Supervisors give final approval on Ivester Wind Farm

 Two years and five days after an initial hearing on a proposal for a 45-turbine, 90 megawatt wind farm in western Grundy County drew a crowd of over 50 citizens both for and against the project, many of the same faces filed into the Kling Memorial Library and made the same arguments regarding a final rezoning application from EDF Renewable Energy. It ended with the same result.
           
“Most of us involved and/or affected by this proposed project have grown weary of the whole thing after almost 10 years of debate and discussion,” local farmer Ken Hogle wrote in a letter to the board of supervisors. “We’ve heard the same arguments and opinions on both sides stated multiple times in multiple ways by multiple people. Some people oppose it. Some people support it, and that will probably never change.”
           
The board voted 4-0 to approve the change from A-1 to A-2 and give the go-ahead to a scaled down 35-turbine project, as chairman Jim Ross, who plans to allow at least one of the structures on his farm, recused himself.
           
EDF officials P.J. Saliterman and Kate O’Hair presented a Power Point highlighting the benefits of wind energy both nationally and in Iowa: the Ivester development is expected to create four to eight permanent jobs, millions in tax revenue after the abatements expire and over $500,000 in annual easement payments to affected landowners. Saliterman also promoted his company’s good neighbor efforts and the fact that eminent domain has not been used in any fashion.
           
“All of these agreements that anyone has are voluntary… For those who have decided not to participate, that’s fair play,” he said. “We’ve spent a lot of time making sure turbines are as much as possible situated in optimal locations.”
           
The decision, however, didn’t come free of controversy. Ten speakers addressed the supervisors in opposition to the project, and County Auditor Rhonda Deters read two letters stressing those concerns. She also read nine letters in favor, but none of the supporters of the wind farm made verbal remarks during the hearing.
           
Grundy Center fourth grader Daniel Hommel, who lives near the Ivester Church and was undoubtedly the youngest speaker on either side of the issue, implored the board to consider “future generations” and ultimately vote against the wind farm.
           
“We can already see two wind farms from our house. We do not need another one next to us,” he said. 
 
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