MORE: State board grants extension to build two phases of wind farm
The judge ruled late last week those entities had provided sufficient grounds to provide the board with more time to review the case.
The Champaign County project is split into two separate phases called Buckeye Wind and Champaign Wind. If it moves forward, Everpower Wind Holdings, the developer, would build about 50 wind turbines in the county. The developer had argued a rehearing was unneccessary and said years of litigation by opponents had already delayed the project.
DETAILS: Champaign County wind farm now wants 50 turbines, half of initial plan
“Despite the county and townships’ claims to the contrary, there have been nearly eight years of litigation between the two projects, some of which was prosecuted by the county and townships,” attorneys for Everpower argued. “As recognized by the Board, litigation is the overwhelming reason for the delays in actual construction of the projects, and justifies the one-year extension request.”
The judge’s ruling will allow the board more time to consider the issues raised by the county and townships, said Matt Butler, a spokesman for the PUCO.
Jason Dagger, a project manager for Everpower declined further comment.
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Attorneys for the county and representing residents opposing the wind farm also could not be reached for comment.
Members of the OPSB had previously voted to allow Everpower an extension to begin construction, due to delays related to litigation. But the ruling also included a decision that a group of residents opposed to the project missed a key deadline to raise their concerns and should no longer be allowed to intervene in the case.
In asking for a rehearing, the residents argued the board should have treated the developer’s request to extend the certificate for construction as a new proceeding. In that case, the residents’ petition to intervene would have been filed on time.
County officials also sought a rehearing, arguing Everpower failed to provide proof that litigation had delayed the project.
Attorneys for Everpower had argued a rehearing was unnecessary and argued the company had made numerous attempts to compromise and move the project forward.
Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has provided award-winning coverage of a lengthy legal dispute over a proposed wind farm spread across several townships in Champaign County. The paper has provided extensive coverage over everything from how the project would be taxed to the project’s potential impact on residents.
By the numbers:
100 — Estimated turbines under previous two phases of Buckeye Wind Farm project in Champaign County
50 — Proposed number of turbines to be built now
$55 million — Possible local economic benefits of the the initial roughly 100-turbine project
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