Supreme Court approves wind farm spanning multiple NW Ohio counties - WTVG
Supreme Court approves wind farm spanning multiple NW Ohio counties
Editor’s Note: The attached video aired prior to the Supreme Court’s approval of the wind farm.
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The Supreme Court of Ohio approved a permit for the construction of a 71-turbine wind farm that will span across multiple counties within northwest Ohio.
The wind farm that would span across parts of Huron and Erie counties sparked debate and was eventually brought to the supreme court by a group of 19 neighbors and the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. The opposing groups appealed the Ohio Power Siting Board’s decision to grant the Firelands’ permit. In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court ruled the permit was appropriately issued stating, “We conclude that the residents and Black Swamp have not established that the board’s order was unlawful or unreasonable.”
Representatives of the observatory argued the farm would be constructed on a key migration path and wanted more research conducted into the effects, while Firelands claimed to have conducted more surveys than necessary, finding the construction would have minimal adverse effects. The opposition brought up a multitude of arguments aside from the impact on birds, including disrupting water supplies, creating excessive noise, and causing “shadow flicker” in the homes of residents near the turbines.
After objecting to the board, the staff investigated and recommended the board approve the permit, subject to 44 conditions. After the board followed the recommendation the opponents appealed to the supreme court. The full Supreme Court opinion can be viewed at the bottom of this article.
Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-2555 by Blake Pierce on Scribd
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