Public hearing on wind farm an all-day event
SYCAMORE – More than 700 people filled the bleachers and folding chairs in Sycamore High School’s gymnasium Saturday morning; just a handful stayed for the entire public hearing on a proposed wind farm, which stretched into the late evening.
As of 9:30 p.m., the public hearing was still in session, extending beyond the Daily Chronicle’s deadline.
Guy White and Charles Hart may sit on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to the wind farm issue, but both said they stuck out the entire day because they had no other choice.
Rick Porter from Citizens for Open Government speaks during Saturday's public hearing at Sycamore High School. (Wendy Kemp – For the Daily Chronicle)
“It’s our life; it’s our history,” said Hart, a fifth-generation farmer in Milan Township who will have about about six turbines surrounding his property if the proposal is approved. “If this determines the lifestyle of yourself, your children and your grandchildren, don’t you think it’s important to stay around?”
White, an engineer and member of the Local 150 union, is passionate about utilizing wind as energy, and had a speech prepared for whenever his turn at the microphone would come Saturday night.
“This is what we need,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
The question before DeKalb County Hearing Officer David Dockus – and that will be before the DeKalb County Board next month – is whether wind turbines fall into the category of an “essential service structure” under the county’s zoning ordinance. The project requires a special use permit, which is determined by the DeKalb County Board.
NextEra Energy Resources, owned by FPL Group, wants to build and operate a 151-turbine wind plant; 133 turbines are proposed for DeKalb County, and 18 have already been approved by the Lee County Board for portions of Lee County.
Hours of testimony were heard from company representatives, lawyers and more than two dozen nearby residents to gather information on the project and help the hearing officer make a recommendation to the DeKalb County Board. Public comments weren’t heard until after 9 p.m., following NextEra’s three-hour presentation and a question-answer session that lasted eight hours.
Company representatives responded to a number of concerns – some of which included what effects turbines could have on chickens, honeybees and people who suffer from migraines or attention-deficit disorder; proximity of turbines to pipelines and crop dusting planes; and the possibility of turbines falling or catching fire.
One of the main concerns raised Saturday was the amount of noise created by wind turbines. Company representatives say they will comply with standards set by the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
“IPCB standards in no way state people will not hear these turbines,” NextEra developer Tom Factor said. “Yes, there will be a quiet sound that will be variable. What causes annoyance to one person may be a quiet whisper to everyone else.”
Waterman resident Tammy Duriavich believed the noise would be more than a whisper.
“How is it right that FPL has the right to make me listen to your stereo 24/7 within the boundaries of my 10 acres?” she asked.
Though they packed the gym early Saturday morning in neon shirts, just a few labor union members stayed until the end of the hearing to voice their support for NextEra’s project as a way to create local jobs.
Anthony Pedroni, the company’s project director, said the company was committed “100 percent” to hire local labor during construction – at least 300 would work at the peak of construction – and that about 20 maintenance staff that will operate the turbines could also be hired locally.
Under the proposal, NextEra would lease the land used for the turbines, and projects $50 million total to be paid to 75 landowners over 30 years, according to company documents.
Company representatives also described a community partnership agreement program, in which 200 homeowners living within three-quarters of a mile of any turbine would be paid $1,000 a year for 30 years.
However, zoning staff preferred a property-value guarantee program over the community agreement.
“Why not do both? The property value guarantee, by your own testimony, is not going to cost you anything,” County Planner Paul Miller said, referring to earlier statements made by NextEra officials that wind farms do not adversely affect property values.
“We feel that we’ve come up with a better program,” Pedroni responded. “We believe that our proposal for a community partnership agreement impacts more citizens of the county.”
However, a property-value guarantee program would be considered if the county board wishes, he added.
Kathy Bock of Waterman asked NextEra representatives if they have any turbines in their backyards, to which John DiDonato, vice president of development, replied: “We have real-life experience of having 7,000 turbines in areas like this.”
The special use permit request for the wind farm will next be discussed by the county’s Planning and Zoning Committee on April 1, with the county board scheduled to take action April 15.
By ELENA GRIMM - egrimm@daily-chronicle.com
Web Link: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2009/03/21/89657564/index.xml
