© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The Statehouse News Bureau provides educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations.

Pro-Wind Report Says Counties Losing Billions In Economic Development

(from left to right) Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls); Susan Munroe, Van Wert area Chamber of Commerce CEO; David Zak, Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corporation CEO; Rep. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin).

County leaders are protesting the state’s strict boundary lines for wind turbines – saying the new law is forcing them to miss out on billions of dollars in economic development by thwarting any new wind farm projects. Opponents of the law still have a long journey towards changing it.An industry-backed group called the Wind Energy Foundation reports the state is missing out on as much as $4 billion in economic development because of what it calls roadblocks to new wind projects.As Susan Munroe with the Van Wert area Chamber of Commerce explains, counties like Seneca and Sandusky can’t get projects approved.“Some of us have experienced that promise of economic opportunity with windfarm development and some of us have been denied,” said Munroe.A bill in the Senate would decrease the setbacks. Supporters of the current setbacks say it benefits landowners who don’t want turbines near their property.Senate President Larry Obhof says he’d like to consider changing the setbacks as part of the bill to change the state’s renewable energy requirements into optional goals. Copyright 2018 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Tags