Oceana County still has a vote, but as far as Mason County commissioners are concerned, Scandia Wind’s proposal for 50 to 100 wind turbines in Lake Michigan is a dead issue.
The county commission voted Tuesday 9-1 against the developer’s request for support: Could the community live with the view of the turbines 4 to 6 miles off the shore from Pentwater to the area just south of Ludington?
They all said no, except commissioner Bob Genson, who said he did not like the wording of the resolution which “boxed him in,” making it seem as though the county could never support offshore wind turbines.
The view issue, he said, didn’t seem insurmountable.
Commissioner Chuck Lange said the view issue was a deal-breaker, in his opinion.
The developer asked that the resolution be withdrawn — submitting a letter just prior to the meeting. It stated “a resolution of this nature is premature” as the state works on its permit process.
Still, the Mason County Board of Commissioners went ahead with its vote against the proposal.
More than 50 people attended Tuesday’s meeting, with the crowd spilling out into the Mason County Courthouse’s second floor hallway. Many people spoke out, asking the county board to vote against the proposal.
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Source: Michigan Dept. of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth (DELEG)