McLean County residents need no longer be concerned about rusted hulks of windmills standing around forever. The McLean County Board has approved a Decommissioning Agreement with White Oak Energy. As a result all wind farms in the county have now agreed to remove windmills after the farm they are on is no longer in use and will have put funds in escrow for the county to do the job if necessary.
Land Use and Development Committee Chairman Lea Cline said, “So the last time we talked we had three projects that needed to have a decommissioning agreement escrow process set up.”
“The last time we got two finished and this is the third. This project was not in arrears until this month. So they are meeting their deadline,” said Cline.
The first two agreements were with Twin Groves Wind Farms. Those agreements were three years in arrears before being completed.
McLean County Board Chair John McIntyre said, “I looked at it. I kept bringing this up for a number of years and I finally said enough is enough let’s take a stand on it. And so we did and with the help of our state’s attorneys office and our administration we were able to follow through.”
Twin Groves deposited $6 million in escrow. White Oak will deposit $2.5 million.
“With this one, when this one is signed, … that is all for us in terms of wind project decommissioning. … For the future there is already a new system that has been taken over by the state to do it,” said Cline.
County Administrator Cassy Taylor said, “Now we are feeling good that we are on track and up to date with all of the escrow agreements.”
