Wind Farm application for Northern Boone County, Coming Soon?

At the end of tonight’s Boone County board meeting Board Member District 1, Marshall Newhouse, disclosed that an “unidentified foreign firm” is attempting to negotiate  options for 6,400 acres of farmland in Northern Boone County to construct a series of wind turbines. 

Apparently Mr. Newhouse and other public officials (possibly  Chairman Walberg) attended a meeting held by the company for farmers and neighbors in Manchester and LeRoy Townships.  Discussions with Mr. Newhouse indicates that he farms a small amount of farmland in Manchester township (owned by a member of his extended family).  Both Mr. Newhouse and Mr. Walberg own sizeable farms in Bonus Township.  Bonus township is one township below Manchester/Leroy ( approximately 6 miles south). Mr. Newhouse is the Chairman of the Planning, Zoning & Building Subcommittee which would handle the zoning request for the wind farm.

Unlike previous applications new wind farm applications would be subject to the requirements of a new section of the zoning code: [ See 4.8 Wind Energy Conversion Systems Siting,  pages 4-23 thru 4-28 at:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/sites/default/files/AmendedZoningOrdinance.pdf ] No application has ever been made under this section in Boone County.

Reporters from both the Rockford Register Star and Boone County Journal interviewed Mr. Newhouse and Mr. Walberg.  I trust that an in-depth story on this wind project will be printed shortly.