Wind power was one of the issues discussed at a public meeting of the Warren County Board on Wednesday, September 16th. Monmouth College Professor Kenneth Cramer presented about the benefits of wind energy and how wind energy could be used for the betterment of Warren County. After Cramer finished his presentation, another member of the community took the time allotted for public comment to express their concern over the installation of wind turbines in Warren County, citing alleged health concerns among other potential drawbacks.
The debate over the installation of wind turbines in rural areas has touched small towns and counties from upstate New York to Southern California and everywhere in between, including Illinois. Those in favor of such projects point to major economic and environmental benefits, while those opposed typically express concern over the sight of the turbines or the long-term viability of the companies that propose to install them, and in some cases claims that wind turbines can be harmful to one’s health.
Despite the fact that the Warren County Board currently has no concrete plans or proposals from companies looking to set up new wind turbines in the area, the topic has been a popular subject of public commentary.
"Warren County Courthouse - Monmouth, Illinois" by Bill Herndon is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Joseph Doner - Staff Writer