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Hearing for turbine project to continue

If approved, 70 wind turbines would be constructed in a portion of Champaign County.

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer 6:32 PM Saturday, November 21, 2009

URBANA — After two weeks of testimony, the proposed Buckeye Wind Project crept closer to a decision by the Ohio Power Siting Board this week.

But the project is still likely a long way from approval.

If approved, the project would allow Everpower Renewables to build about 70 wind turbines in a section of Champaign County that spans about 9,000 acres and six townships.

Witnesses for Everpower Renewables presented testimony about the project in the first week of hearings. Intervenors, including Champaign County Prosecutors and Union Neighbors United, also produced their own witnesses who raised their concerns about the proposed project.

Although testimony spanned about two weeks, a spokesman for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said it could still be months before a final conclusion is reached in the case.

“Once the hearings are done and the attorney’s report is done it’s hard to say exactly how long it will be,” said Matt Butler, a spokesman for PUCO.

Attorneys will have the chance to rebut testimony presented over the last two weeks, a process that will likely begin in early December.

Administrative law judges overseeing the hearings will also file a report based on the testimony presented before the state’s power siting board comes to a decision.

Even if the project is approved, there will still be an appeal process before the project can move forward.

The situation is unusual, Butler said, because the Buckeye Wind Project is the first large-scale wind turbine farm that has ever been proposed in Ohio.

While this is the first time a proposal for a wind project has been considered by the board, it is following the same approval process that any other public utility would face, Butler said.

“It’s new in a way but the process works the same,” he said.

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

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So Sad,
You ARE so sad and silly to even comment on a situation that you really know nothing about. Why don't you do a little research before you enter a discussion like this? We're not talking about "windmills" here. These are 500 feet industrial towers.

Samantha
10:21 PM, 12/3/2009

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David-

Good question. Everpower is filing for a tax reduction because without this it wouldn't be viable. So while Everpower runs an add campaign about the money it will bring to Champaign County it also attempts to pay as little as possible.

When it comes to property values, Everpower assures us that wind industry won't negatively affect adjacent properties yet it refuses a guarantee/bond so there is no recourse. There's some shady stuff going on behind the scenes.

green and clean
1:46 PM, 11/23/2009

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I live in the county,but would be over 10 miles from any of these turbines. But I can not support "progress" at the cost of my "neighbors".I would think people would lose their property values and they would be harmed by the turbines being there.Would these companies be willing to pay everyone in the county for loss property values?Is it true these companies are trying to lower their taxes before they even are built.They don't sound like good neighbors to me, and their only interest is money.

David
12:59 PM, 11/23/2009

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There are quite a few of us Union Township homeowners who are not members of the Urbana Country Club. We are fighting for our properties, our way of life. The are plenty of wide open spaces to put these huge things. I do not want the three that are scheduled to go right beside my house as neighbors.

After years of working hard and putting money into our properties, why is it fair to have to watch all of us take the loss in property value?

Reality needs to take a hike...

Union Township Homeowner
9:05 AM, 11/23/2009

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Such a sad little group, so much venom to spew, no real answers. I hope they build coal burning power plants all through the area, then you'll wish you had windmills instead.

So sad
3:41 AM, 11/23/2009

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