Logan County Board hears updated Sugar Creek One Wind Farm plans

[September 16, 2016]  LINCOLN - On Thursday, September 15, 2016, the Logan County Board held their workshop to hear committee updates and put motions on the agenda for next Tuesday’s regular meeting. One focus of discussion was amendments to the permit for the Sugar Creek Wind Farm. There were also updates on an upcoming Emergency Management Agency exercise, and in what is happening in workforce development.

Guests were Sugar Creek Wind Farm project representatives Ken Kolisky from the Resource Systems Group, Pete Pollet, project attorney Kyle Barry; American Wind Corporation's Stan Komperda and Chris Nickell; and Apex Clean Energy’s Dave Wagner. Other guests were local residents Doug and Laurie Muck, Logan County Zoning Officer Will D’Andrea, Logan County EMA’s Dan Fulscher and Kendall Caruthers, Scott Goodman, Steve Goodman, Donna Bishop and Kent Paulus.

Kyle Barry shared brief updates on the wind farm project and the need for amendments to the permit due to plans to reduce the number of turbines and use a new turbine model.

Barry said a new law has required them submit an Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement, but the county’s ordinances follow many of the same standards.

Barry said the Regional Planning Commission voted 8-0 to approve the amendments and the Zoning Board of Approval passed the amendments with a 5-2 vote, and now Sugar Creek is asking for the Logan County Board’s approval.

Dave Wagner gave an overview of Apex Clean Energy, and said the company has done $3 billion in wind farm projects and investments around the United States running 1,612 megawatts of energy.

Komperda updated the board about the projection location, which is planned five miles west of Lincoln bound by Route 10 between New Holland and the Mason County line, and including an area just north of Salt Creek and Rocky Ford quarry road. He said they will start surveying roads next week.

Komperda said 11,524 acres are assigned to the project, but with 40 fewer turbines needed their new layout is smaller. All landowners have been notified and some turbine locations have been moved.

Komperda said they plan to satisfy all conditions such as a drainage plan. He shared the additional conditions requested by the ZBA.

• Revised plans to show compliance to the setbacks based on turbine size and height.
   
• Revised plans to remove collector lines and connecting junction boxes outside of the originally approved project boundary.
   
• Revised plans to show how all towers are able to connect.
   
• Receive FAA approvals determining there would be no hazards to air navigation.
   
• Submission of interference studies to the National Weather Service.

Vice Chairman Bob Farmers allowed the public time for comments and questions.

Steve Goodman asked questions about flicker studies, current noise studies, new turbine sizes, and distance to pipelines.

Komperda said setbacks address the light flicker issue and said recent noise studies were done using five different turbine models.

Komperda said the turbines are about 492 feet tall and it is the rotor diameter that is bigger than previous models. All turbines will be at least 541 feet from pipelines.

Board member Gene Rohlfs asked about sound studies on frequencies lower than 31.5 Hertz.

Barry said they have not been done for the project, but guidelines focus on county ordinances and those of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.

Noise expert Ken Kolisky said most studies are done on frequencies of 31.5 Hz and infrasound levels are well below perceptible noise levels.

Donna Bishop said she still has some of the same concerns she brought at the public hearing about a wind farm negative impacts. She sees little benefit in the wind farms and finds a disconnect between the boards and the people in the county.

Pat O’Neill said Tuesday he would make a motion for a resolution for approval of the amendments to the permit to allow construction of the wind farm.

[Angela Reiners]