Residents of southwest Neosho County continued discussion of the pros and cons of a wind generation project during Friday morning’s county commission meeting.
Opponent Bryon Coover took issue with information presented at a town hall meeting in Galesburg and in letters to residents. Dale Jeffrey gave information about mutations and deformed animals near European wind generation areas because of low-level noise.
Opponent Andrew Burnett encouraged distributing a map of the footprint of the proposed area, and said some land owners do not realize they will be inside it. He also discussed declines in grassland bird populations near wind generation sites.
Leroy Burke also raised issues with tax exemptions on the property.
Galesburg Mayor Adam Tromsness said he has met with families who support the project.
“We’ve had a lot of questions and concerns,” he said, adding that the Galesburg council has not formally voted whether or not to support the project. Apex Clean Energy has proposed constructing 100 to 130 wind generator turbines in the area southwest of Erie and east of Thayer. The roughly 100-square-mile area is between Anderson and Pratt roads and between 140th and 50th roads.Apex is also planning a wind generation project in southwest Bourbon County and northwest Crawford County. Road and Bridge Director Mike Brown said he has heard that some residents in the Stark area are signing up for it.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)