Bureau County group files suit to prevent windfarm construction

A group of Bureau County residents have filed suit in an effort to stop construction of the proposed 150-turbine Walnut Ridge windfarm in northwest Bureau County. The group is made up of 37 people who have properties near the proposed windfarm site. Defendants named in the suit are the county, county board, each county board member individually, and Walnut Ridge Wind LLC. The 450-page, 117-count complaint was filed this past week at the Bureau County Courthouse. It claims the county board did not have the jurisdiction to grant the original conditional use permits to Walnut Ridge in 2008, nor the authority to approve the permit extension requests granted by the board in April of this year. One of the spokespersons for the plaintiffs, Steve Hamrick, says their group is seeking only to prevent the facility from being built and is not looking for money. Bureau County State’s Attorney Pat Herrmann, who will represent the defendants, says they have 30 days to reply to the subpoena.