The Emmet County Board of Supervisors is seeking a second legal opinion on a proposed settlement with the company that has planned to build the Red Rock Energy Center wind farm. Last December, the Emmet County Board of Adjustment rejected a permit for the project and the company sued. Doug Hanson, chairman of Emmet County’s Planning and Zoning Commission, says the county would sign away a lot if it agrees to settle the lawsuit.
Emmet County Attorney Melanie Summers Bauler is warning that seeking a second legal opinion would likely be a lengthy process.
She says a lengthy delay could derail the negotiated settlement. Supervisor Tim Schumacher says that’s not a comfortable spot for the board, but county officials have heard from a lot of people during public hearings who oppose the settlement, and they’re getting a lot of letters from residents who’re urging the board to sign the agreement and let the wind farm’s construction begin.
Schumacher volunteered to reach out to a Des Moines law firm the county has previously used and see how quickly an attorney could review the settlement. The agenda for the Emmet County Board Supervisors meeting on November 25th also indicates the board will again discuss the issues surrounding the settlement. Invenergy is the Chicago company that has proposed building a wind farm in Emmet and Dickinson Counties. In May, the Dickinson County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved the company’s permit to erect 67 wind turbines in their county. Invenergy is the largest private developer of wind energy projects in North America.
