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Commissioners hear update on turbine project

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Marshall Gorby/About 50 area residents toured a small wind farm in Bowling Green on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The tour was organized for the Champaign County Farm Bureau.

By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 7:59 AM Thursday, October 22, 2009

URBANA — In a room packed with area residents and local officials, representatives from Everpower Renewables said they are working to alleviate some recent concerns related to their proposed wind turbine project.

Representatives from the company met for about 30 minutes with the Champaign County commissioners Thursday, Oct. 15.

In recent documents filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, members of the Pique Shawnee Tribe, based in Alabama, noted their concern that the proposed project could damage a historic burial mound near Urbana.

However, Michael Speerschneider, director of development for Everpower, said the company is aware of the mound, and representatives have scouted the site. He said the proposed turbines in that area will not damage the mound.

In all, the first phase of the project would include about 70 proposed turbines stretching across six townships in the county.

Speerschneider also addressed concerns from some city officials and members of the city’s Airport Growth Advisory Board. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration labeled 38 of the proposed turbines as presumed hazards to the instrument approach at Grimes and Weller Fields in the city.

Speerschneider said the company is working with staff at both air fields to help resolve the issue. Everpower has proposed to purchase and install navigational equipment that Speerschneider said should resolve the issue.

He said Thursday’s meeting was simply to update the commissioners about the project’s progress.

“We just want to maintain our availability and engagement in the community,” he said.

A hearing on the project is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 27 in the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio offices in Columbus.

A local public hearing is also scheduled for Oct. 28 at Triad High School, 8099 Brush Lake Road in N. Lewisburg.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

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