farms are no longer working…
{AUDIO: ”It would seem to me a wise move to make a tax on commercially generated energy in this county. And put it in our own escrow or trust fund to be used to off-set any of those future injuries – very comparable to the way generations before us taxed coal mines in this county.”}
During an interview with Neuhoff Media, Jackson added….
{AUDIO: ”It’s a very basic and quite a dated idea, but it seems time-honored and true because people, to this day, who have issues with mine subsidence do get remedy and relief from those funds.”}
Attorney Andrew Keyt has been working with a Wind Farm subcommittee of the county board. He told county board members last evening (Tuesday) that a public hearing is required if the county is going to regulate wind and solar projects.
(Attorney Andrew Keyt addresses members of the Vermilion County Board on May 9, 2023.)
County Board Chairman Larry Baughn notes there has been a lot of interest in Vermilion County by companies considering wind and solar projects….
{AUDIO: ”You’ve got two different projects down on the south end when it comes to wind and solar – and some of them are hybrid so they’re both. And then, of course, there’s some people looking up in the north end of the county as well. So (there’s) kind of three wind projects and a couple of solar projects – all at the same time — at least being looked at around the county.”}
Again last night (Tuesday) the county board heard from some citizens who oppose having wind turbines near their homes. Becky Miller lives on a farm and says she was approached by a wind farm company but turned their offer down. ‘’We turned it down because we want to do what’s best for our community,” she said. And Miller added, ‘’I don’t want to leave this to my kids and grandkids to deal with.’’
Also during their meeting a proposal to re-institute a stand-alone Personnel Committee was tabled.
