EverPower Wind’s two wind projects clear legal challenge

The Ohio Power Siting Board has cleared EverPower Wind’s two wind projects by rejecting requests made by local residents for new hearings to be conducted for the projects.

EverPower Wind’s proposal for wind development, comprising up to 176 turbines spread over 17,000 acres, was approved by the board earlier in March 2014, Bellefontaine Examiner reported.

The project area land owner Joe Grant and a group of Indian Lake property owners, following the approval, filed legal challenges to have new public hearings on the Buckeye 1 and Scioto Ridge projects.

The residents are now considering filing an appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court, according to Renews.

"As we noted (in) the order: ‘while we recognize that certain members of the public in the affected areas of these projects wish to have the decisions on granting or denying wind turbine projects based on a secret ballot of registered voters, the board is bound by the statutory mandates established by the Ohio General Assembly which do not include such suggested procedures," the ruling reads.

In denying the request, the board wrote, "As discussed previously, the issue related to the impacts on property values and the conservation and preservation of land, including to Indian Lake, were both parts of the record in these cases and were fully considered by the board."

The company will file a Payment in Lieu of Taxes request with the Logan County Commissioners if it receives Supreme Court clearance for the projects.