PEKIN (25News Now) -A proposed commercial solar project near the Village of Mackinaw will not move forward after the Tazewell County Board voted to deny a special-use permit request earlier this week.
The board denied the request after several members cited the project’s location and concerns raised by nearby residents.
The 5-megawatt commercial solar farm was planned for the intersection of Lowery Road and Gresham Road, south of Lowery Road and east of Gresham in Mackinaw.
Before the vote, a board member disclosed a letter he received from representatives associated with the solar project, though he said the letter didn’t change his decision.
“But why their company would move forward with this at all makes no sense, besides being next to a substation for sure, but you know, it makes no sense in general,” said District 2 Board member Jon Hopkins.
“So, I think the letter that they had sent to us- it was a threat which I don’t take very kindly to threaten public officials on a vote. But this project again is a terrible place. There [are] a lot of other places that we voted yes for our projects, but I’ll be voting no on this tonight because of the location.”
Besides denying the project, the board approved measures updating the county’s renewable energy regulations.
The first ordinance combines regulations for commercial solar, wind and energy storage projects into one section of the county code.
The changes are meant to strengthen permit and inspection requirements throughout a project’s life cycle, require developers to coordinate with local emergency responders and submit emergency response plans before facilities begin operating, and increase financial guarantees to ensure renewable energy sites are properly decommissioned when abandoned.
Board members also approved an amendment allowing the county to require higher levels of insurance coverage for larger renewable energy projects.
“So, you talk about your watershed issues, you talk about your tornado issue with debris, you talk about fire, you talk about overspray of herbicide, and it gets onto a farmer neighboring farmer’s crop, those are all environmental claims. They’re covered under a pollution policy,” said Tim Neuhauser, Tazewell County’s risk manager.
Another ordinance updates the county’s zoning code to establish requirements for smaller, direct-use solar and wind energy systems, as well as energy storage facilities.
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